Preparing Your Grand Cherokee for a Summer Road Trip

So, you’re planning to put your Grand Cherokee on the open road in the coming weeks for a relaxing but exhilarating vacation. Nice. These Jeeps are meant for adventures with family or friends. However, as with any vehicle, there are steps you should take before heading out for sun and fun. Here’s what you should know about preparing your Grand Cherokee for a summer road trip.

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, all new for this model year, is the ideal vehicle for road trips. For one thing, you’ll have a comely and recognizable mode of transport. The GC’s exterior is sculpted, modern and handsome.

The Jeep’s newly designed interior is great too, loaded with all the niceties and creature comforts that make a road trip enjoyable, plus a refined fit and finish. And did we mention an available third-row seat that brings the maximum capacity to seven? With that comes multiple seating configurations to up your cargo space.

To mitigate the aches or pains that often go hand in hand with sitting for extended periods, driver and passenger seats offer 16-way adjustable seats with massage and memory.

Feature-wise, it’s fun to play around on road trips with the Grand Cherokee’s optional multicolor ambient LED lighting. It’s cool to be able to switch out colors to suit changing environments or moods. Also available is a new passenger screen, on which your co-pilot can receive navigation data, enjoy entertainment, and take charge of comfort controls.

With the Uconnect 5 and 10.1-inch touchscreen, you have smartphone connectivity at the ready. You can tailor your home screen to your liking while your passengers enjoy dual-phone connectivity. Then you have other technologically edgy features such as a wireless charging pad, digital rearview mirror, and head-up display.

Of course, you want to be safe on your trip, and the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is rife with more than 100 standard and optional safety and security features, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection, plus adaptive cruise control with stop and go, and active lane management.

Prepping Your Grand Cherokee for Summer Travel

Yes, your Grand Cherokee is a Jeep. Off the bat, this means that your ride is durable. The brand certainly holds its value. After all, owing to their unparalleled off-road capabilities, Jeeps were constructed to absorb beatings in the form of rough terrain and harsh weather conditions.

Having said that, there still are precautionary steps you must take to ensure a successful and safe trip. Those include:

• Checking your tires and tire pressure. Inspect all tires and your spare, keeping your eyes peeled for any slashes or sidewall budges. Check tire treads to make sure you don’t need new tires. When the tires are cool and the Jeep has been idle, check tire pressure. If need be, add air according to Jeep’s recommendations, which you can find in your owner’s manual.
• Test your battery. Get a service pro such as someone from AAA to determine if your battery’s capacity is up to snuff. You should also check cable connections for cleanliness and make sure the battery’s hold-down apparatus is secure.
• Test your brakes. If you apply the brakes and feel a vibration or hear a grinding sound, you need an inspection by a professional, who will check the drums, shoes, rotors, and pads, and look for fluid leaks.
• Check fluids. You want to be certain that your power steering, coolant, brake, and transmission fluids are on point, as specified in your owner’s manual. And that also goes for engine oil.
• Examine wiper blades. Those blades may need to be replaced if they streak or don’t completely clear your windshield. Also make sure you have sufficient windshield cleaner.
• Check belts and hoses. Look for any cracks or fraying, or hoses that are bulging, brittle, or excessively soft. Also see if there are leaks around hose clamps.
• Check the AC. Give your ride a test drive with the AC running. If you detect a drop in cooling capacity, take the SUV to the shop. You also want to make sure the cabin filter is inspected and replaced if necessary.
• Check your emergency supplies. You may already have a kit in your car, but make sure it’s replenished. Also add items you may not have thought of, such as duct tape, snacks for people and any pets, and a rain poncho.

As we say, your Grand Cherokee is all-around made for summer road trips, especially if you’re heading for trails. But as with any vehicle you plan to put on the road for days or weeks at a time, you must be smart about preparation. After all, a little forethought can go a long way toward ensuring a great excursion.