Make sure your car is ready before taking a summer road trip

It’s summer and for many, it’s time to get away.

If you’re thinking of taking a road trip, whether to the theme park just up the road or to visit another state much farther away, one of the most important items on your “to do” list should be to make sure your car is ready to go.

One of the best ways to do that is to take your car in for a free multiple point inspection at a local dealership such as Al Hendrickson in Coconut Creek – the top ranked Toyota dealership in Florida in both 2013 and 2014 when it came to the number of registered new cars sold.

You’ll find a certified technician who will give your vehicle a thorough once over and offer you a report outlining what needs to be addressed right away, what may need to be addressed soon and what’s in good shape.

“It’s best to know what’s going on with your car so you can make the right choices,” says Gary Cann, senior vice president of fixed operations at Al Hendrickson Toyota.

Often times, technicians will discover minor issues, such as a need for an air filter replacement or for more windshield wiper fluid. But every now and then

there might be a problem the customer didn’t know about that could put a damper on a vacation.

“If your car has 1,000 miles, 5,000 miles or 20,000 miles, we’ll do the inspection so that you’re not surprised,” Cann said.

At Al Hendrickson Toyota, technicians have a checklist with more than 35 items that they inspect at no cost. And the service is not limited just to Toyotas.

“We service all makes,” Cann says.

If you’re traveling this summer and want to do some quick inspections yourself, one of the most important things you can do before you head out is to check your tires, especially if you going to be driving in area like Florida where it’s hot.

After all, no one wants to have to pull off an interstate highway in the middle of the night because of a flat tire.

Before you head out on your trip, it’s a good idea to check the tread on your tires. It used to be that you could do that by just using a penny to measure tread depth but now all tires have wear bars. If the tread is even with the wear bar, then it’s time for new tires.

“If your tires are more than five years old, you should be thinking about replacing them,” said Bob McGrath, the shop manager at Al Hendrickson Toyota.

Heat, McGrath says, is the enemy of tires and here in South Florida the constant exposure to the sun can cause tires to dete- riorate. As they deteriorate, they become more susceptible to failure.

Heat can also be a problem if tires are not fully inflated because more of the tire is in contact with the road.

“The lower the tire pressure the more heat is generated,” McGrath says. “With more heat comes more deterioration.”

While many people will often inspect all four tires on their car when they set off on a trip, they sometimes forget to check the condition of the spare tire – something technicians will do during their inspection.

Many auto safety experts recommend that drivers sign up for an emergency road service, such as that offered by the American Automobile Association.

Cann and McGrath also recommend that motorists check all fluid levels and check for possible leaks. A pink build-up at the end of a hose could mean a leak.

During the free inspection, technicians also check the condition of a vehicle’s battery, which like tires, is impacted by the heat, which can cause a battery to go bad without warning.

Other items to check are air filters – both the one under the hood and the one that filters air going into the passenger compartment – as well as your windshield wipers. To be safe, make sure the wipers to soft and pliable.

With free inspections available, Al Hendrickson Toyota is doing its part to help ensure drivers have cars that are ready for the road.