Tyres and spare
Check the pressure on cold tyres against the label on the door pillar or in the manual. Look at the sidewalls for cuts and bulges. Inflate the spare as well, and find the jack and wheel brace in advance.
Before a trip
Maintenance: simple checks before you set off
Most roadside stops can be prevented without a garage or tools. The day before a trip, walk round the car, look under the bonnet and in the boot, and listen to it during the first few kilometres. Leave repairs to a workshop; this page covers what any driver can do.
Ten minutes with the car before you leave often saves several hours waiting on the hard shoulder.
This section covers inspection and simple checks only. We do not explain how to replace parts or take components apart: if a check reveals a problem, have a mechanic look at the car before you leave. Find pressures, fluid levels and service intervals in the owner's manual.
Checks before a trip
Six things worth your time before a long journey.
Battery
Notice how briskly the starter turns. If the engine struggles to catch, especially in the cold, have the battery tested at a workshop. The terminals should be tight and free of white deposits.
Fluids
Check the oil on the dipstick and the coolant and brake fluid against the marks on their reservoirs, and top up the screenwash. Check on level ground with the engine cold.
Lights
Ask someone to stand outside while you switch on the dipped and main beams, indicators, brake lights and hazard lights. A blown bulb is both a risk and a reason to be stopped by the police.
Brakes: listen and feel
Squealing, grinding, pulling to one side or a soft, sinking pedal are reasons to have the car checked before the trip. Do not take the brakes apart yourself.
Documents and first aid kit
Your licence, registration documents and insurance should be in the car. Check the first aid kit and fire extinguisher, the warning triangle and the vest.
A ten-minute check of your car
Walk round the car
See whether one side is sitting low, whether there are fresh stains under the car and whether the mirrors and glass are intact.
Check the wheels
Measure the pressure in all tyres and the spare, and inspect the tread and sidewalls.
Look under the bonnet
Check the oil, coolant and brake fluid levels and top up the screenwash.
Switch on the lights
Go through all the headlights and lamps with a helper or by watching the reflection in a shop window.
Open the boot
Make sure the warning triangle, vest, tow rope, first aid kit, fire extinguisher, torch and gloves are there.
Listen to the car
For the first few kilometres, turn off the music and listen for knocks, vibrations and new warning lights on the dashboard.
Read next
- Breakdowns
Common roadside problems: the car won't start, a flat tyre, overheating, an empty tank, the oil warning light, keys locked inside.
- Car kit
What to keep in the boot in case you break down, and what to ask a towing service before your car is loaded.
- Safety
How to behave on the hard shoulder after a forced stop: hazard lights, warning triangle, vest, where people should wait and what not to do.
Sources
- Vehicle owner's manuals (general provisions)
- EMERCOM of Russia — leaflets for drivers
Traffic rules are quoted from the Russian Road Traffic Regulations as in force on the date of preparation. Rules are revised from time to time and every car has its own quirks, so check the current text of the rules and your vehicle's owner's manual. If you drive outside Russia, check your local rules and emergency number.