How to Do a Pre-Drive Inspection

Posted July 9, 2019

Preventative vehicle maintenance is one of the easiest ways to save yourself money on repairs but did you know that there’s even an easier thing that you can do? You can do a pre-drive inspection! Do this once or twice a month in the morning when your vehicle is cold and you’ll save yourself 1000s of dollars in preventative maintenance. Here are some things that you should check on your morning walk around your vehicle:

Walk around your vehicle to ensure that nothing is around or under it that you may hit or drive over. Hitting something could cost you 1000s of dollars in body damage and insurance hikes.
Check your tires to confirm that there are no cracks or bulges. You should also inspect them for any debris that might have punctured the tire. Finally, check your tire pressure. You can find your recommended tire pressure level on the placard sticker on the inside of your driver’s door. Having correctly inflated tires that are free of cracks, bulges, and debris can help prevent a tire blow out, saving you 1000s of dollars.
Check under your vehicle to verify that there are no puddles under it. A bright orange, green or blue stain could indicate an issue with your engine or antifreeze leaking. A black or brown stain could mean that you have an oil leak. A red oily puddle could occur because of a transmission or power-steering fluid leak. If you see a clear puddle, then this is likely condensation and is nothing to worry about. Finding a puddle can save you money because the issue can be fixed before it causes serious damage.
Inside your vehicle, guarantee that your mirrors are in the proper positions and that you can see clearly through all of them. To do so, sit in the driver’s seat and position your seat so that you can reach the gas and brake pedal easily. Move the rear view mirror so that you can see right in the middle of the rear window. Adjust your side mirrors so that you can see the road beside your vehicle and see a small amount of your vehicle. Having correctly placed mirrors can help prevent an accident.
Check all your lights to make sure that they are all working. Verify that your headlights, tail lights, signal lights, and brake lights all work. It may be helpful to have someone stand outside of the vehicle to view each of the lights. Verifying that all your lights are working will help other drivers anticipate your next move and prevent an accident.

Once you get used to performing this once or twice a month, the process should take no more than five minutes and these five minutes could save you 1000s of dollars. If you notice any issues with your vehicle, visit your local Integra Tire to have it inspected and fixed.

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If you have questions about anything you've read in this resource page, contact your nearest dealer for more information. We are passionate in assisting our customers make the best choices to keep their vehicles in tip-top shape and keep their families safe.