Maintenance Tips That Can Prevent Needing A Tow During Your Upcoming Vacation

When you're getting ready to hit the road on your upcoming vacation, the last thing you might be thinking about is taking care of your vehicle. However, it's possible that a vehicle issue could leave you stranded on the side of the road and needing help from a towing company. While the tow truck driver can help get you back on schedule with roadside service or taking you to a nearby garage, you'll be disappointed if the issue with your vehicle was preventable. Here are some simple maintenance tips that you can complete before you leave to avoid having to get a tow.

Top Up Your Coolant

Long drives can be tough on your engine, especially if your coolant is low. You don't want to risk overheating your engine — you'll often see steam escaping from under your hood and a warning light on your dash display. Upon noticing these symptoms, you'll want to pull off the road immediately and call a towing service. You can lessen this risk, however, by checking your engine's coolant level and then topping it up accordingly. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual to learn the proper brand of coolant to use, as well as the level at which to fill the reservoir.

Get Your Tire Pressure Correct

Under- or over-inflated tires can go flat and leave you needing a tow from a towing service. While there's always a risk of a flat tire whenever you drive, you can dramatically reduce this risk by ensuring that each of your tires has the correct air pressure. A visit to the air pump at a gas station before your vacation can help you check the current pressure of each tire, as well as top up any tires that are low or let some of the air escape from any tires that are high.

Change Your Battery

If you have an old car battery that has proven unreliable in the past — perhaps dying or making it difficult to start your car — it's a good idea to get the battery changed before your trip. An unreliable battery can quickly leave you stranded, which means that you'll need to call a towing service to have the battery boosted or be towed to a nearby garage to have the battery changed. Your local garage can change the battery for you, but it's also an easy enough job to do on your own, provided you follow your vehicle's manual carefully.

Share