Technician Ted’s Tips for a Safe and Happy Summer on the Road

This month, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. is pleased to introduce you to Ted Mansell, Service Technician and longstanding Hyundai team member. Ted has been working on Hyundai vehicles for 30 years and has a wealth of knowledge on automotive safety to share.

Summer is around the corner and, in addition to BBQs, sandals, and sunglasses, road trips are on the agenda. There’s no better time than now to get ready for summer driving. To prepare for the season, Ted is providing the Hyundai Drive Squad with tips and tricks for a safe and happy summer on the road. So, put the pedal to the metal and fire-up your summer road trip by following these helpful tips for a safe season on the road:

1. Say hello to sunshine: Now that winter is over, it’s time to transition your vehicle into summer mode. To do this safely, be sure to:
• Change from winter to summer tires. Winter tires lose their grip and longevity as the temperature rises.
• Change your wiper blades if they are streaking and damaged from freezing in the winter.
• Brush-up on your owner’s manual! A “check engine” light can come on for hundreds of reasons, so it’s important to know what to do if it lights up.
• Check your fluid levels. Today’s engine compartment design makes it easy to check the minimum and maximum levels for most of your fluids.
• When washing, remember to spray underneath your vehicle to clean the corrosive salt from all the nooks and crannies.
2. Take time for your tires: Did you know that half of all breakdowns happen due to low tire pressure? The easiest thing to do is a circle check around your vehicle every time you go to drive your car. The front tires will naturally look softer than the rears, as they carry the most weight. Here are some helpful hints:
• Check your tire pressure once a month. Use the ideal tire pressure found on a label on the driver’s door jam and not the number on the tire itself. The one on the tire is its maximum rating, which could cause a harsh ride and uneven tire wear.
• Avoid overfilling your tires. Use a quality air pressure gauge to be certain.
• Under and over inflated tires increase fuel consumption, so keep them properly inflated for your wallet and your safety!
3. Do you know where your spare tire is? Surprisingly, many Canadians do not! Know where it is and how to access it. Other important safety tips include:
• You may need to use a custom wrench to release it from its mounting. Each vehicle is different so be sure to find out what type you need and how to use it.
• Spare tires lose air over time, so ensure your spare is properly inflated before embarking on any road trip. The ideal pressure is also on the driver’s door jam.
4. Adopt your very own vehicle safety checklist: Quality time on the road means mastering your vehicle safety checklist. Here is what should be on yours:
• Do a circle check before every trip and look at the tires. Apply tips above if needed.
• Make sure your lights are working. Be sure to check your headlights and tail lights.
• Get a full service vehicle check-up once a season.
• Ensure you know where your spare tire is and know how to change the tire yourself.
5. Pack smart for your road trip: In your vehicle you should always have:
• Air pressure gauge
• Booster cables
• Gloves for changing tires
• Safety cones
• Portable air compressor
• Blankets
• Tire wrench

To kick-start your safe summer driving, we are offering a giveaway for the ultimate road safety kit for your car including:

• Foam and FLC Lined Gloves
• Tire Fix Heavy Duty Pressure Gauge
• Marker Cones, 12-in, 4-pk
• Rain-X Summer Washer Fluid
• Prestone Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant

Hit the road and be sure to tweet @HyundaiCanada and use the hashtag #HyundaiDriveSquad when sharing your summer safety tips!

Contest is open to Canadian residents only and will close on May 21, 2014. To enter, simply comment below and tell us about your favorite safety gear you carry with you in your car. You can also tweet using the above hashtag.