Checklist To Avoid A Breakdown

September 6, 2024

The blog this week is about what you should check to avoid a breakdown in your Volvo or Toyota. Everyone is trying to save money at the moment, interest rates are rising, fuel bills are rising, food costs are soaring, insurance costs are rising etc so when it comes to owning a car, we need all the help we can get to keep costs down. Read on to find out more:

Checking your Volvo or Toyota thoroughly before setting off on long journey is by far the best way to make sure that your trip doesn’t turn into a disaster waiting for a rescue vehicle to tow you to a local independent garage. Just as a basic monthly maintenance requirement you should be checking your oil levels, water levels and coolant levels. We have said this many times on blogs in the past – it takes no more than 10 minutes to do and if you find that you are having to top these up often then this will indicate to you that there could be a problem that requires the expertise of your local independent garage. If you are unsure, please call us - we are happy to advise - our advise is always free!

Have the cooling system checked – a leaking cooling system or inoperative cooling fan could cause your Volvo or Toyota to overheat which could cause extensive and incredibly expensive damage to the engine.
If you have an air conditioning system you will often see a small amount of water on the floor – this is perfectly normal and is simply condensation of the air conditioning system. If your system smells when switched on or is not working properly before your planned trip it wont fix itself during the trip - get it seen to in the first instance by a fully qualified and licensed local independent garage. There are tests they can perform to locate leaks and blockages. We see so many people getting their AC ‘Topped Up’ without first checking for leaks – so you are literally throwing your money down the drain – refrigerant is not supposed to leak requiring top ups!
The electric cooling fan is designed to run only when needed, it’s worth getting this checked also to ensure it’s operating as it should
Check all wiper blades for wear or splitting, check the windscreen washer fluid level (screen wash additive is also recommended) and check that the washer jets are free from grime and adjusted correctly so the spray hits your windscreen not your roof! If you think they are blocked you could try using a needle to unblock them
Have the fan belt checked on a regular basis by your local garage - this is the importance of regular car servicing - if these items are properly maintained its very rare to experience problems
Check all exterior lights to ensure they comply with any legal requirements, especially if you’re travelling to Europe – check the requirements of the country you are travelling to as each is different!
Check the condition of the tyres (including the spare) for correct pressures and legal tread depth. The current minimum legal tread depth for cars and light commercial vehicles (up to 3500 kg gvw') is 1.6mm - try the 20p test as described in a previous blog post regarding legal tyre tread. You check several places across each tyre
If locking wheel nuts are fitted to your Volvo or Toyota, ensure the locking key is in the vehicle - no point it being in the kitchen drawer - its very expensive to change a tyre if you have left it at home. It may be useful to practise changing the spare wheel, following instructions from your owner's handbook. If no spare is supplied with your vehicle make sure you are familiar with the tyre repair kit in case you need it
Ensure all dashboard warning lights operate correctly. Do not leave home if you are showing an engine management light - this indicates a fault with the vehicle - take the car to your local independent garage to identify the problem and carry out any repairs that are necessary – you don’t want your trip being ruined because you stuck your head in the sand hoping the problem would magically go away!
Make sure you have a spare set of keys for your vehicle in a safe place - obviously not at home or in your glove box, but on you if you are travelling away – replacement keys can be very expensive!
If you are towing a caravan, check the tyre condition – tyres can deteriorate quickly when not used for some time, so check for any cracking in the sidewalls. Also check the braking system, the indicators and brake lights and coupling gear. Invest in some additional mirrors so you can see beyond the caravan and adjust your driving according to the load you are towing. In addition, make sure that the caravan is properly balanced with the load distributed as advised by the manufacturer.
Never overload your vehicle or caravan beyond their designed carrying capacity - do not block the rear window of your car - you need to see what is behind you. Instead invest in a good quality roof box and ensure it is fitted correctly - remember it is on the roof when negotiating barriers etc in car parks. When not in use remove it from your car and store - this will ensure better fuel economy. If you have roof bars fitted but are not using them, take them off – you will use more fuel with them on and the journey will be a noisy one too! Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire