Complete This Car Maintenance Checklist After a Road Trip

You know you should give your car a thorough inspection before a road trip, but do you show it the same care once you get home? When you’ve put hundreds or even thousands of miles on your car in a short time, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s still in good working order. 

This post-road trip vehicle checklist can help you catch any problems that might be popping up after a long drive. 

7 Areas on Your Vehicle to Check 

Tires 

A long road trip can add a lot of wear to your tires, and hitting bumps or potholes could damage them. Take a few minutes to look at the treads and sidewalls of your tires. Check for any signs of damage, or anything stuck in them that could cause a leak. 

Make sure the wear on the tread is even. You shouldn’t notice more wear on the sides or in the center. Uneven wear might be a sign that you overloaded your car during your trip, or that your tires were over or underinflated. Check the tire pressure to make sure the level is where it should be.  

If you spot any concerns with your tires, get them checked by a mechanic. You might need a tire rotation or an alignment. 

Oil 

Most car manufacturers recommend oil changes based on time or mileage — whatever comes first. For example, your car might need an oil change every six months or 6,000 miles. Check your odometer against the mileage from the last time your oil was changed and see if your road trip put you close to or over the limit. 

Other Fluids 

Good preventative car maintenance means that other fluids in your car may also need a top-off or a refresh after a road trip. Look in your owners’ manual if you don’t know how to check these fluids: 

• Coolant
• Automatic transmission fluid
• Windshield washer fluid

Fill them or replace them as needed.  

Air Filters 

Dirt and dust from a road trip can mean your air filters are dirty and won’t work effectively. A clogged vehicle air filter can make your engine weaker and less efficient, and a clogged cabin air filter won’t properly filter the air you’re breathing inside the car. 

Inspect your air filters — check your owners’ manual if you don’t know how to remove them — and clean or replace them if they’re dirty. 

Windshield 

Pebbles and other debris can strike your windshield on a road trip, and lots of fast highway driving can mean these objects and your car meet with a lot of force. Take a close look at your windshield to check for dings, pits or cracks. If you find anything, have them treated right away so they don’t turn into bigger cracks. 

Exterior 

There’s a good chance your car met plenty of bugs, dirt, pollen, bird droppings, sand or salt as you were driving around. Give it a good cleaning when you get home so your exterior paint doesn’t show signs of wear. Once your car is clean, it’s a good idea to check for any scratches in the paint and touch them up. 

Interior 

Road trips may mean you’re eating and drinking in your car. Take a few minutes to throw out any wrappers, cups, cans or bottles. You may also want to shake out or vacuum your floor mats. Food or crumbs left in your car for too long could attract bugs or mice. 

Check Your Coverage, Too

When you’re performing this vehicle maintenance checklist, it’s a good idea to review your auto insurance coverage. Reach out to Farm Bureau to find out what protection you have and make sure you don’t need to make any changes.