Summer Road Trip Car Checklist

A long summer drive is a stress test: hours at highway speed, high outside temperatures, a full load of people and luggage, and the A/C running nonstop. Problems that go unnoticed around town, like a slow tire leak or a weak cooling fan, show up on the interstate a long way from your regular shop. Run through this checklist about a week before you leave, so there is time to fix anything you find.

• Tires: pressure, tread depth, sidewalls and the spare.
• Fluids: oil, coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, transmission fluid where it has a dipstick.
• Cooling system and A/C working properly.
• Battery tested and terminals clean.
• Brakes inspected.
• Wipers and all lights working.
• Belts and hoses free of cracks and bulges.
• No warning lights on the dash.
• Open recalls checked.
• Maintenance due during the trip done in advance.
• Load and towing limits checked.
• Emergency kit packed.

A tire failure at highway speed is the most dangerous breakdown on a road trip, and heat plus underinflation plus a heavy load is the classic recipe for one.

Pressure

• Check pressure cold, before driving or after the car has sat for a few hours.
• Use the pressure on the placard on the driver's door jamb (or in the owner's manual), not the maximum on the tire sidewall.
• Some placards and manuals list a higher pressure for a fully loaded car. If yours does and you are packing the car full, use it.
• Do not let air out of hot tires. Pressure rises as tires warm up; that is normal and accounted for in the spec.

Tread and condition

• Measure tread depth. The legal minimum in most states is 2/32 inch, but wet-road grip falls off well before that; many experts suggest replacing at 4/32 inch. See how to check tire pressure and tread depth.
• Look for bulges, cuts, cracks in the sidewall, exposed cords and uneven wear (which can signal alignment problems).
• Check the tire's age: the last four digits of the DOT code show the week and year it was made. Many vehicle and tire makers recommend inspecting or replacing tires around 6 to 10 years old regardless of tread; check your owner's manual and the tire maker's guidance.

The spare

• Check the spare's pressure. Compact spares often need around 60 psi; the correct figure is printed on the spare or the placard.
• Confirm the jack, lug wrench and any wheel lock key are in the car.
• Many newer cars have no spare, just a sealant and inflator kit. Know which you have, and practice how to change a flat tire at home.

Check tire recalls along with vehicle recalls; NHTSA's tire safety page (opens in a new tab) explains how.

Heat is the main enemy in summer, and the cooling system is what handles it.

• Engine oil. Check the level on the dipstick (or the oil-level display on cars without one). If an oil change will come due during the trip, do it before you leave. See oil change interval.
• Coolant. With the engine cold, the level should be between MIN and MAX in the overflow reservoir. Low coolant usually means a leak; find it before a long drive.
• Brake fluid. Should be between the marks. A falling level can mean worn pads or a leak.
• Washer fluid. Fill it; bugs on summer highways use a lot.
• Transmission and power steering fluid, if your car has a dipstick or reservoir for them.

Our guide to checking and topping up your car's fluids walks through each one.

Cooling fan and A/C

• With the engine warm and the A/C on, the electric cooling fan should run. If it does not, have it checked.
• The A/C should blow noticeably cold within a few minutes. Weak cooling can mean low refrigerant (a leak), a failing compressor or a clogged cabin filter.
• Watch the temperature gauge on your next drive. It should sit steadily in the normal range.

• Battery. Heat is hard on batteries. Get a free test at a parts store, especially if it is more than about 3 years old. Clean corroded terminals. See how long car batteries last.
• Brakes. Long downhill grades and a loaded car put extra heat into brakes. Get pads and rotors checked if you hear squealing or grinding or feel vibration; see when to replace brake pads.
• Belts and hoses. Look for cracks, fraying, glazing, bulges or soft spots.
• Lights. Walk around with someone pressing the brake and switching signals and headlights.
• Wipers. Replace streaking blades; summer storms come on fast. See how to replace wiper blades.

• No warning lights. A check engine light before a trip deserves a diagnosis. Read the code with a scanner and look it up with our OBD-II code lookup. A flashing check engine light means stop and get it fixed before you go.
• Recalls. Search our recalls pages for your model and check your VIN at NHTSA (opens in a new tab). Book any open recall repair before the trip; they are free. Not sure of your exact model and trim? Use the VIN decoder.

Every vehicle has a maximum load. The Tire and Loading Information placard on the driver's door jamb says "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed" a stated number of pounds.

• Add up passengers plus luggage. A family of four plus luggage can come surprisingly close on smaller cars.
• Put heavy items low and forward in the cargo area, not on the roof.
• Do not exceed the roof rack or cargo box weight limit.
• If you are towing, stay within the towing capacity in your owner's manual, include the trailer's tongue weight in your payload, and check the trailer's tires, lights and brakes too.
• A roof box and a full load reduce fuel economy; see how to improve your gas mileage, and budget the trip with our fuel cost calculator.

• Jumper cables or a charged jump pack.
• Tire pressure gauge and a 12-volt portable inflator.
• Flashlight with spare batteries.
• Reflective triangles or flares.
• First aid kit.
• Extra water (for people and, in an emergency, the cooling system) and snacks.
• Phone chargers and a power bank.
• Basic tools, gloves, duct tape and a rag.
• Sunshade, sunscreen and hats.
• A paper map or downloaded offline maps for areas with no signal.
• Your insurance card, registration and roadside assistance number.

1. 1Turn off the A/C and turn the heater to full hot with the fan on high. This pulls heat away from the engine.
2. 2If the gauge keeps rising, pull over safely and turn the engine off.
3. 3Open the hood to let heat escape, but do not open the radiator cap or reservoir while hot.
4. 4Wait at least 30 minutes for the engine to cool.
5. 5Check the coolant level once cool and look for leaks. Top up with the correct coolant (or water in an emergency) if low.
6. 6If it overheats again, or you see steam or a large leak, call for a tow. Continuing to drive an overheating engine can cause severe damage.

• Check tire pressure each morning, cold, before you set off.
• Walk around the car at fuel stops: tires, leaks under the car, lights.
• Watch the temperature gauge on long climbs, especially when towing.
• Use lower gears on long downhill grades to save the brakes.
• Take breaks at least every two hours.