Simple Vehicle Maintenance Checks For Safe Travel This Holiday Season

If there’s one thing we know about the silly season, it’s that there’s always lots of extra travel involved. Whether that be visiting family and friends or taking some well-deserved time off to enjoy a holiday, it means more time spent in your vehicle travelling on the road.

There’s nothing more important than ensuring you and your family are making it safely to your destination this Christmas. Carrying out regular vehicle maintenance checks should be an essential part of your travel. It will not only maintain the general safety of your vehicle and alert you to any concerns, but also prevent the hefty costs of major unexpected repairs down the track.  

We spoke to our Service Team to share with you some simple vehicle maintenance checks that you can carry out yourself, to provide peace of mind in your travels this holiday season.

1. Check Engine Coolant

Checking the coolant level in your vehicle is essential to ensure your engine is not overheating, which could result in your vehicle breaking down. No one wants that!

Before you check the engine coolant, it is essential that you give the engine a chance to cool down (for a few hours) to prevent any hot liquid from causing nasty burns. To check the levels, lift and secure the bonnet and locate the coolant reservoir. Ensure the level is somewhere between the minimum and maximum marks on the bottle and top up with engine coolant as required. Refer to your owner’s manual for guidance on the correct coolant to use in your vehicle.

2. Check Engine Oil

Next up, you will need to check the engine oil. If you have recently been driving your vehicle, you will need to allow the oil time to settle (give it 3-5 minutes). Now you will need to locate the dipstick. Pull this out, wipe it clean, and place it back in the oil. Pull the dipstick out again, and you will be able to see the oil level of your vehicle indicated on the dipstick. The oil level needs to be sitting between the two marks. If you do need to top up, refer to your owner’s manual for guidance on the correct engine oil to use for your vehicle to ensure it runs at it’s best.

3. Check Windscreen Washer Fluid   

Locate the washer fluid reservoir, check the level, and carefully fill up with the appropriate washer fluid to the recommended level. Be sure to read the directions on the bottle, to determine whether you need to dilute the solution with water.

4. Check Windscreen Wiper & Wash Function

The next step is to ensure your windscreen wipers and washers are working effectively, because it’s not ideal to find this out whilst you’re driving in wet conditions. Turn your wipers on briefly to check that they are working. Be sure to also check that the wiper blades are in good condition by carefully lifting the wipers, inspecting the rubber for any visible deterioration (such as cracking or fraying) & replacing if required.

5. Check Brake Fluid Levels

Locate the brake fluid reservoir, shown below (usually located in one of the back corners of the engine). Ensure that the brake fluid is topped up to the recommended level indicated. If you are noticing that the fluid level is dropping quickly or is consistently low, it is best to take your vehicle to a Service Centre, as this could indicate a leak in the braking system and put your vehicle at risk of brake failure.

6. Check All Of Your Lights

Checking that the lights on your vehicle are working is vital not only for your safety, but the safety of other road users. You will need to check your headlights, full beams, indicators, and brake lights. If possible, grab someone to help you check that they are all working. A tip if no one is free to help is to go into a dark area such as a garage and check for the light on the walls.

7. Check Your Tyres

It is important to check the condition of all 4 tyres on your vehicle. Take a walk around the vehicle and look for any visible signs of damage to the tyres. You will also need to check the tread depth. You can do so by utilising the Tread Wear Indicator (TWI), a small bar on the tyre. When the tread has worn down to this level, it’s time to change the tyre.

Here’s another tip! If you can’t be bothered searching for the TWI on your tyre, you can use a 20c coin! Place the coin in the tyre groove, and if the tread doesn’t reach the bill of the platypus, you only have a minimal amount of tread left and it’s time to change the tyres!

Finally, you will also need to check the tyre pressure. This can usually be done at your nearest fuel station. Refer to the owner’s manual of your vehicle to determine the optimal tyre pressure for your specific vehicle. You can also look for the plate located on the side of the driver’s door, which will also tell you this information.

There you have it! Some simple, yet extremely important vehicle maintenance checks that you can do yourself over the holiday season, and any time of the year! We do recommend that you continue to bring your vehicle in to the dealership for its scheduled services, allowing our Toyota Service Technicians to give it a more thorough check for anything that might need replacing or servicing.

Travel safe, and enjoy the holiday road-trips!