Extended Weekend Getaways A Flat tire
Tire damage is a common issue on a road trip. Such damage can range from a slow puncture to a blowout, and it can be caused by all kinds of things including potholes, debris, hitting a curb or even excessive wear.
Driving on underinflated tires can increase your chance of a blowout, so make sure to pump up your tires before you begin your road trip. If tires are very worn or already have damage such as bulges or nails stuck in them, you should also consider replacing these damaged tires before your road trip begins.
Engine overheating
One of the most common causes of a breakdown on a road trip is the engine overheating. Driving long distances – particularly in hot weather, uphill, while blasting the A/C – can put a huge demand on the engine and potentially cause head gaskets to blow or engine blocks to crack.
If you smell burning or see smoke, this is a sign that your engine is overheated, and you should pull over as soon as possible. Making sure that your coolant is topped up and not driving too long on a hot day may help to prevent your engine overheating.
Worn brakes
You’re likely to do a lot of braking on a road trip. If your car is taking longer to stop, if your brake pedal feels spongy or if your brakes are making a grinding/squealing sound, it could be a sign you have worn brakes that need replacing.
Inspect your brakes before you embark on your road trip to make sure that they are not already heavily worn. Getting into the habit of braking slow and early could help your brakes to last longer (sharp late braking will reduce the life of your brakes).
Suspension issues
Hitting debris or potholes at speed could potentially damage your car’s suspension. This can lead to problems such as the car pulling to one side or vibrating. It can also lead to uneven tire wear.
Scheduling a car service before your road trip could help to spot any suspension issues that your car may already have. If such issues aren’t fixed, they could get much worse during your road trip and potentially make the car hard to steer or very uncomfortable to drive, so make sure you don’t ignore suspension issues.
Streaky wipers
Are your wipers leaving streaks? Not being able to see properly due to streaky wipers is a common and dangerous problem to encounter on a road trip.
Fortunately, it has an easy fix: replace your wipers. New wipers shouldn’t cost a lot of money and you can usually install them yourself.
