Pre-holiday car check-list

Breaking down is always a nuisance, but on holiday it can be a nightmare. Think about it: you miss the ferry and arrive late at your destination, tired and hungry. Your children get fed up and fractious, and paying for the repairs uses up all your holiday money. Worse still, you may miss your holiday altogether and see nothing more exciting than the back of a breakdown truck.

Let's face it, if you usually cover 100 miles a week cruising around town, then expecting your car to cope with a mammoth 2,000-mile drive that may well include a several hours crawling along a motorway could  just be asking for trouble.

At peak holiday periods, the UK's major breakdown organisations deal with more than 50,000 calls a day. Yet most faults are simple things - low engine oil or coolant levels, faulty jacks, snapped drivebelts and so on - all of which could easily be avoided by carrying out a vital pre-holiday check.

Don't let your car spoil your holiday: give it a clean bill of health with the assistance of Haynes - a name that is both instantly recognisable and trusted.

Haynes, the world-leading publisher of automotive repair manuals, is renowned for teaching millions of car owners how to carry out routine maintenance and repairs. The manuals provide authoritative and accurate step-by-step information for carrying out all kinds of jobs on the car, including simple tasks such as the 'pre-holiday check' below.

At least a week before taking your car on holiday, you should carry out a number of simple checks - some of which should be repeated just before you leave.

1. First, check that your car won't be due for an MOT test or a service whilst you are away. If necessary, get these done before you leave (or save some money and do the service yourself - it's easier than you think!).
2. Now, with the vehicle on level ground and a cold engine, check all the fluid levels - engine oil and coolant; brake, clutch and power steering reservoirs, plus the screen washer bottle (and automatic transmission fluid if appropriate).

3. Top up if necessary with the oil or fluid detailed in the car's handbook or the Haynes manual. If you check the fluid levels regularly and notice a significant drop in any of them, there may be a leak - get a garage to investigate.

4. Inspect the engine auxiliary drivebelt ('fanbelt') for cracks and separation of the belt plies. Get a new belt fitted (or do it yourself!) if necessary. Carrying a spare belt is a good idea.
5. Check the condition of the tyres carefully, including the one on the spare wheel. This could be a good opportunity to use the jack and ensure that it works properly (it may be missing altogether!).
6. Removing each of the wheels in turn will make it easier to inspect the tyres for cuts, abrasions, bulges or embedded nails or stones. Check the tread depth with an indicator gauge. The UK legal limit of 1.6mm is an absolute minimum and ideally you should replace any tyre with less than 3mm of tread before embarking on a lengthy holiday journey.
7. Check the wheels to see if they have been damaged by 'kerbing'. A particularly clean patch around the rim could indicate a missing wheel balancing weight. Using a tyre pressure gauge, check the inflation pressure of each tyre. A low reading could indicate a slow puncture, which you should get checked.

8. If you will be driving abroad at sustained high speeds, or loading the car to its maximum, the tyre pressures may need to be raised above normal - the Haynes manual gives details.
9. Now check the condition of the wiper blades. Clean them with a tissue dipped in screen wash concentrate. If they are cracked or show any signs of deterioration, or if they smear a perfectly clean screen, renew them.
10. Make sure all the external lights are functioning - including rear fog lights. You can check brake lights unaided by seeing if they illuminate a wall or garage door. Try the horn too. Finally, clean the windows, inside and out, and wipe the lamp lenses and door mirrors.
11. If you are going on holiday abroad, the Haynes Driving Abroad' book details the essential equipment - such as a warning triangle, spare bulbs and First Aid kit - that you must carry for particular countries. Put these in an easily accessible place in your vehicle - together with your Haynes manual.
12. Just before you leave, check the tyre pressures and fluid levels again.

Your pre-holiday health check is complete. Bon voyage!

Haynes

Haynes Election Jargon Buster

Take a look inside Haynes How to Run the Country Manual

Haynes

Mothballing your motorbike

Storing your bike over winter

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops experts at Haynes are offering practical advice for riders preparing to put their bike away for the winter.

Preparation is key, particularly if bikes are to be stored for long periods of time in cold, damp atmospheres such as garages and sheds.

Penny Cox, Motorcycle Editorial Manager for Haynes Publishing, renowned for motorcycle manuals and books, outlines her top tips for protecting your bike.

Penny Cox says:

"For many a motorcyclist now is time to hang up the helmet and seek the refuge of four wheels until the spring. It’s important to prepare your bike for storage so you’re not in for a nasty surprise when the warmer, dryer conditions return and you’re raring to get back on the road."

Haynes top tips for preparing your bike for storage:

Battery

• Remove it from the bike - in extreme cases of cold the battery may freeze and crack its case.
• Check the electrolyte level and top up if necessary (conventional refillable batteries). Clean the terminals.
• Store the battery off the motorcycle and away from any sources of fire.
• Position a wooden block under the battery if it is to sit on the ground.
• Give the battery a charge for a few hours every month or invest in a trickle charger which enables a regular constant charge to be applied.

Engine

• Remove the spark plug(s) and lubricate the cylinder bores with approximately a teaspoon of motor oil using a spout-type oil can.
• Reinstall the spark plug(s). Crank the engine over a couple of times to coat the piston rings and bores with oil.
• If your bike has carburettors, drain them of fuel otherwise there is a risk of jets becoming blocked by gum deposits from the fuel.
• Consider adding a fuel stabiliser to the fuel in the tank to prevent internal corrosion occurring. If the tank is drained completely, beware that corrosion of its internal surfaces may occur if left unprotected for a long period.
• The tank can be treated with a rust preventative especially for this purpose. Alternatively, remove the tank from the motorcycle and pour half a litre of motor oil into it, install the filler cap and shake the tank to coat its internals with oil before draining off the excess. The same effect can also be achieved by spraying WD40 or a similar water-dispersant around the inside of the tank via its flexible nozzle.
• On bikes with liquid-cooling systems, make sure the cooling system contains the correct mix of antifreeze. Antifreeze also contains important corrosion inhibitors.

