5 Vehicle Essentials to Check Before a Summer Road Trip

1. A few days before your trip, set aside time to check your vehicle’s belts, hoses, brakes, lights, cabin air filter and wiper blades. Your vehicle’s Owner Manual has a schedule for suggested maintenance timing.
2. Unchecked fluid and oil levels may lead to an unexpected breakdown. Check the engine oil, as well as the windshield washer and brake fluids, and refill as needed. Additionally, check the vehicle’s transmission fluid, power steering fluid and coolant fluid.
3. Tires, including the spare, should have the appropriate pressure to ensure they are in top working condition. Tire tread depth can be quickly tested with something most people have in their cup holder: A penny. Place the penny with Lincoln’s head upside down on the tire’s tread. If you can see all of Lincoln’s face, you may need to replace your tires. Underinflated and overinflated tires can lead to a flat tire or blowout, creating unexpected delays in summer travel. Similarly, poorly maintained tires may lead to poor handling, unusual wear and reduced fuel efficiency.
4. Inspect your vehicle’s brakes before traveling to ensure there are no road trip surprises. Do you hear a squealing or grinding noise when stopping? You may need to replace the brakes. Failure to replace brake pads or damaged rotors can lead to expensive repairs in the future that could take away from your vacation fund.
5. In case of an unexpected emergency, ensure you have a working flashlight with extra batteries, emergency reflectors and a first-aid kit in your vehicle.

For additional maintenance tips and how-to videos for DIYers, visit ACDelco’s Youtube site. For those not comfortable conducting maintenance checks, you can Schedule and Appointment with your local Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac Certified Service experts or visit an ACDelco Professional Service Center. However you choose to service your vehicle, always ask for GM Genuine or ACDelco OE parts – designed, engineered, tested and backed by General Motors.

General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM, its subsidiaries and joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.