• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • ALL ABOUT BAJA
  • BLOG
  • FAQ
  • CONTACT
  • USEFUL BAJA LINKS

AllAboutBaja.com

Travel Guide to the Baja California Peninsula

img
  • See & Do
    • Attractions
      • Cave Paintings
        • Cave Paintings and Rock Art Near Mulege
      • Pacific Side of Baja
      • Sea of Cortez Mexico
      • Whale Watching in Baja
    • Recreation
      • Fishing
      • Golf
      • Kayaking
      • Kiteboarding
      • Off Road in Baja
    • Eat & Drink
      • Restaurants in Baja
  • Places to Stay
    • Lodging
      • Baja Hotels & Resorts
      • Timeshares in Baja
    • RV Parks & Campgrounds
  • Getting Around Baja
    • Weather in Baja
    • 8 Useful Maps of Baja California
    • Spanish Guide
    • Travel Tips for Baja
      • Baja Safety
      • Driving to Baja
      • Driving in Baja
  • Living in Baja
    • Baja Medical
      • Hospitals
      • Medical Tourism
    • Real Estate
  • Baja Gallery
  • Questions & Answers

Driving to Baja

Driving to Baja – Preparing for the Trip

Many miles of good road can be offset greatly by just a few miles of bad road! (It WILL happen).
Many Baja visitors will want to venture off of the main roads…this is where you must really be prepared.

We have prepared a list of suggested vehicle maintenance and precautions to take when preparing to drive into Baja. Most are just common sense, but it is easy to overlook or forget small things that can make a big difference in how easy your trip will be. A small bit of preparedness can save hours, or even days of waiting to have a breakdown repaired, which is never nice during a vacation. These suggestions come from years of experience, and advice from others who know much more than we do about preparing a vehicle for a long journey. The list of items is not that difficult to achieve and can end up saving you a lot of headaches.

Our list is pretty general, but it applies to most vehicles. If you are not planning to leave the main highways, you can probably get by with a thorough routine service (read the list anyway). If you are planning to leave the highway, and enjoy some of the more remote regions – follow our suggestions! There are probably some items you may want to add to the list…a second spare tire and a high lift jack, for example.

We also have created the list in a PDF file that you can easily print. Print the list and use it as a checklist. Click Here for the PDF version, the file will open in a new window. You may have to allow pop-ups in your browser.

Our list is for reference only, there will likely be other items that you will need, or want to take with you, depending on your particular situation and the type of vehicle that you will be driving. This list you see below is only a portion of the list we prepared for printing.

Frequent Baja Vehicle Failures Include:

Roof Rack Mounts – Off-Road Lighting/Mounts – Battery Tray/Hold-Down – Shock Absorbers – Radiator/Hoses – Exhaust System – Tires – Jack – Spare Tire Carrier – Fuel Tank – Aftermarket Accessories

Have your vehicle serviced and inspected, even if it is not the time for a scheduled service. This service should include the inspection or replacement of the following items:

Engine Oil & Filter – Fuel Filters (some vehicles have more than one) – Air Filter – Spark Plugs (& points, if applicable) – Gear Box, Transfer Case & Differential Oils – Drive Shafts – Wheel Bearings & Hubs – Brakes (Hand-Brake also) – Belts (Fan Belts, A/C Belt, etc.) – Air Conditioner – Hoses & Coolant – Lights & Battery – Tires (they should have at least 50% tread left) – Carefully Check the Installation of any Aftermarket Accessories

Spare Parts List:

(Many items can be bought locally, but that doesn’t mean a thing if you are stuck in the middle of the desert.)
Fuel Filters – Belts – Fuses – Oil – Transmission Fluid – Keys – Coolant

Other Items To Take:

Duct Tape – Wire – Bungee Cords – Rope – HD Cord – Tow Rope/Cable – Tire Repair Kit (for tubeless tires, or a spare tube) – Slime – Good 12-volt Compressor – Good Jack (and something to stabilize it in soft sand) – Miscellaneous Tools – Drinking Water – First Aid Kit – Good Baja Map – Portable GPS Unit (optional)

Need tips on maintaining your RV? Read more at this article.

Click Here for the PDF version, the file will open in a new window. You may have to allow pop-ups in your browser.

Decadent Outdoors

Primary Sidebar

Baja Vehicle Insurance

img

POPULAR CITIES IN BAJA

Popular Cities in Baja
    Bahia Concepcion | Bahia de Los Angeles
    Bahia San Luis Gonzaga | Cabo Pulmo
    Cabo San Lucas | Catavina
    Ciudad Constitucion | East Cape
    El Rosario | Ensenada
    Guerrero Negro | La Paz
    Loreto | Mexicali
    Mulege | Pescadero & Playa Cerritos
    Puerto Escondido | Punta Baja
    Rosarito Beach | San Felipe
    San Ignacio | San Javier
    San Jose del Cabo | San Juanico - Scorpion Bay
    San Quintin | Santa Rosalia
    Santa Rosalillita | Tecate
    Tijuana | Todos Santos

ADS

BAJA FISHING

AllAboutBaja.com Yak Fishing in Baja

Yak Fishing in Baja

ADS

iVisa.com

BAJA OFF ROAD

AllAboutBaja.com Off-Roading in Baja Mexico

Baja Off-Roading

ADS

Rent Your RV Now!

BAJA ATTRACTIONS

Gray Whale in Baja

Interaction with Gray Whale in Baja

ADS

Mexican Car Insurance

BAJA RESORTS

AllAboutBaja.com East Cape Resort

East Cape Resort

BAJA GOLF

AllAboutBaja.com Baja Golfing

Baja Golfing & Golf Courses

BAJA RESTAURANTS

AllAboutBaja.com Baja Dining at Molly's Restaurant with The View

Baja Dining

BAJA LIVING

AllAboutBaja.com Baja Living

Baja Living

Footer

ALL ABOUT BAJA

  • About this Site
  • Advertise with Us
  • Link to Us
  • Legal
  • Privacy Policy & TOS

LATEST QUESTIONS ASKED

  • Busiest dates? asked by Jan Christiaan Ariza
  • Car hire in Baja asked by Rob
  • Crossing the border asked by Pat
  • Employee Social Security? asked by mary
  • Rent a House in Ensenada asked by Brenda L Spires
  • RV Rental asked by Jerry Sloan

Baja Car Insurance

img

©2010-2023 | AllAboutBaja.com - Travel Guide to the Baja California Peninsula | No part of this website may be reproduced without our written consent.


***When readers buy products and services advertised on our site, we often earn affiliate commissions that support this website.