5 Car Problems You Might Face During Road Trips (And How to Prevent Them)
A road trip is among some of the most fun and adventurous activities out there. Once you’ve put a marker on the map and have packed all the essentials for the trip, you might be under the impression that everything will go as smoothly as planned. However, such plans for a road trip often lead to an unexpected end due to problems with your vehicle.
Even if you’ve carefully planned the whole thing, if you didn’t pay attention to your car when preparing for the ride, then chances are your journey may come to an abrupt halt.
Cars are complicated machinery with lots of complexities, and unforeseen issues may pop up during such long driving hours. This is why it’s crucial to make sure that everything is running as it should before setting out!
Even then, it’s not easy to predict when your car might suddenly start acting up during a long road trip. Hence, it’s best to know about possible issues that may arise and how you can prevent them from ruining your plans.
Here, you will find five car problems you might encounter during road trips (and how to avoid them) down below!
1. Engine Issues During Road Trips
An engine is to the car what our hearts are to our bodies. Similarly to how human bodies can’t function without a healthy heart beating properly, a car without a healthy engine can’t function how it’s supposed to!
Issues regarding the engine of a car simply can’t be ignored, as the entire car will lose its functionality in the event of an engine failure.
This is one of the most common concerns regarding road trips, and rightfully so! After all, you wouldn’t want your car to stop in the middle of nowhere and spoil your excitement for the trip, would you?
Going on a road trip means that your car will be under a lot of pressure since you’re going to be driving continuously for hours on end.
So, how can you get yourself out of such a tragic situation? Well, the first precaution for such an unforeseen event should be insurance. Before you put your foot on the gas and set out on your adventure, you must make sure your car is covered with the proper insurance.
The engine of a car is composed of several different parts, and you should get the vehicle checked before departure. If you notice any issues with your vehicle during the ride, you shouldn’t take unnecessary risks and make a quick detour through an automobile servicing center.
This should put your journey back on track and save you from additional costs that might occur when your car breaks down completely. Hence, don’t ignore the signs and save yourself from any more trouble!
Choose a local automatic part retailers who have good reviews. For example, people living in Australia can opt for reputed online stores like My Auto Parts or any other retailer with a good review
2. Flat Tires are Inevitable
One of the most common issues that arise with owning a vehicle is a flat tire. Although it isn’t something that will harm the interior of the car on its own, it can still put you in an annoying situation during your road trip.
A flat tire isn’t easy to predict, and such an occurrence at the wrong time may lead to a devastating accident that can put you and your car in danger!
A flat tire isn’t an issue that might happen; it will inevitably happen, so staying prepared is a must for reaching your destination smoothly!
The most common reason behind a flat tire is usually wear and tear, but there might be other variables you need to consider, such as the condition of the roads you’re following throughout your destination. Not all tires are built to handle the plethora of terrain you might be traveling through!
Moreover, you need to be capable of dealing with the flat tire yourself if you don’t want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere waiting for a mechanic to show up.
Even people without cars know that it’s crucial to always carry a backup tire in the trunk, especially during such long journeys!
You should carry all the required tools for replacing a flat tire with a spare one. This includes a wrench, tire gauge, an air compressor, and a jack.
3. Running Out of Gas
Another common issue with going on long road trips is that you might be stranded if you don’t keep an eye on the gas. With modern technology, there are many vehicles that don’t run on gas anymore. Electric cars run on batteries, but the function is essentially the same, since you will need to stop at a charging station to charge your car throughout the journey the same way you would stop at gas stations for refueling.
That being said, electric cars aren’t for everyone, and most vehicles we see on the road are either hybrids or run purely on gas. Hence, it is essential for you to fill up your tanks before heading out!
However, road trips aren’t so simple, and you might find yourself on roads far away from gas stations and without sufficient fuel left to get you there. This can easily be prevented! All you need to do is get an extra tank of gas that you can use to refuel your vehicle in such circumstances.
Additionally, you should check the map and mark all the gas stations you will be stopping at along the way. For a comfortable road trip, you should also research the route you’re taking, making sure that all roads are functional and you won’t need to make any detours that might put you far away from your planned gas station stops.
In addition to that, when checking if your car is up to the task before hitting the road, you should make sure that your gas gauge is functioning properly.
A malfunctioning gas gauge can lead to the false confidence that you’re going to make it to the next station before all the fuel runs out. Make sure to stay vigilant, and you should be good to go!
4. Good Wipers Can Prevent Accidents
A vital part of the vehicle that most people don’t give enough importance to is the windshield wipers! Good wipers can be the difference between a smooth ride throughout the trip and getting into a dangerous accident.
It’s not news that long road trips may last several days, and you might be on the road for the majority of the time. Hence, even if you’ve checked that the weather will be of no issue during the trip, a sudden change can instantly put you in a bad situation, especially if your wipers stop functioning.
You might have to park your car and wait for the storm to pass, as driving in harsh weather can blind your vision, and you might get into an accident!
Note that even if you haven’t been using your wipers frequently, they might still succumb to wear and tear, so it’s another component of your vehicle that you should replace or repair before heading out.
5. Your Car can Overheat
On hot days, it may be difficult for your vehicle to maintain a cool temperature. Perhaps you are going uphill for an hour or two straight in the scorching heat of the desert with your air conditioner running at full capacity.
Most newer vehicles are able to manage it, but if you notice that the temperature gauge is beginning to move near the red line, you should immediately pull over.
By turning on the heater in the vehicle, you can help the engine maintain a cool temperature if you notice it slowly warming up. In the event that you are, in fact, in the desert during the summer, you will undoubtedly be required to open the windows.
Even so, you won’t be able to survive for very long in the intense heat that will build up inside your vehicle; therefore, this is only a patch that will assist you in traveling a little further before you have to pull over.
You should pull over from time to time to let your vehicle rest. Otherwise, if your engine or any other major component is damaged due to overheating, then your entire trip might be put to a halt!
There might be other underlying issues as well, such as a coolant leak or a clogged radiator. Visit the mechanic before departure, and see if your car has any of these issues that need fixing!
Conclusion
A road trip may sound easy, but if it’s your own car that you are taking along for the ride, then you might find yourself in complicated situations.
Hence, taking the necessary precautions can not only help you save time but it will also help you save money since you are preventing yourself from getting into any misfortune!
During a long road trip, the health of the car is essentially the health of the people riding it as well, since accidents will not only harm the car but the passengers inside as well!
We hope that this helped by informing you of these five car problems you might face during road trips and showing you how to prepare for your upcoming journey!
