Canada has over 1,042,718 kilometres of public roads – longer than a round trip to the Moon. When the snow finally clears and summer arrives, Canadians from coast to coast to coast like to take to those roads in all manner of vehicles to enjoy their summer road trips.
Whether packing the family into the SUV for a day trip, towing the boat to the cottage, or loading up the motor home for an extended vacation, ensuring your vehicle is ready to perform at optimum levels is critical to your overall safety. And according to the experts in automotive service, there are several important areas to consider for pre-travel check-up to help you avoid breakdowns while on the road.
“One of the first things you will want to do, especially with all the rain we’ve been getting, is to make sure you have good quality wiper blades,” said Vince Klimkosz, owner of the three area locations of Vinnie’s Mr. Fixit. “They’re just as important in the summer as they are in the winter.”
According to Klimkosz, there are other systems in your vehicle beside the motor and transmission that need to be functioning properly to ensure worry-free travel in the summer.
“Before you hit the road, whether you’re just driving somewhere or towing a trailer, it’s a good idea to check all of your lights,” he said. “This is especially true when towing a trailer of any kind. Trailer lighting and trailer wiring isn’t usually as good as the wiring in your vehicle. When people can’t see if you’re making a turn or a lane change because your lights are all working it can be dangerous.”
A key area not to overlook is tire pressure. Klimkosz said that summer is especially hard on tires, and riding on properly inflated tires is vital to proper handling.
“If you’re going to blow a tire it’s most likely going to be in the summertime. The age of your tires is also important. If you have old tires they’re at risk for blowouts. If you head up north, you’ll always see people with blown trailer tires. Those are usually the ones that have been sitting most of the year.”
According to Klimkosz, if a tire is more than 10 years old it’s a prime candidate for replacement, especially if it’s on a trailer that only gets used in the summer. Although there is no current law in Ontario that says you have to replace them after 10 years, Klimkosz said older tires get dried out and cracked.
“It’s best to get rid of it before there’s a problem on the road that can ruin your vacation,” he said.
Ensuring the cooling system is inspected prior to hitting the road is another tip for safe travel. Start by ensuring there are no leaves or debris blocking the fan. Replace the cabin air filter to ensure there’s an unrestricted flow of clean, cool air in the cabin. Have your air conditioning inspected to test the coolant. Finally, make sure the engine coolant is topped up and able to handle the heat generated when towing.
“A lot of newer vehicles recommend a full flush and new coolant every five to six years,” he said. “If you’re vehicle is that old and you’ve never had it flushed it’s probably time to get it done. Many of the newer vehicles have switched to a permanent fill, but older vehicles still need to be checked.”
Checking all belts and hoses is another simple service that can help avoid big problems later on. Klimkosz said many new cars have switched to long lasting Neoprene engine belts that often don’t show signs of wear. As a result, they often just unexpectedly break.
“We have a special tool we use when conducting an inspection that measures the wear in the belt. A lot of time it’s really just determining the age of the belt. If it’s older it’s good to be proactive and replace them.”
Coming in for a full inspection of brakes and an oil change is also a good idea prior to travelling.
“If you’re towing you don’t want to be way over on the age of your oil,” he said. “Checking the braking system is also a good idea. Towing puts a lot of extra wear on your brakes. Even though many trailers have electric brakes a lot of the time they’re not fully adequate. With stop and go traffic a regular part of summer travel you want your brakes to be operating at 100 percent.”
Make sure your summer road trip is safe.
Visit any of the three locations of Vinnie’s Mr. Fixit to book a multi-point inspection conducted by licenced technicians. Book your appointment today and visit Vinnie’s online here.