Car tips before your summer trips

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) -Summer is a time for road trips, vacations and taking time off to recharge and refresh.

But, does a vehicle need some recharging and refreshing before taking to the highway?

“First thing I would recommend is to check your antifreeze and your coolant,” Jerry’s Automotive technician Tommy Davison said. “Not only the proper level of it, but the proper mixture of it. Make sure it’s in good condition and correct for what you’ll be doing.”

If heading out West or up into the mountains, keep the terrain in mind, especially if you are bringing your camper.

“If you’re towing, make sure your trailer lights work, especially if you’re towing a camper where they cannot see your tow vehicle, the tires, and such on campers as well,” Davison said. “A lot of times campers get parked for a year or so and don’t get used. Make sure that tires, brakes, wheel bearings, anything like that, is taken care of.”

Most importantly: Don’t forget the things that could easily be overlooked.

“Mostly inflation on tires,” Davison said. “That’s one of the most important parts of vehicles and it’s one of the most neglected.”

Here are some things that should be checked before hitting the road on the next vacation.

Depending on a person’s skill level with fixing vehicles, a professional may be needed for any of these steps:

• Checking antifreeze levels and cooling
• Checking car’s battery
• Inspecting all belt and hoses
• Checking your brakes
• Inspecting all tires, including tire pressure
• Replacing any filters and topping off any fluids
• Ensuring windshield wipers work
• Check the oil.

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