By Daniel Carter, Senior Automotive Technician · 4 comments
The 12-point pre-trip checklist our own technicians run on their family cars before highway season.
Start with the only parts touching the road: tire pressure (door-jamb spec, not sidewall), tread depth, and the spare — a flat spare 400 miles from home is a special kind of heartbreak.
Then stopping and seeing: pad thickness, wiper blades, washer fluid, and every exterior bulb. Night rain on I-90 is the wrong time to discover dead wipers.
Under the hood: oil level and miles-to-due, coolant, brake fluid, belts and hoses for cracks, and a battery load test — heat kills more batteries than cold.
Pack the rescue kit: jumper cables or a jump pack, tire inflator, flashlight, water, and our number — (312) 555-0147 — saved in your phone with roadside cover confirmed.
Short on time? Our pre-trip 40-point check takes under an hour and ships with a go/no-go report. Drive safe, stay secure.