Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Autumn 2007 | Page 36

TECH TALK

taking a road trip...
...before the warmer months fade away?

Y

our Subaru was built for the outdoors – and it’s the perfect car for exploring this great
country all year round. The steps needed to prepare your car for a road trip, however,
can be quite different depending on the season.
Preparing for road trips during the warmer months is all about making sure things will
work properly and not suffer from the sometimes intense heat.
Making sure your Subaru is ready is as easy as making an appointment with your Subaru
Dealer – the only service department with genuine Subaru parts and accessories and
factory-trained technicians.
During a service visit, these technicians will give your Subaru a thorough checkup, ensuring the fluid levels are okay, the tires are in good shape and more significant
components such as axle shafts are free of wear.
While a service visit is needed to take care of more significant maintenance issues, you
should always check the following items yourself before and during a major road trip:
Engine oil level should be checked
prior to departure and at every
second fuel fill-up thereafter. This should be
done on a level surface and preferably while
the engine is still cold to make sure all the oil
has dripped back down to the oil pan. Most
people don’t realize this, but adding too
much oil can also be harmful to your engine
so you want to make sure your measurement
is accurate. Always carry oil with you in the
trunk in case you need to add some.

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Tire pressure should be checked
before leaving (when the tires are
still cold) and each morning of your trip.
Also, take a quick look at the tire tread to
make sure you have not gathered a nail,
screw or piece of metal along the way.
If you find anything embedded in a tire,
don’t pull it out as this will likely make
the tire go flat. Instead, drive slowly to
the closest service station and have the
tire checked out.