Why You Should Get an Auto Tune Up Before Summer Vacation

Don’t let an unexpected breakdown ruin your road trip.

Summer has arrived, and after a long year of staying home, many of us are eager to get on the road and go travelling. However, before you do, it’s a wise idea to bring your car in to your mechanic for a tune up. This is especially true if you haven’t been driving your car as much as usual. You may not have noticed an unusual sound from the wheel well, or you may not have turned on your AC recently, or you may have forgotten about your latest oil change Ann Arbor.

No one wants vacation to be spoiled by a breakdown, and of course, something can always break on your car unexpectedly. But a tune up before a big trip can make sure all the regular maintenance is in order, and gives your mechanic a chance to spot anything that might be amiss before you take your car on the road. Here’s what to check.

1. Tires.

Your tires are going to have a direct impact on the handling of your vehicle, the comfort of the passengers, and even your gas mileage. Before you take your car out, be sure to check:

• The wear of the tire treads. Has it been a while since you purchased new tires? If your treads are wearing thin, it may be time for new ones.
• Tire pressure. If your tires are under- or over-inflated, it can cause them to wear unevenly, and will affect your steering. Make sure they have the right amount of air before you start a trip.
• Wheel alignment. When you check your tire treads, you may notice that they are showing uneven signs of wear. This could be because your alignment is off.
• Spare tire. Make sure your spare is in good condition and that you have everything you need to change a tire if you get a flat.

2. Brakes.

Any time your brakes fail is bad news. But you especially wouldn’t want it to happen while rolling down a steep mountain road. While your mechanic can give them a look, you can also test them yourself by just taking your car for a drive. Pay attention to whether your brake pedal feels soft or squishy when you press it down, and listen for any groaning or grinding sounds as your car comes to a stop. If anything feels wrong, bring your car to a mechanic right away.

3. Fluid levels.

If it’s been over three months since your last oil change, getting a change before your next trip is a good idea—even if your odometer doesn’t say it’s been enough miles for it. You may also consider changing your oil early if you think you’re going to pass the recommended milage while on your trip.

There are a couple advantages to this:

1. Your car will run more smoothly with fresh oil, and you will benefit from improved gas milage.
2. Your mechanic can also take a moment to top up other fluids, like your windshield wiper fluid, and make sure all is in good order.

4. Air conditioning.

No one wants to be in a car for hours on end with a broken air conditioner, but you may not notice it’s not working well if you’ve only been taking your car on short trips. Next time you’re driving, turn the cold air on full blast and pay attention to how quickly your car cools down. If it takes a long time for the cold air to kick in, or If the fans don’t seem to be operating at full power, have your mechanic check it out.

5. Battery.

Car batteries usually last a few years, but they do eventually fail and need replacing. If your battery fails while you’re on the road, you may have difficult starting your car, or may not be able to get it going at all. If you’re noticing that your engine is slow to start, or that you’re having problems with other electric features in your car, it may because your battery needs to be replaced.

6. General maintenance.

Finally, your mechanic can do an inspection of other car parts, such as your lights or your windshield wipers, to make sure everything is in working order. While these are inexpensive parts to keep in order, both need to be in good shape for the safety of your vehicle. Having to track down a mechanic on your trip to replace a dead light won’t ruin your day, but it will be an inconvenience you can easily avoid by having a mechanic do the inspection before you’re on the road.

If you take your car on a long trip, bring it in for a check-up afterwards, too.

After a long road trip, assuming everything went well, you probably are feeling pretty good about your car’s performance. But the extra miles you travelled may mean some of your routine maintenance is going to be due faster than you expected. Or, if you took your car somewhere with more extreme conditions—rocky roads or extremely hot weather—you may want to make sure the added wear and tear hasn’t knocked your wheels out of alignment or weakened any of your belts and hoses.

So whether you bring your car in right away or wait till the next oil change, let your mechanic know if you’ve been on a long trip and they can do an extra check to be sure everything’s running well.

And as always, if you need a tune-up, contact our ASE certified mechanics at Auto Tech. We can take a look and make sure your car is running well before you start a big trip.