Prepare Your Car for a Roadtrip

A road trip should be about the road, the views and the company, not about a warning light on a remote stretch of motorway or a flat tyre at night with no spare. Most road trip breakdowns are caused by things a quick check before departure would have caught: low tyre pressures, old coolant, a tired battery or worn wiper blades. In my years at the workshop, the busiest week of the year was always the week after summer holidays started.

Here is how to prepare your car for a road trip, step by step.

Start a week before, not the night before

Checks done the night before leave no time to fix problems. Start a week ahead, so there is time to book a garage if something needs attention. If your car is close to a service, have it done before the trip rather than after.

Tyres, including the spare

Check tyre pressures when cold, and adjust for a loaded car. Many handbooks list higher pressures for full loads. Inspect tread depth and look for cuts, bulges and uneven wear. A long trip at motorway speed with a full boot puts real stress on tyres.

Check the spare tyre or the tyre repair kit too. Many modern cars have no spare at all, only a sealant kit that works for small punctures. Know what your car has and how to use it before you need it.

Fluids and filters

Check engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and screenwash levels. Top up as needed using the correct types listed in the handbook. On long summer trips, engines run hotter, and low coolant is a common cause of breakdowns. Look under the car for drips on the ground where it is usually parked. The routine checks are explained in maintenance musts for your vehicle.

Battery, lights and wipers

A weak battery may cope with short trips but fail after a night parked at a hotel. If the battery is over four years old or slow to start the car, have it tested. Check all lights and replace any blown bulbs. Replace worn wiper blades, since summer storms and insects can quickly ruin visibility.

Brakes and steering

Pay attention on your daily drives in the week before the trip. Squealing or grinding brakes, a vibrating steering wheel or the car pulling to one side should be checked by a mechanic before setting off. A loaded car on long descents demands more from the brakes than town driving.

Loading the car safely

Load heavy items low and close to the rear seats, not high on top of soft bags. Secure loose items so they cannot fly forward under braking. Do not block the rear view more than necessary. Check the car's maximum load and do not exceed it. Roof boxes add drag and raise the centre of gravity, so drive more gently with them fitted.

If you are travelling with children, check their car seats are correctly fitted before loading everything around them, as described in car seat safety tips.

Is a pre-trip garage check always necessary?

Some advice suggests every car should go to a garage before every road trip. For older cars, cars overdue a service or anything with known problems, that is wise. But I think for a recently serviced, well-maintained car, it is often unnecessary.

The checks above cover the most common causes of road trip breakdowns, and most owners can do them in half an hour. Paying for a garage check on a car that was serviced last month mostly buys peace of mind. That has some value, but knowing your car and checking it yourself builds a habit that helps on every journey, not just the long ones.

Pack an emergency kit

Warning triangle and high-visibility vests for everyone.
First aid kit.
Torch and spare batteries.
Phone charger or power bank.
Water, snacks and a blanket.
Basic tools, tyre pressure gauge and jump leads.
Breakdown cover details and the car's documents.

If you are driving abroad, check local rules. Some countries require specific items such as breathalysers, spare bulbs or headlamp beam adjusters.

Plan breaks and routes

Plan a break at least every two hours. Fatigue is a major cause of serious crashes on long journeys. Share driving if possible. Download offline maps in case of poor signal. Safety habits for the journey itself are covered in travel safety tips for road trips.

A pre-trip checklist

Tyre pressures adjusted for load, tread checked, spare or kit checked.
Oil, coolant, brake fluid and screenwash topped up.
Battery tested if older than four years.
All lights working, wipers in good condition.
Load secured, heavy items low.
Emergency kit packed and breakdown cover confirmed.

A last tip: drive the car normally for a few days after any pre-trip repairs. If something was not fitted correctly, it is far better to find out near home than halfway through the journey.

Leave with confidence

An hour of preparation spread over a week turns a road trip from a gamble into a pleasure. The car is ready, the kit is packed and you can focus on the road ahead. More in our Road Trips section.