ServicePRO plus

Hints & Tips for Every Journey.

Whatever you drive - petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric - a few simple checks keep you safe and your vehicle reliable. Here's what to check before you set off, what to do if you break down, and how to look after your car all year round.

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General Hints & Tips & What to Check

A few minutes before you set off can save you hours at the roadside. These checks apply to every vehicle, whatever fuel it runs on.

You and your journey

  • Make sure you are well rested and are not under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • Plan your route before leaving, and identify opportunities for you to take a break if necessary, during your journey.
  • You can check the latest traffic conditions from Traffic England.

Tyre tread

  • The legal minimum tread depth for car tyres in the UK is 1.6mm. Driving without the legally required amount of tread can adversely affect your grip, braking distance and steering.
  • If you are stopped by the police and found with illegal tyres, you could receive a £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per tyre.

Tyre pressure

  • Driving with underinflated or overinflated tyres can adversely affect your braking distance, steering, fuel efficiency and the lifetime of your tyres.

Fuel level

  • In 2015, there were more than 7,000 breakdown incidents due to vehicles running out of fuel.
  • Always keep your tank at least one-quarter full to avoid running out on your journey.
  • You can be issued a Fixed Penalty Notice in some locations if your breakdown was foreseeable, such as running out of fuel.

Oil level

  • Maintaining the correct oil level is essential as the oil lubricates, cleans, cools and protects the moving parts of your engine, preventing your engine from seizing up and breaking down.

Water level

  • To ensure you have good visibility, always keep your screen wash topped up so you can clear any debris or dirt off your windscreen.

Lights

  • Your lights are not only essential for you, they are also essential for other drivers to understand how you are driving your vehicle and how you intend to manoeuvre.

Breakdowns & emergencies

If you break down

Knowing what to do in an emergency or a breakdown is the key to keeping yourself and others safe. If your vehicle appears to have problems or is damaged and you're on a motorway, always try to exit at a service station or the next junction. If that's not possible, you should follow these steps:

  1. 1Pull into an emergency area. These are regularly spaced along the motorway and are marked with blue signs featuring an orange SOS telephone symbol.
  2. 2If you can’t get to the SOS telephone in an emergency area but have a mobile phone with you, call National Highways on 0300 123 5000. Why not save this number in your phone, so it’s available when you need it.
  3. 3If you can’t get to the hard shoulder or an emergency area but your vehicle can be driven, move it as close as possible to the nearside (left hand) verge or other nearside boundary or slip road and put on your hazard lights.
  4. 4If you feel you can exit safely with any occupants, consider exiting your vehicle via the nearside (left hand) door and get away from the road. Keep clear of your vehicle and moving traffic at all times. For example, if your vehicle gets hit, you’re out of the way.
  5. 5Switch on your hazard warning lights and any other lights such as rear fog lights or side lights, to increase your visibility especially if it’s dark or foggy. Do not put out a warning triangle.
  6. 6Contact your breakdown recovery service. All motorists should be able to make their own recovery arrangements in the event of a breakdown. We advise you to carry details of your provider with you.
  7. 7If it’s not possible to exit your vehicle safely, there’s no safe place to wait, or you feel your life is in danger, put your hazard warning lights on and stay in your vehicle with your seat belt on. If you have a mobile phone dial 999 immediately.

Before you set off

Things to check on any journey

Glass and mirrors

Check that you can see clearly through the windscreen, side windows and rear windows and that they are not cracked, scratched or discoloured.

Mirrors should be inspected to make sure they are securely in place and not obscured, damaged or have any missing glass.

Windscreen wipers and washers

It is important to make sure that the windscreen wipers work as they should and that they are not damaged, worn or missing. Check that the windscreen washer is functioning correctly and that the fluid is topped up.

Instruments, gauges and warning lights

Ensure there are no warning lights and that the vehicle’s instruments and gauges are functioning correctly.

Steering and horn

Does the steering wheel move as it should? Check that there is no excessive play and that the power steering works properly. In addition, try the horn to make sure it functions correctly.

Brakes

Always check that the brakes operate properly and that the parking brake works. There should be no oil leaks.

Seatbelts

Do all the fitted seatbelts securely fasten? Check that they operate correctly and have no damage such as cuts or fraying. Seatbelts should stay securely plugged in, retract against you when in place and fully retract when released.

Lights and indicators

Turn on all lights and indicators to ensure they work correctly. Brake lights (stop lamps) should come on when you apply the brakes and go out when they are released. Check that all lights, lenses and markers are fitted, clean and in the right colour.

Oil, fluids and fuel

Make sure that oil and fluids are at the correct levels. Turn on the vehicle’s engine and check underneath to ensure there are no leaks. In addition, the fuel filler cap should be correctly fitted.

