Summer holiday vehicle checks 2022

With temperatures rising in the UK and the school summer holidays about to start, many of us will be on the roads whether that is for a day trip to the seaside or driving to the airport for a week away!

Sadly, more tyre-related incidents happen on Britain’s roads during the summer than at any other time of year. To keep your risks to a minimum, it is important that you check your vehicle before you set off whether that be a car, 4×4, caravan or campervan!

So, what summer car checks should you make sure to carry out?

Check your tyres:
Check your tyre pressures, making sure to take into account any additional weight caused by filling the car and/or roof box with luggage and additional equipment for your holiday. You can find the correct pressures for your vehicle in your vehicle handbook, in the sill of the driver’s door or on the inside of the fuel tank flap. Have a look at the tread depth, the minimum legal UK tread depth is 1.6 mm. Remove any stones lodged in the tread and check for any cuts or bulges. If you find any damage or defects, pop in and we can check them for you. If you are not sure what to look for, take advantage of our FREE tyre checks. If required, we will adjust your tyre pressures for you FREE of charge as well.

Check your car battery:
Hot weather can be harder on your car battery than cold weather! The high temperatures which build up under the bonnet of your car can accelerate corrosion and reduce battery life. As most batteries today are sealed units, the things to look for are corrosion around the battery terminals and in extreme cases the battery case swelling. With our testing equipment we can check the electrical condition of your battery for FREE and your vehicles alternator, which charges your battery while driving.

Check your brakes:
Check the brake fluid level and carry out a visual check of the brake pads. Low brake fluid will indicate the brake pads and brake shoes are getting worn. If you are not sure what to look for, bring your car to us for a FREE brake check.

Check your car’s air conditioning:
With extremely high temperatures forecast in the UK, air-con in your car is a must! A car air condition service needs to be carried out every 1 – 2 years. Both the gas pressure and compressor oil levels need to be checked. We offer an Air Conditioning Recharge Service at Bush Tyres – Boston, Bush Tyres – Spalding, Hi-Q – Hull, Endyke Tyres – Hull and Bush Tyres – Norwich, but you can also contact your nearest centre for advice on where to go locally to have your vehicles air conditioning checked.

Check your vehicles fluid levels:
Make sure to top up your car’s fluid levels, where required using the recommended oils, screen wash or coolant. Your engine is under more stress in the summer due to excessive heat. Making sure your engine oil is at the maximum level will protect your engine and can aid in its cooling too. Make sure your coolant bottle is topped up to the maximum mark and not the maximum level the coolant bottle will hold. Hot water expands and the coolant filler bottle acts as an overflow when the coolant fluid expands in the system.

Check the air filters:
Air Filters can get clogged up with dust. The drier weather increases the chances of dust blocking your vehicles air filters. If your engine air filter becomes blocked your vehicle could become less economical or even loose power.

Check your windscreen wipers:
We all know that sometimes it rains during the summer in the UK and when driving in hot weather there are also insects and bugs that will require cleaning off your windscreen while you are driving. Check the condition of your windscreen wipers and always use your screen washers to remove bugs and insects from the windscreen as a dry wiper blade could tear and the metal components in the exposed wiper blade could end up scratching the windscreen.

Emergency items for your car:
Make sure you have bulbs, a reflective vest, fuses and a reflective roadside triangle. Hopefully you will never need these but if your vehicles lights fail at night, you could be stuck just for the sake of a couple of light bulbs or a fuse. Day or night, if you are changing a spare wheel on the roadside for example, it is safer to warn oncoming traffic your vehicle is broken down by placing the reflective triangle towards on-coming traffic and wearing a reflective vest/jacket makes sure the on-coming traffic sees you at all times.

Make sure to stock your car with bottles of water, a charged torch, a first aid kit and sun cream. Hopefully you will never need them in an emergency but if you do you will be glad you had them.

As we enter the summer months and the weather starts to warm up, it is important that everyone checks their vehicles and tyres are ready for warmer weather and longer journeys. That is why at Bush Tyres branches we offer a range of FREE summer vehicle checks so that you can make sure your vehicle is summer ready and running in tip-top condition as you set off on your holiday!

We have branches across the East of England, from Cambridge up to Darlington, and don’t forget, we also offer a Mobile Tyre Fitting Service should you need it! If you would like to take advantage of our FREE summer vehicle checks, call into your local Bush Tyres, click below to find your local branch: