10 Essential Pre-Holiday Car Checks You Can Do Yourself

Do you check your car before a long drive? 

Sunglasses, hat, bug spray, suncream - check! But what about checking the car? While the contents of your suitcase can prepare you for almost anything, they’ll do no good if you can’t reach your destination with them in the first place.

Spending 15 minutes checking your car in the days leading up to your holiday is crucial. A pre-holiday car check can prevent unexpected breakdowns, give you peace of mind, identify and resolve issues before you leave your driveway, and make the drive much more comfortable. 

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What the data says….

Our recent research revealed that millions of drivers fail to check their vehicles before leaving for a holiday. And, when considering that 1 in 6 drivers heading overseas will travel more than 2,000 miles, pre-trip checks become all the more significant. 

• Turning a blind eye to tyres: One in six (16%) drivers say they won’t check their tyre pressures before setting off to their destination. 
• Coolant checks overlooked: Almost 3 in 10 (29%) drivers won’t check their coolant, despite the newsworthy increase in heatwaves and extreme temperatures.

Hoping for the best instead of giving the car a test 

Our research also found that nearly 10% of drivers admit to telling their partner or family that they have thoroughly checked the car before setting off on holiday, even though they hadn’t.* 

• Similarly, around 9% of drivers confess that they had set off on their summer holiday journey knowing there was an issue with their car, but simply crossed their fingers and hoped that it would last until they got home again.
• Interestingly, we found that younger drivers were the most likely to trust luck, with 19% of 18- 34-year-olds holidaying with a known vehicle problem (in contrast to 3% of those over 55). 

If you’re in the same boat, our handy Guides explain vehicle maintenance in simple terms for beginners. 

Unexpected breakdowns

The research also found that one in eight drivers (13%) have broken down on their way to or from their holiday destination, with 12% suffering tyre problems such as a puncture, blowout or flat tyre.

Quick checks before a long drive

1. Check your coolant levels

Coolant (or ‘antifreeze’) protects your engine from extremely cold temperatures during the winter months, and its high boiling point also removes excess heat from the engine. This makes it essential for avoiding breakdowns on a hot day, especially when idling in motorway traffic. 

To check your coolant level:

• Locate your radiator reservoir under the bonnet.
• Make sure the coolant level is between the min and max lines.
• If you need to top up, make sure you select the right coolant for your car and fill until the level is between the two lines.
• Tip: If you’re not sure where your radiator reservoir is, check your vehicle handbook.

Full guide to checking coolant

2. Pack your car jack and locking wheel nut key

Save yourself from being stranded in the event of a puncture by making sure you’ve got the tools to change a tyre, just in case. Without the locking wheel nut key to hand, you won’t be able to remove the wheel (and neither will a recovery vehicle).

3. Check your engine oil levels

If your oil levels are too low, your engine can’t lubricate, cool, and clean its moving parts as required to keep your car running smoothly. If levels reach empty, your engine may seize up, causing you not only to break down, but to be faced with a hefty repair bill for replacement parts.

To check your engine oil:

• Locate your dipstick underneath the bonnet (identified by the ring pull (often yellow/orange in colour) coming out of the engine).
• Pull the dipstick out of the engine oil reservoir.
• Wipe the dipstick clean with a cloth, old rag, or tissue.
• Reinsert the dipstick and pull it back out.
• Check the oil level is between the two min and max markers at the end of the dipstick.
• Top up as needed with the type of oil recommended in your vehicle's handbook.

Do I need an oil change? Book an Engine Oil & Filter Change

4. Refill your screenwash bottle

Dust and debris from other vehicles can dirty your windscreen and obscure your view, while low screenwash levels can cause streaks, worsening visibility further.

We recommend using a premixed screenwash, which is available at most service stations. Not only do they include cleaning agents that cut through grime, but the ingredients of screenwash also include coolant so that it does not freeze and expand in the pipes and washer bottle if left during winter.  

To check your screenwash level:

• Locate the washer fluid reservoir under the bonnet (usually with a blue or yellow cap).
• Top up as needed.
• Make sure the screenwash fluid level is between the min and max lines.

