Mandatory vehicle maintenance before setting off for Eid vacation

With the Eid-ul-Fitr knocking at the door, it is about time to start emptying the cities and head out to the countryside to reunite with extended family members. And what's more comfortable than taking the daily driven grocery getter with you? 

However, driving cars on the highway is a totally different ball game. 

While you may ignore the regular squeaks and creaks of your daily driver during city commutes, these can turn out to be potential threats to both you and your vehicle's safety when you will drive your car at highway speeds. So, it is actually wise to have a better inspection of the cars before driving them on the highway.

Here are five things to do to your car before going on a road trip. 

Photo: Saikat Roy

Check the viscosity of the engine oil 

If you mostly use your car to hurdle through the bustling city traffic during rush hours, chances are that you need to change your lubricants more frequently than cars driven regularly on the highways. 

Local mechanics mentioned to The Business Standard that the ideal time to change full synthetic engine oil is after 3,000 km but we believe it should be done after inspecting the viscosity first. However, if your vehicle has already been driven for a few thousand kilometres, it has most likely lost its viscosity quite a bit and so it is ideal for replacing the low-density oil before going on the road trip for Eid. 

Given the extraordinary temperatures this summer, it will help to reduce stress on the engine making it smoother and also ensuring good fuel economy throughout your trip. 

Photo: Saikat Roy

Inspect the tyres 

Tyres are the only parts of your vehicle which stay in contact with the road. So it is very important to ensure that those remain in good condition. Quite a handful of accidents happen every year in Bangladesh due to the bursting of tyres. 

With age, the compounds in the tyre not only wear out but also start to harden, reducing the grip and thus the handling capability of cars. So, it's more of a risk hazard to drive on the highway with tyres which are more than five years old. 

Besides, the tyre pressure must be kept in check before heading out for the road trip as well. The optimum tyre pressure (as mentioned on the pillar of the driver's door side) will not only help to ensure the maximum attainable comfort but also improved average fuel economy and acceleration as well. 

Photo: Saikat Roy

Service the brakes 

This is probably the most important point of all. The brakes of your daily driver might stop the car perfectly during city rides but the force needed to be applied by the brakes to stop a car from triple-digit speed, especially when it is fully loaded with passengers and luggage, rises by an exponential amount. So it is ideal to get the brakes checked by a reputed workshop before going on a road trip. 

One thing to be aware of is that servicing the brakes doesn't mean just checking and cleaning the brake callipers but doing a thorough inspection of the brake callipers along with brake rotors, the brake boosters and the pH of the brake fluids and replacing anything if necessary. 

Photo: Saikat Roy

Do an overall thorough inspection of the car 

Take your vehicle to a workshop and do a general inspection of all the different systems of the car like the engine, suspension, electrical, transmission and sensors along with the ones mentioned above. You do not want to be left stranded with a broken car in the middle of the highway due to a faulty sensor or go on a summer road trip with faulty air conditioners. 

Besides, make sure that the battery is charging and discharging properly and top up with distilled water if necessary. Given the summer temperatures, it is also wise to have a look at the radiator fluid condition and might as well replace it if that was not done in years. 

Also, keep a fire extinguisher in the trunk as a safety precaution. Even minor details such as lights must be inspected to ensure they are working well as it could potentially be dangerous to not have lights on the highway. 

Representational image. Photo: Saikat Roy

Take your car for a wheel alignment and balancing job

This is the point that most vehicle users miss out on. Yet, it is still one of the most important parts of vehicle servicing, especially before going on road trips. As mentioned before, the tyres and wheels are what come in contact when the car is being driven on the roads. So, if the wheels are not aligned and balanced properly, the uneven weight distribution will lead to vehicle vibration at highway speeds. So, ideally, a balanced set of wheels will reduce vehicle vibration as well as ensure better fuel economy and reduce tyre wear throughout the trip.

Bonus tip 

Make sure the infotainment system is working well

Nothing could be worse than not being able to listen to the shared Spotify playlist during a day-long road trip, especially with chances of delays due to the congestion in highways before Eid. Thus, if your car has aged or has an aftermarket infotainment system, it is wise to ensure that all the connections to the speakers and the wiring of the infotainment systems are working properly. This can be done during the general vehicle inspection.