Is Your Mazda Summer Road Trip Ready?

It’s officially summer! For many of us, that means our weekends are filled with trips, weddings, celebrations, vacations, and quality time with family and friends. Before you leave on those trips, you will want to make sure your vehicle is in top shape.

Below, we have listed a few key things to check out or have checked out by a mechanic before your next summer road trip. Feel free to reach out to us at Seacoast Mazda if you have any questions.

Summer Vehicle Maintenance Tips:

• Get Your Oil Changed – Getting an oil change is routine maintenance that you should have regularly scheduled for your vehicle, but if you don’t, it is important to start doing so. Oil helps to lubricate your engine and help your engine live longer and perform better for you. Oil and your oil filter help keep dangerous particles and contaminants out of your engine, as well. You may not think it is time for an oil change, but if you are planning a vacation with lots of driving, it might be something good to get done before you leave on your trip. Check your owner’s manual or consult a mechanic for the exact time frame or mileage where you need your oil changed, but it can range from around 3,000 to around 10,000 miles, depending on the vehicle and type of oil.
• Check Your Tire Pressure – Pressure and temperature changes are always a good time to check your tires. You want to be sure your car’s tires have enough air but not too much air. Consult your vehicle’s manual to tell you how much air should be in your tires, but most vehicles want tire pressure to be around 35 PSI. It is important to have the right air level in your tires for a few different reasons. The main and most well-known reason is to prevent a flat tire or a tire blowing out. However, the right amount of air in your tires can also help you have better gas mileage and more even wear on your tires.
• Test Your AC – This is a good thing to do as summer approaches, but if you haven’t already, test your AC. You will have gone all winter without using it and air conditioning is not something you want to be without during a hot summer car ride. Make sure it is working and make sure your vehicle has enough refrigerant.
• Replace Windshield Wipers – When was the last time you replaced your windshield wipers? Have you noticed streaks or scraping noises when you turn them on? It might be time to get those replaced. Replacing windshield wipers is an easy fix, but it can also be easy to forget about or procrastinate. Since good windshield wipers help with visibility and good visibility helps you be safer, it is not something you want to put off.
• Clean or Replace Air Filters – Summer is also a good time to check and replace your air filters. The air filters in your vehicle help keep pollutants out of your vehicle, which can be a problem in summer months.
• Check Your Brakes – You should always be watching out for signs of trouble with your brakes, but before a road trip is another good time to check in. The biggest thing you can do to test your brakes is just to pay attention. Make sure your brakes are providing you good stopping power in a timely fashion. Also, make sure your brakes are not making squeaking or groaning noises because that could be a sign that they are worn down. Another sign of a brake issue is if your vehicle starts to pull to one side or the other when you press on the brakes.
• Check Vehicle Fluid Levels – There are several fluids in your vehicle that you can check the level of and before a long car trip is a good time to check. You will want to check the levels of power steering fluid, transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, and coolant in your vehicle. Coolant can be a particularly important thing to check during the summer because it helps to keep your engine from overheating. Also, we already discussed getting your oil changed above, but if it isn’t time for an oil change, you should at least check your oil level to make sure there is enough oil.
• Rotate Your Tires – Your tires will last a lot longer for you if you rotate them regularly. This helps them wear more evenly and last longer for you. Many people recommend rotating your tires every other oil change, depending on how frequently you are getting your oil changed.
• Have a Road Trip Kit – One final thing you can do before leaving for your road trip is to make sure your car is stocked with a few necessities. Many people think of having winter kits with extra blankets, but you can also have some stuff to help you out in summer. Packing some snacks, a few extra water bottles, jumper cables, and a flashlight could help you if you do happen to run into car trouble.

Those are some common things you will want to check or have checked out before your summer road trip, but if your vehicle hasn’t been serviced in a while, you might want to take it to a mechanic for a look. It is better to check and make sure everything is okay than break down during a summer vacation.

At Seacoast Mazda, we can provide you with a great selection of top vehicles, but we also have a great service team that can provide you with the mechanical expertise that you may need. Whether your vehicle is in need of a large repair or just routine maintenance, we’ve got you covered. We can help you get back on the road as soon as possible so you can enjoy your summer.

If you are worried about your vehicle handling your big summer road trip, you can schedule service with us at Seacoast Mazda. We want you to be safe out on the road, and we can give your vehicle a quick tune-up to make sure it is ready to take you on vacation. You can schedule a service appointment online today! Reach out to us with any questions you may have.