It’s the holiday season and I guess most of you are already geared up with your tickets purchased. Given the current situation of the aviation industry with Kingfisher not even giving you the illusion of getting high, or the erratic train travel and all the more erratic timings and unexpected delays, one mode of transport seems to have seen stable business. Yes, we are talking about the tarmac.
To a petrol-head, a road trip is a close-to-perfection way of adding some meaning to his holiday season. So, we dedicate this article to our fellow petrol heads so that they can have an absolutely safe season! Cheers guys!
A well planned road trip should certainly include an appointment with an authorized service station. Even if you feel your vehicle is completely alright, there is no harm in giving it to the technicians there to check your ride out just in case.
Here is a list of 10 parameters that we strongly believe that you check before your rev into your season.
1. SEAT BELTS
Before leaving on a road trip, make sure that your seat belts are good with the appropriate tension numbers. This can only be done at a service center. It comes without saying that you should ensure your passengers always have their seat belts fastened.
2. BRAKES
To check your brake discs or drums, your ride needs to be given for service. There, the friction lining of your brake discs/drums are checked for their minimum diameter or thickness. If any abnormality is reported to you, please make sure that you replace the components. It is good for a long term cause as well.
3. SUSPENSIONS
Make sure your suspensions and shock absorbers are intact and do not have oil leaks. Weak suspensions or shock absorbers can damage the chassis of the car as well, and you really don’t want to have a bumpy trip, do you?
4. WHEEL ALIGNMENT, BALANCING AND AIR PRESSURE
Every tyre of a car will have a certain pressure of air/nitrogen that it is to maintain. Check your tyre pressure at any fuel station and fill air if required. Maintaining air pressures also leads to a small increase in fuel economy.
It is also necessary that your wheels are balanced and aligned. Wheel balancing is done by adding small weights to your wheel disc so that it rotates uniformly. Wheel discs are prone to deformation due to road irregularities. Wheel aligning is basically the alignment of the front wheels relative to the rear wheels. If your wheels aren’t aligned, your wheels will wobble when you go at high speeds thereby making you lose your driving satisfaction.
5. ENGINE LIQUIDS
Every mechanical component and assembly needs lubrication to function with high efficiency. Engines are no different. Engines need to lubed with special engine oils. Open your bonnet and you will find a pull-out stick-like plug next to your engine. You can check the oil levels by pulling it out. Give your car for a service to have them refilled.
You might also want to make sure that your engine is cooled well so that it doesn’t smoke out. Monitor the engine temperature gauge that comes in your instrument panel. If your car isn’t filled with enough coolant, your engine might smoke out and you will have to wait till it cools back to operational temperatures.
6. VEHICLE ELECTRONICS
All your lights – head lights, dippers, high beams, rear lights, brake lights, indicators, reverse and other bulbs in your instrument panel should be working. Do not start your road trip without making this check. It is a major safety issue that involves not just you, but everyone else on the road as well! It is a necessity to use your front wipers in case of rain. Driving on a high way during a pour down without your wipers is absolute madness. Make sure your wipers and your sprayers function well.
7. FUEL HOSE LEAKS
Make sure there are no fuel leaks in your fuel hose network system. Give your car for a thorough examination in a service centre if you suspect any leaks. Fuel leaks can be checked by observing the fuel gauge from time to time while you drive. If there are drastic drops, there surely is a leak. You might also get the smell of fuel inside your car.
8. AIR-CON
Let’s face it. Everyone needs the air-con. Be it for heating or cooling. There are two parameters that come with the air-con system- the temperature and the throw. If you think that the temperature in your car is still high even though you have set the temperature at the minimum level, you might want to give it for service. There might be issues with the condenser. Throw is basically the reach of the effect of the air-con system. It increases with your fan speed. If you think your throw is relatively worsening, there might be too much dust in the air filter or blocks in your evaporator.
9. BATTERY
Problems with your battery can result in late starting. You can get your battery’s gravity parameter checked while you give the vehicle for service. The first symptom of a weak battery is a weak horn sound or probably no horn sound at all. Your lights and other car electronics may also fail.
10. LOCKING
This is a major security factor and should not be ignored. Make sure the locks for all doors are firm and locking well. Also make sure the driver’s lock lever locks all the doors if your car is equipped with central locking.
