Talking Turkey About Preparing To Travel

It’s time again for that long drive to reunite with family for the holidays. I thought I would pass along some tips for your trip preparation and in case you have a problem on your trip.

Many people bring their cars in for service before heading out on the voyage. Unfortunately, many people wait until the last minute. I strongly advise you not to wait until the last day. No service facility is perfect. Having a simple wire or hose loose can spoil your well planned departure. If you do wait until the last minute, take your car out for a 20 mile trip on the highway while the service center is still open. Any glitch that may arise is likely to arise within that first 20 miles.

The auto repair business is a business driven by procrastination. You will have less of a wait for service if you can bring your vehicle in during the weeks prior to the holiday week. If you wait until the last minute, you may not even be able to get the services you desire. Several slightly more crafty procrastinators are likely to have slipped in ahead of you!

Unfortunately, some of you reading this will head out on your journey without reason to anticipate any problems. But at some point in your trip something will change. The most frequent occurrence is that the Check Engine Light, or Service Engine Soon light will come on. Now what should you do?

If the light is orange, and not red, you can take a few miles to analyze your situation. Is the car running any differently? If not, you have probably had some form of pollution control device fail. It should be safe for you to continue on your trip and have the vehicle serviced upon your return.

If the vehicle begins running poorly at the same time as the light comes on, you are more likely to need to have it serviced soon. As long as the light is an orange light, you can probably continue to your destination and have the vehicle serviced near where you are visiting.

If the light that comes on is red, you need to react immediately. If the oil light or temperature light comes on, you should pull over immediately to a safe location and shut off the engine. If the oil light is on steadily, you could have less than a minute before the engine is ruined. If the temperature light is on steadily, you could incur significant engine damage within 3 minutes. Your family’s safety is worth more than an engine, so be sure to pull off somewhere safe, but do not ignore those two lights for long.

If the red light is a battery light or alternator light, check your steering and braking effort. If the steering and braking feel normal still, the fan belt is likely still on. You probably have a few hours of driving before the engine dies. Minimize all electrical loads. Continue to frequently monitor all of the gauges, especially temperature.

I sincerely hope all of you have uneventful trips and wonderful fellowship with your family’s and friend’s. Please drive safely and courteously!

Brian Klaubert owns Christian Brothers Automotive-Hamilton Mill, on Hwy 124 in Dacula, and was awarded Gwinnett’s Choice for Best Auto Mechanic.