5 Things to Check Before Your First Spring Road Trip

Spring has officially arrived in South Africa, bringing warmer weather and plenty of opportunities to hit the open road. Before planning that first weekend getaway, however, it is worth giving your vehicle a quick inspection after the colder winter months.

Start with your tyres. Check the pressure, tread depth and general condition, including the spare. Temperature changes can affect tyre pressure, while damaged or excessively worn tyres become particularly dangerous when those first spring rains arrive.

Next, inspect your vehicle’s fluid levels, including engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and windscreen washer fluid. Your battery also deserves attention, especially if the car struggled to start during cold winter mornings.

Do not forget your windscreen wipers and lights. Replace worn wiper blades before seasonal rain catches you unexpectedly, and check that headlights, brake lights and indicators are working correctly.

Finally, test the air conditioning before temperatures really begin climbing. Discovering that it no longer blows cold air halfway through a hot road trip is never pleasant.

A few simple checks now can help prevent inconvenient breakdowns later. Get your vehicle ready, choose your destination and enjoy South Africa’s roads this spring.