Breakdowns on a long drive are rarely mysterious. They are usually tyres, batteries, coolant or fuel — all things that were already marginal before the trip started and would have shown up in a twenty-minute check the evening before.
Do this the day before rather than on the morning you leave. If something needs attention, you still have time to deal with it.
Tyres
- Pressures, checked cold, against the placard on the door pillar or fuel flap. Use the loaded-car figures if the car will be full.
- The spare. Check it too. A flat spare is the single most common unpleasant surprise on a long drive. If it is a space-saver, note its pressure and its speed limit.
- Tread depth, using the wear indicator bars set into the grooves.
- Damage. Cuts, bulges in the sidewall, embedded stones or screws. A sidewall bulge means the tyre should not be used.
- The tools to change one. Jack, wheel brace, locking wheel nut key if you have one. A locking key that lives in the house is no use on a highway.
Fluids
- Engine oil, on level ground, using the dipstick or the car’s electronic readout.
- Coolant, read through the side of the expansion tank on a cold engine. Never open the cap warm.
- Brake fluid, which should sit between the marks on the reservoir. A low level deserves investigation before a long drive rather than a top-up.
- Washer fluid, filled properly. On a long drive through insects or dust, an empty bottle is a genuine visibility problem.
Lights and glass
- Walk around the car with someone operating the controls, or reverse up to a wall and use the reflection. Check side lights, dipped and main beam, brake lights, reversing lights, indicators, hazards and both number plate lights.
- Wipers, on a wet screen. Replace them if they smear.
- Clean the glass inside as well as out. Interior film scatters light badly when driving towards low sun or oncoming headlights.
- Mirrors clean and correctly set.
Brakes and steering
- On a quiet road, brake firmly from a moderate speed. The car should stop straight, the pedal should feel firm, and there should be no grinding or shudder.
- Listen for new noises over speed bumps and around slow corners.
- If anything has changed recently, have it checked before you leave rather than deciding on the road.
Battery
- Look at the terminals for corrosion and check the clamps are tight.
- Note the age. A battery over three years old that has been slow to start recently is exactly the one that will strand you far from home.
The dashboard
Turn the ignition on without starting. The warning lights should illuminate briefly as a bulb check and then go out once the engine runs. Any that remain lit are worth understanding before you set off. If a light is on and you do not know what it means, look it up — the glossary is in your owner’s manual.
Paperwork
In India, that generally means the registration certificate, valid insurance, a current pollution certificate and your driving licence, plus any permits for the states you are crossing. Digital copies in the official government app are accepted in many situations, but carrying both is simpler than arguing about it at a check post. Check expiry dates now rather than discovering one has lapsed.
What to carry
- A warning triangle, and a reflective jacket kept inside the cabin rather than the boot
- A torch, ideally one that does not depend on your phone
- A basic first aid kit
- Drinking water, and more than you think in hot weather
- A phone charger and a cable that works
- Your roadside assistance number, written down somewhere other than the phone
- A tyre inflator or a puncture repair kit if your car has no spare
- Basic tools, cable ties and tape
Loading the car
- Heavy items low down and as far forward in the boot as possible
- Nothing loose on the parcel shelf or rear seat, which becomes a projectile in a hard stop
- Roof loads within the limit in your manual, and remember they change the handling and the fuel consumption noticeably
- Nothing blocking the rear view
Planning the drive itself
- Start with a full tank, and think about where the next one comes from on unfamiliar routes
- Plan a break roughly every two hours
- Check the route and the weather the night before
- Tell someone your route and expected arrival
Your manual has the final word
Tyre pressures, load limits, roof capacity, jacking points, spare wheel type and the meaning of each warning symbol are specific to your car. Where this guide and your owner’s manual disagree, follow the manual.
