Hit the Road and Leave Your Worries Behind

Enjoy Your Vacation or Road Trip Without Getting Stranded on the Side of the Highway – Plan Ahead!

When making vacation plans and scheduling events to keep the family busy, it's easy to overlook getting your vehicle checked out before you leave the town. Avoid the stress of having your car packed to the top with the temperature being 100 degrees outside – while you and your family sit on the side of the road.

Little things like radiator and heater hoses that wear from the inside out don't show immediate signs of upcoming problems. Another item that's difficult to determine the life expectancy of is the electric fuel pumps in the fuel tank.

Specializing in electrical and engine performance problems, I'm able to inspect the fuel pumps' current draw and pattern of the electric motor that turns the pump. This will give me a look at the condition of the electrical part of the pump that can leave you stranded in the parking lot after you shut off the engine because the pump won't turn.

Another very overlooked area are the 5 tires. Yes, I said 5 tires! At some point, the fifth tire will become the most important tire you have. You should have your spare tire inspected for proper tire pressure and condition. Are you familiar with the tire jack and other tools needed to change a tire? I always look at the wheel nuts on a vehicle.

There are some types that will have a chrome cap on the outside of the nut for cosmetic reasons. If the cap is missing (they have the tendency to come off with age) and the nut is on a little tighter, it's possible that your tool that came with the car might not fit.