Prepping for a road trip involves more than ensuring you’ve packed the right clothes and everything else you need for your journey. It’s just as important that your INFINITI is as prepared as you are. Driving long distances can cause excessive wear and tear, but you can easily prevent this with the correct maintenance. As your INFINITI dealership, we want to give you some advice on long-trip prep.
Oil Check
Good, high-quality oil helps keep your engine working efficiently. It lubricates all moving parts, protecting them against friction damage and allowing them to move smoothly. Fast-moving oil also cools hot components, reducing the engine temperature. Oil contains a variety of specialized additives that break down potential blockages, prevent rust, and keep the engine clean.
Oil degrades as it ages, becoming thicker and slower. This reduces its effectiveness and will cause engine problems. Oil leaks can also occur if oil isn’t regularly changed, as seals and gaskets will wear oil, causing leaks. An oil leak can permanently damage your engine, as the lack of lubrication will cause engine parts to seize. We’ll test and replace your oil before your trip, and your engine will be in great shape for the miles ahead.
Coolant Check
Coolant is another of your engine’s vital fluids, and it works to control the engine temperature. Your engine works most efficiently at temperatures between 180 F and 230 F, but excessive heat can damage sensitive components. The coolant absorbs heat and transports it to the radiator, where the heat is removed through heat exchange.
Like oil, coolant becomes less effective over time and slows down. The engine temperature will slowly rise, and the seals and gaskets will dry and crack. Older coolant can also become corrosive, causing even more damage Coolant replacement prevents these issues, as we’ll drain and replace the old coolant, and your engine temperature will drop.
Tire Checks
The tire tread slowly wears down due to surface friction. Lower tread reduces vehicle handling and control, particularly on wet or muddy surfaces. It also increases your stopping distance, as worn tread can’t easily grip the surface. Your tread can suffer additional damage due to poor balance or wheel alignment issues.
In addition, over or under-inflated tires wear out faster and are prone to leaks or blowouts, which could leave you stranded on a road trip. Our technicians will correct any inflation issues, and we can test and fix tire balance or alignment problems. If your tires are worn, we can speedily replace them to ensure you can drive safely and enjoy your trip.
These are just a few ways our experts can help you prepare for the journey ahead. Contact our service department today at Grubbs INFINITI of San Antonio in San Antonio, TX.
Connect with us
