Preparing your car for holiday travel

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - For millions heading out on the road Wednesday for the Thanksgiving holiday, it's a good time to remind drivers that you should inspect your car before leaving.

• First off, make sure your coolant levels are good and can withstand temperatures to 30 below zero.

It's not going to do you any good to see out of a dirty windshield, check those fluids as well. However, you want to make sure that the fluid is rated to withstand temperatures of 20 degrees below zero.

• Your car battery's terminals should be clean and the battery should be checked over as well.

"Make sure it's got plenty of acid in there, and check the date, make sure it's not too old of a battery," adds Russell Threadgill, mechanic at Morris & Comanche Auto Service in Northeast Albuquerque.

"Make sure there's no cracks, look on the backside for cracks on the frontside," says Threadgill. ''If you have more than 10 cracks per inch, that's when the belt needs to be replaced."

• You also want to make sure you have enough tread on your tires. If you can stick a penny in there and see most of President Lincoln's face, it may be time to get some new tires.

Another recommendation that mechanics have for tires is to make sure you have the proper air pressure in them per your owners manual. An underinflated tire can still overheat on a cold road and leave you with a blow out.

Since this is the winter weather season, it's also a good idea to take some extra blankets, snacks and water with you in the car in case you do become stranded.