• The air intakes and exhaust can be sealed off by covering or plugging the openings. In the case of the exhaust silencers make sure that you do not seal in any condensation; run the engine until it is hot, then switch off and allow to cool. Tape a piece of thick plastic over the silencer end(s). Note that some advocate pouring a tablespoon of motor oil into the silencer(s) before sealing them off.

Tyres

• Place the bike on its centrestand. Where only a sidestand is fitted, use an auxiliary stand to support the motorcycle in an upright position.
• Position a piece of board or blocks of wood under the tyres to keep them off the ground and to provide insulation from damp.
• Deflate each tyre by 5 to 10 psi, no more or the beads may unseat from the rim, making subsequent inflation difficult on tubeless tyres.

Rust Prevention - body and components

• Lubricate all lever, pedal, stand and footrest pivot points. If grease nipples are fitted to the rear suspension components, apply lubricant to the pivots.
• Lubricate all control cables.
• Apply a wax protectant to all painted and plastic components. Wipe off any excess, but don’t polish to a shine. Where fitted, clean the screen with soap and water.
• Coat metal parts with ACF-50 or Vaseline (petroleum jelly). When applying Vaseline to the fork tubes, do not compress the forks otherwise the seals will rot from contact with the Vaseline.
• Apply a vinyl cleaner to the seat.

Storage Conditions

• Aim to store the bike in a shed or garage which does not leak and is free from damp.

• Drape an old blanket or bedspread over the bike to protect it from dust and direct contact with sunlight (which will fade paint). This also hides the bike from prying eyes. Beware of tight-fitting plastic covers which may allow condensation to form and settle on the bike.
• If you have to store the bike outside use an insulated, breathable cover that will cover the discs.  If you have one, fit a top box to create an air space over the bike; this promotes air circulation and reduces condensation. Discourage neighbourhood cats napping on the seat with strips of plastic security spikes.

Haynes

Drive safely this winter with Haynes

Climate change may well be causing polar ice caps to melt and glaciers to shrink but UK winters still bring dark nights, fog, rain, snow - and increased danger.

In fact about 50% of all reported night-time road traffic accidents occur in wet conditions; however in the UK it is wet on average only one night in ten. Or, to put it another way, after dark a motorist is nine times more likely to be involved in an accident if it's wet. Add in hail, sleet and snow and these are just the conditions which are likely to bring the most car breakdowns. The AA expects to attend to more than 10,000 breakdowns a day in January!

Unless you intend to hibernate, you should prepare your car and yourself for bad weather. There are some simple DIY checks to ensure your vehicle is a safe as possible this winter. These include some of the many DIY tasks covered by Haynes Manuals that almost any car owner can easily do.

1. Check the operation of all exterior lights and keep them clean. Replacing failed bulbs or fuses is usually straightforward.
2. Clean the windscreen and windows, inside and out, regularly. Use a cleaner intended for car glass - household window cleaners can leave a smeary film.
3. Check the condition of wiper blades (which are simple to replace) and stop them freezing to the screen by propping them up on slices cut from a cork when you park for the night. Keep the washer reservoir topped up and use an additive with antifreeze properties (not engine antifreeze).
4. Each week and before long journeys, check the tyre pressures (including the spare wheel). Check also the tread depth - 1.6mm is the legal minimum but for good grip on wet roads, it's better to replace tyres once the tread depth is 2.0mm.
5. If you expect to do a lot of driving on snow-covered roads, consider buying a spare set of wheels with tyres especially designed for these conditions. Some tyre retailers will store the summer tyres for you in winter, and vice versa.
6. Check the level in the coolant reservoir and top up as necessary with a water/antifreeze solution. The coolant (with antifreeze) should be changed every two or three years.
7. Make sure the antifreeze concentration in the cooling system is adequate - if there has been a leak and you've been topping up with plain water it may not be. A garage can test it for you, or you can buy a tester from a car accessory shop.
8. Winter grade diesel can cope with temperatures down to -15º C. If lower temperatures are expected, use an anti-waxing additive in the fuel tank (or stay at home!)
9. Ensure the battery terminals are tight and not corroded. You may get a free battery and charging system check at a car accessory shop or fast-fit specialist. Don't wait for your battery to fail - replace it in good time.
10. Carry an emergency kit - spare fuses and bulbs, jump leads, a torch, water dispersant spray and de-icer.
11. If your car has air conditioning, run it for 10 minutes or so once a month to stop the seals drying out. And use it to demist the windscreen even if you don't need the cooling effect.
12. When parking overnight in freezing conditions, leave your car in gear with the handbrake off if it is safe to do so. This will prevent the handbrake freezing in the 'on' position.
13. In the morning you can use warm (not boiling!) water for defrosting windows, but watch where it runs - it could form an ice slick when it freezes.
14. There's no point in keeping lock de-icer inside the car. Frozen door locks can sometimes be freed by blowing into them - but be careful not to get your lips stuck to the car!
15. Make things easier for the battery by not switching on headlights, heater blower or heated rear window until the engine is running. Similarly, switch off lights etc before stopping the engine. Switch off the heated rear window as soon as the screen is clear.
16. On slippery roads, drive slowly, smoothly and gently. Accelerate gradually, steer gently and brake smoothly. Arrange tuition on a skid-pan through your local driving school or the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

 

Haynes