Battery

Check the battery, making sure it is in good condition, securely fitted and not leaking.

Tyres and wheels

Check tyres to make sure they are correctly inflated to the correct pressures, have no deep cuts in the sidewalls, and have no visible cord. Inspect each wheel to make sure it is securely fitted and that the wheel nuts are tight enough.

Stick to your manufacturer's service schedule - it's designed to keep your engine healthy and avoid premature wear. Leaving servicing too long is one of the quickest ways to turn a small maintenance job into a much bigger repair.

Looking after your Electric Vehicle

As electric vehicles continue to gain popularity, it is essential for owners to understand the unique maintenance requirements that come with what appears to be I highly complex piece of technology, there is a wrong perception that EV's look after themselves and not much can go wrong. Whilst EV's typically have fewer moving parts than traditional internal combustion engines (ICE) correct maintenance is very critical for ensuring longevity optimal performance and to maintain what can be very long warranties, in this helpful hints and tips section ServicePRO+ will help you explore some essential EV maintenance to help keep your electric vehicle in GREAT shape.

01 · BATTERY

Battery Health & Maintenance

The heart of the EV experience is the Battery (the new fuel for your journey) and its health directly impacts overall performance throughout your ownership and helps retain resale values too, so it's important you understand how to properly maintain and care for your EV's battery to maintain optimal battery health and more than likely save time and residual values.

Regular charging habits

Always follow the manufacturers recommendations for charging your vehicle as overcharging or undercharging can often have a negative effect on the overall battery health and more importantly how long it is going to last. Remember to charge your EV regularly. Most EV's come with sophisticated battery management systems but charging within the recommended range (often between 20% and 80%) can help prolong battery life so time spent keeping an eye on your min and max levels can make a huge difference.

Avoid extreme temperatures

BOTH very high & very low temperatures can effect your battery performance. To combat this park in shaded areas during hot weather and if you have a useable garage in the winter to park. Most EV's have battery preconditioning which warms or cools your car battery before driving, this is very useful as its not using current battery capacity whilst doing this if it's plugged into a charger, giving you better battery range. (always consult your owner's manual or manufacturers websites for more information) Or talk to your local ServicePRO+ garage for advice

Maintenance & firmware

It's important to keep your vehicles firmware up to date, manufacturers often release updates that improve battery management algorithms, which helps optimise performance and longevity. Stay informed and make sure to update your EV'S firmware regularly. If in doubt, please contact your nearest ServicePRO+ garage or manufacturer dealership for information and advice.

02 · BRAKES

Brake System Maintenance

EV'S often use regenerative braking systems that reduce the need for applying the brakes as frequently which can dramatically reduce the amount of wear on traditional braking components, however there is a negative impact where brakes could become sticky or corroded due to reduced use. It's critical that Brakes are checked thoroughly to assess functionality and where needed replaced or cleaned up.

Brake fluid flush

Brake Fluid should be flushed and replaced to the manufacturers recommended schedule. This will help reduce corrosion, maintain optimal brake function and maintain any manufactures warranties where applicable.

03 · TYRES

Tyre Maintenance

Tyre maintenance is crucial for both traditional and Electric vehicles. Generally EV's due to the additional weights wear tyres slightly more, with that in mind regularly check for the right inflation pressures, looking for uneven wear, and possible visible faults. Monitor tyre pressures regularly as underinflated tyres can reduce range and efficiency and overinflated tyres can lead to a harsher ride and uneven wear. The correct tyre pressure is usually on a silver plate inside the drivers or passenger's front door, if in doubt always consult the manufacturers handbook or speak to your local ServicePRO+garage. A great tip from established EV drivers is to regularly rotate your vehicle tyres to promote even wear and extend their lifespan, EV's give huge amounts of instant torque which puts tyres under a lot of pressure and could contribute to uneven tyre wear. Always consult your handbook or if in doubt call your local ServicePRO+ garage.

Choose high-quality tyres

The quality of the tyre not only effects safety but also range and efficiency so where possible replace with the same standard as originally fitted. "Tyres are about safety, stopping distance, range and ride quality" always remember this as a small saving on price may cost you in other ways. Speak to your ServicePRO+ garage for tyre price and information.

04 · SOFTWARE

Software Updates & Diagnostics

EV's come equipped with advance software systems that can be updated remotely. Regularly check for software updates and have diagnostics run by authorised and fully trained garages. Remote updates are usually notified to you via the central screen (just as on your mobile phone) just allow download and update. Remember correct maintenance is key to longevity so always schedule regular check ups with authorised and fully trained garages who can update your vehicle with the latest software and check for any vehicle recalls. Please contact your local ServicePRO+ for advice.

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