Easter is fast approaching, bringing with it a time when people across the country tend to get in their cars and make the most of the longer weekend by travelling a little further afield than usual.
However, those extra miles can put additional strain on your car – particularly if you’re not usually driving longer distances. Here, we’re going to go through some of the things you can check out on your car to make sure it’s all okay for the extended break.
Tyres
Obviously, tyres are massively important. They’re the only point of contact between road and car, so ensuring that they’re in tip-top shape ensures that you’re travelling as safely as possible. Before anything else, give your car’s tyres a visual inspection for any cracking, bulging or cuts in the sidewalls. If there’s any doubt, it’s always a good idea to change them for new ones. When it comes to tread, the legal minimum in the UK is 1.6mm, so ensure that your tyres are within this by using a tyre gauge, or you could take them to a garage to get them checked out.
You’ll want to make sure that they’re properly inflated, too. Under-inflated tyres can contribute to worse fuel consumption and it can affect braking performance too, particularly in the wet. Check your car’s tyre pressures via the vehicle handbook, on a panel behind the fuel filler door or on the area behind the driver’s side door. Inflate them to the right pressures (using a compressor either at home or at a petrol station) and you know you’ll be rolling efficiently. Don’t forget to check the pressures on your spare tyre if your car has one too.
Fluid levels
On longer trips ensuring that your car’s various fluid levels are topped up is crucial. Oil is your car’s main fluid and, thankfully, it’s easy to check. Simply use your car’s dipstick, remove it from the engine, clean it off and then return it back to the engine. Then, when you remove it again, you should be able to see the oil’s level by using the gauge on the stick itself. If it’s low, top up the levels – using the correct oil for your car – in stages, checking each time before topping up again.
While you’re there, you might want to check your car’s coolant levels to make sure that these are correct using the gauges on the side of the coolant bottle. Don’t forget to top up your windscreen washer fluid levels, too – this is usually signposted with a blue cap.
Windscreen wipers
Though we like to think of Easter as blissfully sunny it is, quite often, very wet. Because of this, we’d be making sure that your car’s windscreen wipers are in good condition and working properly. Older blades might be showing signs of age through cracking, but one of the easiest ways to find out if they’re due a replacement is if they’re making the tell-tale ‘rubbing’ sound when operated.
They’re easy to swap out at home, or you can ask a professional to do this if you don’t feel confident.
Battery
There’s nothing worse than coming back to your car after a day trip to find the battery completely flat. This can often be the case after winter, too, when lower temperatures require a battery to provide more energy to get an engine started.
If your car is feeling sluggish to turn over, then it might mean that it’s due for a replacement. Again, this is something that you can do at home though you may want to have a garage perform the replacement for you instead.
Towing accessories
A lot of people like to tow over the Easter break, be that a boat, caravan or anything else in between. Remember, too, that changes in 2021 mean that you do not need an additional towing licence providing the trailer’s maximum authorised mass (MAM) doesn’t exceed 3,500kg. Passed your test before January 1, 1997? You’re able to drive a vehicle and trailer with a combined maximum weight of 8,250kg.
Remember, if whatever you are towing is wider than your tow car, then you’ll need to fit mirror extenders, while you’ll need to ensure that any trailer has the same number plate on it as the car towing it.
Dog harness
Four-legged friends are often a core part of a holiday, but you do need to make sure that they’re travelling safely and comfortably. In fact, if your dog isn’t suitably restrained when in the car, you could be hit with up to nine penalty points on your licence and a fine of up to £5,000.
The good news is, that it’s easy to keep your dog safe in the car. There are all manner of seatbelts and harnesses for those dogs which travel in the back seat or you may want to look at a more traditional boot-mounted cage or dog guard.