Don't Let a Breakdown Ruin Your Trip
Spokane is a gateway to incredible road trips — Coeur d'Alene and the lakes, the Palouse, Montana, the Oregon coast, even Seattle over the pass. But a breakdown 200 miles from home turns a great trip into an expensive disaster. A pre-trip inspection catches the problems that wait until you're in the middle of nowhere to show up.
The Pre-Road-Trip Checklist
1. Oil and Fluids
If you're within 1,000 miles of your next oil change, do it before the trip. Check and top off coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and washer fluid. Low coolant on a mountain pass in summer heat is a recipe for overheating.
2. Tires
Check all four tires plus the spare for tread depth and proper inflation (use the door jamb sticker, not the tire sidewall). Look for cracks, bulges, or nails. A tire blowout on I-90 at highway speed is dangerous and expensive.
3. Brakes
Mountain driving — like crossing Lookout Pass to Montana or descending Snoqualmie to Seattle — puts enormous heat into your brakes. Thin pads and old fluid are a bad combination on a steep, sustained downgrade.
4. Cooling System
Long climbs at highway speed in summer heat are the ultimate test of your cooling system. Check the coolant level, inspect hoses and the radiator for leaks, and make sure the radiator fan works. If your temperature gauge creeps up in city traffic now, it'll overheat on a mountain grade.
5. Battery and Charging System
A weak battery might start your car at home but fail at a trailhead at 5,000 feet after sitting all day. A quick load test reveals whether your battery has the reserves for the trip.
6. Belts and Hoses
A serpentine belt failure kills your alternator, power steering, and AC simultaneously. Hoses that feel soft, swollen, or show surface cracks are overdue for replacement. These are cheap to replace proactively and catastrophic to have fail on the road.
7. Lights and Wipers
Mountain passes can go from sunshine to rain to fog in minutes. Make sure all lights work and your wipers clear cleanly.
8. Emergency Gear
Pack a first-aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight, water, phone charger, and basic tools. Cell service is spotty on many routes out of Spokane.
Book a Pre-Trip Inspection
At All Motors Center, a pre-trip inspection takes about an hour and covers all the items above. It's the cheapest insurance against a vacation-ruining breakdown. Call (509) 655-7715 to schedule before your next road trip.