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7-27-03
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Make The Car Your Top Priority When Planning A Road Trip
(NAPSA)-How well you prepare your automobile is possibly
the most important factor in ensuring a safe, fun, carefree and relaxing
vacation. Before you hit the open road, there are several important parts
of your car to check.
"
The most critical areas to check before going on a driving trip are engine
fluids, radiator hoses, belts, tires and brakes," says Pat Goss,
car care expert, co-host of PBS' MotorWeek and head auto technician at
Goss' Garage. "Adequately checking and preparing these key areas
before you leave, will not only keep you safe while driving, they'll
help prevent costly repairs-and no one wants to spend money fixing their
car during a vacation."
Follow these simple instructions and you'll be on
your way to a safe, worry-free driving vacation:
- Engine Oil-Before you go on vacation, check your oil levels
and the date you're due for an oil change. If you'll be driving long
distances, you'll
want to have your oil changed before you leave and you'll want to consider
the type of engine oil you need for the trip. If you're traveling in
hot weather or under severe service conditions such as towing a trailer,
you should consider choosing a fully synthetic engine oil such as Mobil
1 with SuperSyn 5W-30 for newer cars or the 10W-30 formula for older
and higher-mileage vehicles. Although Mobil 1 is suitable for all services,
it is specially designed to protect engines in hot weather and high-speed
conditions, while optimizing your engine's efficiency and reducing
oil consumption.
- Radiator Coolant, Hoses and Belts-Have them inspected
by a mechanic BEFORE you leave. Keeping an engine running at the proper
temperature is extremely
important. To make this happen the coolant must be clean and should
never change color. If the coolant has changed color, your engine is dissolving
into the coolant. Hoses and belts related to the cooling system allow
coolant to flow to and from the radiator to keep the engine cool. If
a hose or belt fails while driving your engine will rapidly overheat.
Overheating can damage or destroy an engine in minutes.
- Tire Pressure
and Tread-Most people believe the tire pressure is listed on the tire
itself. Actually, the number on the tire is the maximum
amount of pressure the tire can safely hold when it's cold. Over inflation or
under inflation combined with extreme heat and high speed, can lead
to
a blow out. So, be safe. Look on your driver's side door, on the inside
of the fuel filler door, or in your glove compartment for the recommended
tire pressure and check the pressure before you leave. Also, look at
the tread on all four tires to make sure it's not too worn or unevenly
worn, which can signal a wheel alignment problem or worn front end
parts. If your tires are on the bubble in terms of wear, it's best to install
new tires now than to take a chance on them failing while you are on
the road.
- Brake System-The fluid in your brakes attracts and absorbs
moisture. If you haven't had a flush in the last year, get one before
you leave.
Moisture and brake parts don't mix. Water laden brake fluid causes
severe damage to costly brake parts and lowers the fluid's boiling point. A
lowered boiling point can lead to brake failure during hard or prolonged
brake application, which can be common on long road trips. Heavy traffic
and hills seriously stress brakes and brake fluid.
"
Finally, keep your speed down, make sure you have a charged cell phone
and know whom to call if your car breaks down in a remote area," reminds
Goss. "Planning ahead and considering the details before you leave
will help you to hit the road safely and with peace of mind."
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