{"id":299,"date":"2019-05-17T06:55:30","date_gmt":"2019-05-17T13:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carpartsblog.wpengine.com\/?p=299"},"modified":"2025-05-20T20:51:09","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T03:51:09","slug":"essentials-pre-road-trip-car-maintenance-checklist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/essentials-pre-road-trip-car-maintenance-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Essentials: The Pre-Road-Trip Car Maintenance Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column299_b74605-6b{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column299_b74605-6b > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column299_b74605-6b inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-0f768e  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-fa4cdc\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading299_3d2894-06\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading299_3d2894-06\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading299_3d2894-06\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading299_3d2894-06 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading299_3d2894-06\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The first point to consider in a pre-road-trip car maintenance checklist is to take care of any maintenance concerns that you&rsquo;ve been waiving off. You&rsquo;ll also want to check oil, filters, and fluids.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The next points to consider in a car maintenance checklist are the battery, tires, brakes, and lights. If any of these components are damaged, then your vehicle will be less safe. If it&rsquo;s a battery issue, you might also find yourself stranded.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lastly, you should check emergency equipment and fuel levels. You should also do a final visual inspection. You can even clean your windows so you can admire the scenery with a clear view.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Memorial Day weekend&rsquo;s coming up, and we hope you&rsquo;re just as thrilled as us for the opportunity to go on a road trip. (LA to Cayucos for this writer! Where are you headed?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First things first&mdash;you&rsquo;ll want to make sure your ride is good to go before you hit the road. Check out our pre-road-trip car maintenance guide so you&rsquo;re fully prepped for the long haul:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Jobs in the Queue<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rule of thumb for anything you need to fix&mdash;take care of it right away. But if there are any vehicle maintenance and repair jobs you&rsquo;ve been holding off until the very last minute (like that oil change or TPMS light you&rsquo;ve left on a little too long, or those rear brakes the Honda service guy told you could wait another month max when all the other repairs you had done maxed out your budget last month), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-to-consider-before-doing-diy-auto-repair\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;you&rsquo;ll want to handle those before you drive off&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>you&rsquo;ll want to handle those before you drive off<\/strong><\/a> on your weekend getaway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Oil, Fluids and Filters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Motor oil, fluids and filters are vital for keeping your engine and the rest of your vehicle&rsquo;s most critical components lubricated and running clean and cool. If you need to change your oil, do it. And, as with every oil change, make sure you change your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/oil-filter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;oil filter&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>oil filter<\/strong><\/a>, too. Check all your other fluids and filters (including your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/coolant-antifreeze\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;coolant&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>coolant<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/manual-transmission-fluid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;transmission fluid&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>transmission fluid<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/low-brake-fluid-symptoms-plus-when-to-change-and-faq\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;brake fluid&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>brake fluid<\/strong><\/a>, windshield washer fluid, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/air-filter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;air filter&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>air filter<\/strong><\/a><strong>,<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/cabin-air-filter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;cabin air filter&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>cabin air filter<\/strong><\/a>, etc.) and take care of those as needed.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-300 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"668\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/car-battery-corrosion.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-300\" style=\"width:1000px;height:668px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/car-battery-corrosion.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/car-battery-corrosion-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/car-battery-corrosion-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/car-battery-corrosion-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">If you&rsquo;ve had your car battery for 3-5 years or longer, its terminals may already be corroded.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<div id=\"article-search-widget\">\n<div class=\"cp-search\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/w_auto,dpr_auto\/carparts\/logos\/badge_wordmark\/full_color\/CP_LOGO_COLOUR_RGB\" alt=\"CarParts.com\" width=\"300\" height=\"56\">\n<\/div>\n<form id=\"cpsearchform\" name=\"cpsearchform\" action=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/search\" method=\"get\" target=\"_blank\" accept-charset=\"character_set\" aria-label=\"search CarParts.com\">\n    <input type=\"text\" class=\"keyword\" name=\"q\" placeholder=\"Search for parts on CarParts.com\" value=\"\" aria-label=\"Search CarParts.com\"><input type=\"submit\" class=\"btn-search\" value=\"Search\" aria-label=\"Search\">\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Battery<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Experiencing slow starts due to a weak battery or corroded battery terminals? This can happen if you don&rsquo;t use your car for extended periods of time, or if you&rsquo;ve had your battery for 3-5 years or more. In any case, you&rsquo;ll want to test your battery and change it as needed before taking any long trips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Tires<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&rsquo;t let a flat tire ruin your vacation mood. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-check-tire-tread-and-tire-pressure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;Check your vehicle&rsquo;s tire pressure&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>Check your vehicle&rsquo;s tire pressure<\/strong><\/a> and tire tread depth, and add air or change your tires if you need to. What&rsquo;s a good tire pressure, anyway? For most makes and models, it&rsquo;s somewhere between 30-35 psi, but it really depends on your application. You can find your vehicle&rsquo;s recommended tire pressure on the sticker inside your driver&rsquo;s side door or your owner&rsquo;s manual.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-301 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/fix-car-headlights.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-301\" style=\"width:1000px;height:667px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/fix-car-headlights.