Summer Car Care Tips
Summer’s high temperatures can take a toll on everyone and everything, including your car. Sometimes the excessive heat can push your car past its limits, leading to some drivers finding themselves stranded on the roadside.
Follow our top tips and learn how you can take care of your car and beat the heat this summer:
Prepare your Battery
Did you summer heat can have a more negative impact on your battery more than it does in winter temperatures. Heat and vibrations are a battery’s worst enemy, leading internal breakdown and eventually failure. Although there isn’t much you can do to control the heat, you can make sure your battery is securely mounted to minimise vibration. Another potential problem is faster evaporation of battery fluid, which leads to corrosion on terminals and connections.
Keep Your Engine Cool
Cooling systems protect engines from overheating and should be flushed periodically, as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Make sure the coolant is filled to the correct level by checking the overflow reservoir.
Keep Your Tires Inflated
Driving on under-inflated tires can cause tires to overheat and increase the likelihood of a blowout, especially when road temperatures are extremely high. Check your car’s tire pressures (including the spare) at least once a month, because tires typically lose about one pound of pressure per month through normal seepage.
Fluids are at the Appropriate Level
Most engine fluids lubricate and serve as coolants by helping carry heat away from critical components. When fluid levels are low, the cooling effect is reduced, which increases the possibility of overheating, you should check the levels of:
- Motor Oil
- Transmission Fluid
- Power Steering Fluid
- Brake Fluid
Driving Environment
In the extreme summer heat, turning your air conditioning system on can be more than just a pleasant driving experience. Blasting you air conditioning throughout your car can severely reduce any fatigue – this plays an important part in driver alertness and vehicle safety. If you notice the air con in your car isn’t working as well as before your refrigerant level may be low, you should have you system checked by a certified technician. In addition to this if you car has a cabin filter this should be maintained, checked and replaced as and when needed this will then ensure maximum airflow during the summer months.
Be Prepared
Even with preventive maintenance, summer breakdowns can still occur, so AAA recommends drivers have a well-stocked emergency kit in their cars. The kit should include water, non-perishable food items, jumper cables, a flashlight with extra batteries, road flares or an emergency beacon, basic hand tools and a first aid kit.
Many maintenance tasks needed to prepare a car for extreme summer heat are relatively simple and can be performed by the average driver, but some are best left to a trained mechanical engineer. You can’t always guarantee that life will run smoothly, but you can do your best to make sure that your car does. Basic maintenance services, like oil changes, are the perfect place to start before summer.
