What should I check before a long car journey?

nidirect's routine maintenance list provides a useful baseline: tyre pressure and tread, engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, lights, windows, mirrors, wipers and washers.

Also consider the load you are carrying because tyre pressures and headlamp aim can change when the vehicle is heavily loaded.

Deal with warning lights or known defects before departure. A long trip magnifies small maintenance problems and can leave you stranded far from home.

For 'What should I check before a long car journey?', treat the issue as a current roadworthiness matter rather than something to leave until the next MOT. A valid MOT does not protect you if the vehicle develops a defect afterwards.

Check the current source for 'What should I check before a long car journey?' before acting if the relevant rule, policy, fee or eligibility has recently changed. Keep any official confirmation or reference number produced by the process because it can help resolve a later query. This note is specific to answer 477.