5 Camper Van Maintenance Tips Every Camper Should Know

If you are a motor vehicle owner, you know that buying the vehicle is the most straightforward part of the ownership; you make a budget, find available options, go to the store, and that’s it! The real headache starts when it comes to maintenance of your automobile. Things become even more complex when you have a camper van like Renault Master vans.

It’s not just a vehicle; it’s your home on wheels and everything you need to survive while you are on the move. It is therefore extremely important that you pay special attention to periodic and quality maintenance.

Maintaining your vehicle in top condition will not only enhance your next camping experience, but it will also keep the resale value high. In this article, we list you the five most important maintenance tips for your camper van.

IMAGE: PEXELS

1. Tire Maintenance

Tires are the only part of your van which comes in contact with the road. It is therefore required to pay special attention to the tires to ensure they are in the pristine condition. Before starting a trip, perform a visual inspection of all the tires. Make sure there are no cuts, bulges or a missing wheel nut.

Defective tires account for more than 40 percent of total accidents. Your camper van has a considerable weight and tires are under extra pressure. Apart from the visual inspection, ensure that the tires have enough pressure in it.

Check the tire pressures every fortnight to make sure that they have prescribed pressure according to wheelbase and load. An underinflated tire will decrease your van’s efficiency, whereas an overinflated tire is more prone to burst.

2. Engine Maintenance

It is not possible for everybody to have a working knowledge of engine and other mechanical components of a vehicle, and these things must be left for an experienced technician. However, you can perform some quick checks to know that everything under the bonnet is working fine.

For example, your van uses several fluids like coolant, oils, windscreen washer, etc. which must be filled to a certain level. You can open the bonnet and see if any leak or fluid is coming out. Similarly, you can check if the air filter is dirty or needs replacement by taking it out of the radiator.

3. Maintenance Of Lights & Brakes

You are most likely to take your van in the woods or off-roads for camping. This puts the extra onus to ensure that the lights and breaks are working perfectly. Before leaving your house, check if the light is working and make sure its field of view is not restricted by dirt.

You can simply replace the bulb which solves the problem in most of the cases and saves you a trip to the garage. Similarly, car brakes must be paid special attention and should be changed periodically for the safety of your loved ones.

4. Windscreen Maintenance

Once you have checked the windscreen washer fluid level, you should make sure that the wiper mechanism is working correctly. The wipers are rarely used in the summer, and blades get worn out. This might create a problem if weather conditions change in the middle of your trip. Cracks no matter how minute, can easily lead to a shattered windscreen with slightest of flying debris when you are driving.

5. Exterior & Interior

Your camper van will be subjected to all weather conditions; bright sunshine to heavy rain. Washing the exterior at least once every month will prevent rusting or any permanent stain. Similarly, keeping the inside of your vehicle tidy and free from odor and dust will give you a better driving experience.

Conclusion

Spending some extra money and effort on the maintenance might appear to be over the top but will definitely reduce the risk of a breakdown while increasing its resale value. Thanks for reading!

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IMAGE: PEXELS