As the summer road trip season approaches it is always a good idea to start making sure you are as safe as possible for your next adventure. Packing up your cargo properly can help avoid injuries if you are involved in an accident or need to stop quickly. While it is tempting to pack everything but the kitchen sink into your SUV or minivan, especially if you are traveling with kids, you should make sure that you still have enough room to see clearly out the back window.

When arranging your cargo, try to keep the heaviest items closest to…

We have all had those moments in life that were too extraordinary to be believed by those who weren't there to witness. With cameras becoming commonplace on smartphones we rarely find ourselves unable to capture those unbelievable moments, but while driving that isn't possible and can be very unsafe.

Many of us spend several hours a week out on the road, and chances are you have witnessed some pretty incredible things in that time. Whether it is a common fender bender or a meteor entering the atmosphere in a trail of flames and light, a dash cam will…

The cooling system inside your vehicle is made up of many parts that all play an important role in protecting the engine from overheating. These are some of those parts and how important a role they play in the cooling system.

The water pump has the job of moving the coolant back and forth from engine to radiator. A loose belt or leaking bearings could disrupt the system and cause the vehicle to overheat. The radiator fluids need to be flushed from time to time, so they are working optimally in the system. The radiator cap must be the right…

When your vehicle is properly aligned, you'll enjoy a smoother ride, better gas mileage and have your tires last longer. The qualified technicians at our Bruce Walters Kia service department in Pikeville, KY can provide thorough alignment inspection and service and urge you to notice the following signs that your vehicle may be out of alignment.

Uneven wear on your tires is a sure sign that your vehicle needs alignment service. If your wheels have become misaligned due to traveling over numerous bumps and potholes on the roadways in and around the local area...

If you break the information down to a series of abbreviations, it makes it much more palatable. It’s to your benefit to try and familiarize yourself with some of the fundamentals of your vehicle.

The segment might begin with a letter, such as “P,” which indicates it’s a passenger car. From there, you see a three-digit number, perhaps 225, that will tell you the tire’s width in millimeters. After the slash is a two-digit number that is the aspect ratio. Say it’s a 65, that just means that the tire’s height is 64% of its…

Differential systems are critical to a car's handling and traction. Their purpose is to take the torque and power generated by the motor and adjust it as needed to the different tires depending on which direction you are turning. In a standard front or rear wheel drive car the differential needs to only worry about two wheels, however, in a four-wheel drive vehicle, all wheels are receiving power. We are able to service your four-wheel drive differential system at Bruce Walters Kia in Pikeville, KY.

Your brakes need proper maintenance and service just like the other important parts of your car do. If your brakes aren't maintained properly, you may not be able to stop quickly when you need to the most. It's best to have your brakes checked at 12,000-mile intervals.

Letting your brake pads wear down can damage your rotors beyond repair. How low can you go? https://t.co/VATAIyiA1e pic.twitter.com/eRA7Fa1yit

— Cars.com (@carsdotcom) May 4, 2016

There are several signs to look for that might signal that your car's brakes need to be serviced…

A great way to avoid trouble in the cold winter months is to just keep the gas tank topped up with gas. You will avoid running out of gas, and you will also avoid a lot of other issues as well. It is important to limit the amount of air that gets into your gas tank and the more gas that you have, the less air you will have. Air is not necessarily the culprit, but air contains condensation and condensation has the potential to freeze in cold weather.

Keeping your gas tank full will be easier on your vehicle…

This winter there are a few things you can do to make your vehicles safer on the roadways not just for yourself as the driver but for other people on the road as well. One of those things is making sure that you are able to see through your windshield all winter long! The easiest way to ensure this is to make sure that you install winter wiper blades on your vehicle. These blades are much different than standard wiper blades and offer a plethora of benefits during the winter.

You are getting ready to head off on an adventure that you hope to remember for years. Make sure that you take the time that you need to and get ready for that trip before you head out from the local Pikeville area:

Use these travel safety tips to keep your holiday travels seamless: https://t.co/5qZkhGa2AJ pic.twitter.com/RpDvAnd4g2

— Cars.com (@carsdotcom) December 24, 2016