IMPORTANT SUMMER HOLIDAY VEHICLE & TYRE CHECKS 2023

Article written by Bush Tyres

School Summer holidays are here! Many of us will be travelling this Summer for a day trip, a week away or even to the airport! Now is the time for vehicle and tyre checks!

Your vehicle should always be kept in the best condition possible, but never more importantly than at this time of year. While transporting the whole family, it is more important than ever that you check your vehicle before you set off. Bush Tyres offer a range of FREE vehicle checks to ensure your trip goes to plan without any avoidable delays.

Vehicle checks you should carry out before Travel:

Tyres:

Remember to ACT – Air pressure, Condition and Tread.

Air pressure – Make sure to account for any additional weight. This can be caused by filling the car and/or roof box with luggage. You can find the correct tyre 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.

Condition – Remove any stones lodged in the tread and check for any cuts or bulges. If you find any damage or defects, we can check these for you. Cracking of the tyre’s sidewall can also indicate the tyre has lost some of its suppleness and may be beyond its safe lifespan. If you see this ‘crazing’ effect or small cracks on the surface, you should also call in for the age to be checked. If you are not sure what to look for, take advantage of our FREE tyre checks available at all of our locations.

Tread – The minimum legal UK tread depth for vehicles under 3.5 tons is 1.6 mm. Once a tyre is down to 2mm it is 94% worn and barely legal. Below 3mm you have a higher risk of an incident as your tyre is 78% worn and will no longer displace water as effectively. Below 4mm we recommend you check your tyres every month to make sure you change them before they drop below 2mm.

If you don’t have a tread depth gauge a 20p coin can be used as a guide, insert the coin into the central grooves of your tyre at several points around its circumference. If you can see the border at any point, it might be illegal and should be checked by a professional. Pop into one of our branches for a free tyre check.

To find out more about the tyre checks which will help you reduce the risks of a tyre-related incident out on the roads, visit tyresafe.org.

Battery:

People don’t realise that hot weather can be harder on your car battery than cold weather! High temperatures build up under the bonnet of your car accelerate corrosion and reduce battery life. Things to look for, corrosion around the battery terminals and in extreme cases the battery case swelling. With the most up to date testing equipment we can check the electrical condition of your battery for FREE. Your vehicle’s alternator will also be checked for the correct level of charge.

Brakes:

Bake fluid level and a visual check of the brake pads is also important. Low brake fluid can indicate the brake pads or shoes are getting worn. If you are not sure what to look for, bring your car to us for a FREE brake check.

Air Conditioning:

Air condition service should 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.

Fluid levels:

All fluid levels should be checked and where required, filled using the recommended oils, screen wash or coolant. Your engine is under more stress in the summer due to the heat. Make sure your engine oil is at the maximum level and this will protect your engine and help keep it cool.

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. Never check coolant level when the engine is hot!

Air filters:

Air Filters get clogged up with dust. The dry 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.

Windscreen wipers:

With this recent wet weather, we have been “enjoying,” this summer wipers have been needed more than usual. Wipers are also important to ensure there are no 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 scratch the windscreen.

Emergency items:

Make sure you have spare bulbs, a reflective vest, fuses, and a reflective roadside triangle. If your vehicles lights fail at night, you could get 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 always sees you.

Make sure to stock your car with bottles of water, a charged torch, a first aid kit and sun cream. In an emergency you will be glad you had them in the boot.

As we continue through the summer months and the weather hopefully starts to warm up, it is important that everyone checks their vehicles and tyres are ready for longer journeys.

Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair, said: “This summer could see the busiest roads yet, with current austerity causing more Brits to enjoy their well-earned summer break in the UK. Which means more cars on the road that are likely to be on longer journeys with heavier than normal loads – more passengers and more luggage. TyreSafe’s summer campaign takes a light-hearted approach that conveys a very serious message. We want people to have an incredible summer holiday, being spared the distress and interruption a tyre related incident could cause.

It only takes a few minutes to perform simple tyre checks that could save you hassle and at worse, a catastrophe. What’s more, driving on correctly inflated tyres on longer journeys could save money on fuel bills and decrease the rate of wear on your tyres.”

We have branches across the East of England, from Cambridge up to Darlington. 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.

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