Guide to topping up screenwash

5. Check your tyre pressure on all tyres (including the spare)

Underinflated tyres are a major cause of tyre blowouts. If this occurs when travelling at high speeds, it could cause a fatal accident. Even tyres that are slightly below the correct tyre pressure can affect your braking distance, and reduce the life of your tyres by wearing unevenly.

Check your vehicle handbook for your recommended front and rear tyre pressure, or use our tyre pressure checker. Don’t forget to check the spare too, as all tyres lose pressure gradually over time, whether they’ve been used or not.

10-step tyre pressure check guide

6. Check your tyre tread for wear

While you’re checking your tyre pressures, make sure you also check the tread depth on all tyres to ensure they meet legal requirements. 

While many think it's the brakes that help the car to stop, your tyres are the only part of the car that has contact with the road - so it’s crucial to ensure they have suitable tread to grip and help you come to a prompt stop.

The legal limit in the UK is 1.6mm of tread across the central ¾ of the tyre, around the complete circumference of the tyre. 

• You can use a tread depth indicator to measure how deep your tyre treads are.
• Or simply grab a 20 pence piece and stand it up in the tread groove as shown. If you can see the outer edge of the 20p, then it’s time for a tyre replacement.

Tip: Consider self-sealing and run-flat options

You can prevent the likelihood of having to stop your journey due to tyre issues by fitting tyres with self-sealing and run-flat options. Self-sealing tyres, such as those with Contiseal technology, will self-seal holes up to 5mm. This means that you can continue your journey until you reach a safe place to change your tyres.

Tyre tread checking guide

7. Check for tyre cracking and bulging

The overall condition of the tyres needs to be checked before hitting the road. If your tyres are old or have been exposed to a lot of sunlight, they can be prone to cracking. 

This is due to UV light oxidising the rubber in the tyres, causing them to lose their waxy properties, dry out, and crack. Meanwhile, potholes and curbs can also take their toll on tyres, and persistent impacts can cause the tyre sidewall to bulge and weaken.

Visually inspect your tyres for any anomalies, such as cracking and bulging in both the tread area and sidewall.

How to spot tyre damage

8. Make sure all your lights are working properly

Before you drive off on your holiday, you should test all of your car’s lights to ensure that they’re in working order. This includes:

• Car headlights
• Brake lights
• Reverse light
• Indicators
• And internal cabin lights  (you never know when you may need to stop to read the map!)

If you are having any issues, pop down to your local Kwik Fit where we can fit new replacement bulbs to save you the trouble.

Check those dashboard lights too...

If there are any warning lights on your dashboard, you should check them out before your journey, too. Issues such as tyres being inflated to the incorrect pressure can cause warning lights to appear. It is important to familiarise yourself with what these lights mean and how to resolve potential issues.

9. Turn on windscreen wipers and check wiper blades

You can’t trust the weather, especially when holidaying in the UK. So, a good set of windscreen wipers are a must to ensure you can see the road clearly. Wipers are probably the least hardy part of your car, and will inevitably become damaged over time, needing replacement. 

• Test whether the wiper blades, front and back, move when you turn them on.
• Check the blades for any splits in the rubber edge, which could prevent the wiper from clearing water or leave streaks in the line of view.

It can be tempting to neglect your wipers before a holiday because you’re expecting good weather, but wipers are essential even on a hot day to clear grime and bugs from the windscreen.

Is there something wrong with my wipers?

10. Test your air con

While it’s not crucial, travelling without a functioning car air con system can make summer journeys unpleasant. If you haven’t used your car air conditioning since last summer, testing it before you go is a good idea, as it’s not unusual for the air con system to develop a fault. 

As air con gas permeates through the system over time, you may simply need an air con recharge, which is available at most Kwik Fit centres.

Air con not cold?

Keep your car holiday-ready with Kwik Fit

If you want to make sure that your car is ready for your holiday, book in for a Kwik Fit service or a Free Vehicle Safety Check. After a service, our trained technicians can advise on any maintenance required, either now or in the near future — so that you set off on your summer holiday with complete peace of mind. 

For any other advice you might need on pre-holiday car maintenance, get in touch with our team or check out our handy guides and detailed blogs.

* Research carried out by Opinium among a nationally representative sample of 2000 UK adults – 19-23 June 2026