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/fix-car-headlights-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/fix-car-headlights-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/fix-car-headlights-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Make sure your lights are ready for a road trip, especially if you&rsquo;re going to be driving through the night.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Brakes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/brake-disc-and-pad-kit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;brake discs and pads&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>brake discs and pads<\/strong><\/a> are in good, road-trip-ready shape. If your brakes have been squealing or they&rsquo;ve been less responsive, you definitely want to get them checked right away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>6. Lights<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&rsquo;ll be driving through the night, it&rsquo;s especially important to make sure all your lights are working properly. Have a friend check the front and rear of your vehicle as you test your headlights, fog lights, tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, hazards, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>7. Emergency Equipment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Double-check that you have everything you&rsquo;d need in the event of an emergency, including your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/spare-tire\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;spare tire&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>spare tire<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/spare-tire-jack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;jack&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>jack<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/jump-starter\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;jump starter&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>jump starter<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/jumper-cables\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;cables&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>cables<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/jerry-can\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;gas can&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>gas can<\/strong><\/a>, flashlight, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/tool-kit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;tool kit&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>tool kit<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/recovery-kit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;recovery kit&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>recovery kit<\/strong><\/a>, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image wp-image-303 size-full\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/refueling-car-road-trip.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-303\" style=\"width:1000px;height:667px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/refueling-car-road-trip.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/refueling-car-road-trip-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/refueling-car-road-trip-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/refueling-car-road-trip-600x400.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Don&rsquo;t forget to fill up your car especially if you&rsquo;re going to drive long distances with no nearby gas stations.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>8. Car Wash and Cabin Clean-Up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you&rsquo;re cruising down the scenic route, the last thing you want to do is spoil the view with dirty windows. Wash your car and keep your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-cleaning-car-windows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;windshield and windows clear&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>windshield and windows clear<\/strong><\/a> so you can drive in style and drink in the views. You&rsquo;ll also want to clean out your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/interior-accessories\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;interior&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>interior<\/strong><\/a> so you and your passengers can enjoy a comfy ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>9. Final Check<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you head out, do one last bumper-to-bumper check and make sure everything&rsquo;s functioning properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>10. Gas<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but definitely not least&mdash;don&rsquo;t forget to fill &lsquo;er up, especially if you&rsquo;ll be driving through a long stretch with no gas stations in sight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow these steps and make this trip one of your most memorable Memorial Day vacations for only the right reasons&mdash;you know, not because your car broke down and you got stuck on the side of the road for three hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Safe and happy travels!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get Road Trip Car Maintenance Essentials Online<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a lot of car maintenance tasks you need to conduct whenever you&rsquo;re going on a long ride, including checking your vehicle&rsquo;s oil and battery. If you need an oil change or a replacement battery, look no further than CarParts.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/carparts.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;CarParts.com&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>CarParts.com<\/strong><\/a> offers a wide array of engine oils, tires, and batteries from the leading aftermarket brands. Start shopping by entering your vehicle&rsquo;s year, make, model, and engine in our vehicle selector and to see only compatible parts and consumables. You won&rsquo;t have to wait long to receive your order, because our strategically located warehouses let us deliver your order in as fast as two business days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&rsquo;t let old oil or batteries linger. Regularly replace these parts to prevent your vehicle from running into issues. Shop for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/motor-oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;motor oil&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>motor oil<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/battery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"&lt;strong&gt;batteries&lt;\/strong&gt;\"><strong>batteries<\/strong><\/a> at CarParts.com today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Memorial Day weekend&rsquo;s coming up, and we hope you&rsquo;re just as thrilled as us for the opportunity to go on&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/essentials-pre-road-trip-car-maintenance-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1649,"featured_media":302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3768],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[2630],"class_list":{"0":"post-299","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-lifestyle","8":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>10 Essentials: The Pre-Road-Trip Car Maintenance Checklist - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You should always make sure your car\u2019s in tip-top shape if you plan to take it out on a long road trip. Here\u2019s what you should check.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/essentials-pre-road-trip-car-maintenance-checklist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Essentials: The Pre-Road-Trip Car Maintenance Checklist - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You should always make sure your car\u2019s in tip-top shape if you plan to take it out on a long road trip. 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