How to Prevent a Vehicle Breakdown

Posted July 26, 2016

Since it is summer, we’re all taking our vacation days and many of us are taking road trips. At Integra Tire, we want to ensure that you all make it to your destination safely so we thought that we’d compile a list of preventative maintenance tips to do before you leave your house. These tips will help to ensure that your vehicle currently and will continually operate correctly:

Check your owner’s manual – Yes, we know reading your owner’s manual is not as exciting as reading the Hunger Games but it does have some important information in it. It will contain everything you need to know about your car and what preventative maintenance it requires, such as how often to change your oil and what type to use.
Check your oil – Your owner’s manual will provide you with information on how often you should change your oil and what type of oil to use. Generally, you should have your oil changed every 5,000 – 10,000km; this will vary based on the age of your vehicle and what type of oil you use (synthetic or conventional). You should always check your oil in between oil changes to ensure that it is a light brown; once it turns dark brown or black, it needs to be changed.
Check your battery – Your vehicle’s battery will not last forever; it will usually only last for about five years. To ensure that your battery still has a strong charge, you can use a battery tester or bring it to your local Integra Tire once a year to have it tested.
Get a brake inspection – Brakes will wear over time – think about how often you put your foot on the brake while you’re driving and you’ll realize how easily they can wear out. It’s best to have your brakes tested once every 60,000 km.
Get a tire rotation – Your tires wear differently depending whether they are your front or rear tires. To ensure that all four of your tires wear evenly, you should get a tire rotation once every 10,000km or very second oil change.
Check your tires – Before any long road trip you should check your tires for impaled debris and check their air pressure. Your optimal tire pressure can be found on your inside side door sticker or in your owner’s manual.
Change your wiper blades – Here in Canada we do a lot of wear and tear to our wiper blades, especially in the winter. We recommend changing your wiper blades once a year to ensure that they are clearing your windshield properly.

If you follow all of these preventative maintenance tips, the only thing you’ll need to worry about while you’re on your road trip is what snacks to pack and where the next bathroom is.

Questions? Our Advisors are Happy to Help!

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.