Summer is the season for road trips! Whether you’re going to the next town or across the country, you’ll need to make sure your vehicle can get you there. So before you put the rubber to the road, here are a few important safety checks thanks to our friends at Jiffy Lube:

1. It all starts with your lights. Nighttime driving and driving in the rain can present challenges on their own and burnt out bulbs shouldn’t be one of them. So make sure to check your interior lights and your exteriors - like turn signals, headlights and brake lights.

2. Then there’s the windshield wipers. They can easily deteriorate in the hot summer sun, and if you haven’t checked them in a while, go ahead and do the smear test. Run them with your wiper fluid and make sure there’s no smearing and streaking. That will make it even harder to see while driving in the rain. Wiper blades are pretty simple to switch out!

3. Next it’s time to check under the hood. The Battery and charging system is important. You don’t want to risk making a trip on a battery that’s lost it’s gusto. Honestly, this is something a professional, like the technicians at Jiffy Lube, can check for you.

4. Same with your brakes. The overall system is pretty complex. It’s important a professional checks for leaks, component damage and makes sure the brake pads have plenty of life left in them.

5. You also want to check out the engine air filter, belts, cooling system hoses and connectors.

6. Just like you and I need to stay hydrated this summer, your vehicle should have plenty of fluids, too! Antifreeze/coolant, Transmission, Motor oil, wiper fluid… It’s a smart idea to top these off now so that you’re not stuck figuring it out when one runs dry on the open road.

7. And finally, Tire Pressure. Every vehicle has different requirements - too much or too little tire pressure can be a major safety hazard. This is something you should check every 30 days, but especially before you head out for a road trip

If it sounds like a “super long” to-do list, you could just let a pro check all of these things and more. You can always take your car in for a quick maintenance service at Jiffy Lube! They do more than you think. Their trained, knowledgeable service center technicians can perform a broad range of services including:

· A Jiffy Lube® Signature Service® Oil Change

· Windshield Wiper Replacement

· Transmission Fluid Exchange

· Tire Rotation

· Battery Checks, & more!

So, once your car has had a once over - you can get back to planning the perfect road trip this summer! Happy travels!

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