Thanksgiving Travel Car Care Tips

The car care experts at Jiffy Lube recommend the following tips for making sure your vehicle is ready to hit the road and arrive at your Thanksgiving gatherings safely:

Make sure the battery is strong
Make sure that your battery connections are tight and free of corrosion and have it tested to ensure it has ample power.

Pay attention to oil grade
Motor oil lubricates the engine, keeping it cool and reducing the friction between moving parts.  When motor oil gets too dirty, it loses some of its lubrication and absorption abilities.  Check with your owners’ manual for the proper weight of oil and maintenance schedule your vehicle specifies.

Clean the engine air filter
The air filter is a vehicle’s lung.  A clean air filter helps the engine combust an optimal air-to-fuel mixture, making it run more smoothly and efficiently. 

When your air filter is clogged, your engine has to work harder and therefore is not operating at peak performance.  Check your vehicle owner’s manual to find out when it needs to be replaced.

Keep an eye on tire pressure
Under-inflated or worn tires can lead to potentially dangerous driving situations.  Make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure levels as recommended by your vehicle owner’s manual.  Most cars also have these pressure levels posted inside your driver’s side door.  Do not follow the pressure listed on the sidewall of the tire, as this number is specific to the tire, not the vehicle.  Don’t’ forget the spare!

Watch the wiper blades
The normal life expectancy for most windshield wiper blades is six to 12 months.  Check and clean the windshield wiper blades or replace them if necessary.  Checking and replacing them as needed can improve visibility to help avoid a very dangerous situation out on the road.

In case of emergency
Maintain a vehicle emergency kit with winter-specific items in the event of a breakdown during winter driving season. Essentials should include a first aid kit, jumper cables, extra batteries, an ice scraper, extra wiper fluid, blankets and bottled water. During your vehicle check-ups, it’s a good rule of thumb to take a look inside the kit and replenish anything that you’ve utilized!

Visit http://locations.jiffylube.com to find your local service center.

Keep an eye on tire pressure
Under-inflated or worn tires can lead to potentially dangerous driving situations.  Make sure your tires are inflated to the proper pressure levels as recommended by your vehicle owner’s manual.  Most cars also have these pressure levels posted inside your driver’s side door.  Do not follow the pressure listed on the sidewall of the tire, as this number is specific to the tire, not the vehicle.  Don’t’ forget the spare!

Watch the wiper blades
The normal life expectancy for most windshield wiper blades is six to 12 months.  Check and clean the windshield wiper blades or replace them if necessary.  Checking and replacing them as needed can improve visibility to help avoid a very dangerous situation out on the road.

In case of emergency
Maintain a vehicle emergency kit with winter-specific items in the event of a breakdown during winter driving season. Essentials should include a first aid kit, jumper cables, extra batteries, an ice scraper, extra wiper fluid, blankets and bottled water. During your vehicle check-ups, it’s a good rule of thumb to take a look inside the kit and replenish anything that you’ve utilized!

Visit http://locations.jiffylube.com to find your local service center.

Comments

[Cindy Clemson]

Ah, yes, my husband and I have been stranded more than once with flat tires and no spare...thanks for this short-list, actually I'm getting the oil changed, tires rotated, etc before we leave for his parents' on Wednesday (kind of a yearly tradition).

Also, MINI's carfunfootprint.com site has some great tips for conserving gas and making sure your driving habits are as environmentally-friendly as possible (over the holidays I think we need even more reminding). A few highlights: Don't carry unnecessary weight, decrease your speed whenever possible and use cruise control if you can, too. People driving over 100 miles in particular should take heed; there's more benefits to slowing down than simply avoiding tickets!