Road trip car checklist for BC drivers
By LSG Auto Nation · · Updated
Short answer
About a week before a road trip, check your tire pressure and tread (including the spare), brakes, oil and other fluids, lights, wipers, battery and AC. That leaves time to fix anything you find. Pack an emergency kit, a tire pressure gauge, a phone charger and your roadside assistance details.
Heading to the Okanagan, the coast or the Rockies? Kamloops sits where some of BC’s best drives meet, and a little preparation before you leave makes a breakdown far less likely. In winter, check DriveBC for road conditions before you set off.
What should I check before a long drive?
Start about a week before you leave, so there’s time to fix anything you find.
- Tires. Check the pressure when the tires are cold, using the numbers on the sticker inside the driver’s door. Look for worn tread, bulges or cracks, and don’t forget the spare.
- Brakes. Mountain passes mean long downhill stretches. If your brakes squeal, grind or feel soft, get them checked before you go.
- Oil and fluids. Check the engine oil, coolant, brake fluid and washer fluid. If an oil change is due in the next few thousand kilometres, get it done before the trip.
- Lights and wipers. Walk around the car with the lights on. Replace wipers that leave streaks, because summer storms and highway bugs make them work hard.
- Battery. Heat is hard on batteries too. If yours is more than a few years old, get it tested.
- Air conditioning. Interior BC summers are hot. If your AC is weak, get it checked before you’re stuck in traffic at 35°C.
What should I keep in the car?
- An emergency kit: first aid supplies, a flashlight, booster cables, water and snacks
- In winter: a warm blanket, gloves, a snow brush and a small shovel
- A tire pressure gauge
- A phone charger, and a paper map for areas with no cell signal
- Your insurance and roadside assistance details
Should I get a pre-trip inspection?
If you’re unsure about anything on this list, a pre-trip inspection costs far less than a breakdown at the side of the road. At LSG Auto Nation, every oil change includes a free check of your brakes, tires, fluids and more. It’s an easy way to cover the basics before you head out.
Car trouble on the way through Kamloops?
Highways 1, 5 and 97 all run through Kamloops, so many of our customers are on long drives to or from Vancouver, Calgary and everywhere in between. If something goes wrong on the road, LSG Auto Nation at 125 Wilson St on Kamloops’ North Shore is open seven days a week. Walk-ins are welcome, and same-day service is available on many repairs. Call the shop at (778) 704-2222 or book online.