Taking care of your car during the hot summer months is as important as caring for it during cold winters. These simple care tips will help keep your car’'s systems running smoothly throughout the summer months.
Coolant Levels
Check the coolant level frequently during intense heat to ensure that your car’'s engine is properly cooled. The right amount of coolant is critical to your car’'s operation. A drop in coolant level can cause overheating and severe engine damage. Keep the tank filled to the level marked on the tank. Only use the type of coolant recommended by your car’'s manufacturer. If you find that the coolant level is low while on a road trip, dilute the coolant 50-50 with water to prevent overheating.
System Fluids
Most people know the importance of maintaining coolant levels in the summer, but other fluids can also reduce the efficiency of many of your car’'s fluid systems, causing them to dry out faster or become degraded. Check the fluid levels in the oil pan, brakes, transmission, and windshield wiper tank. This action will help to keep you on the road and ready for any weather eventuality.
Air-Conditioning
Your car’'s air-conditioning system must work extra hard in mid-summer heat. Have your auto technician check the refrigerant level when summer temperatures arrive. Re-charge the system if necessary before embarking on long road trips.
Tyre Pressure
The heat also affects tyre pressure, so ensure that your tyres are inflated to the level recommended by that manufacturer of the vehicle. action will help to prevent overheating of the tyres and possible blowouts. Never over-inflate tyres. Also check for cracks and debris imbedded in the tyre that can cause problems on summer road trips.
Battery
Batteries can suffer even more from intense summer heat than they do from frigid temperatures in summer. Make sure your battery is clamped down securely. Vibration can cause poor battery performance. Remove built-up corrosion from battery terminals. Battery cables can degrade in hot weather, so check for cracks or wear in the rubber. If the battery is more than 3 years old, have it tested and replace if necessary to prevent breakdowns away from home.
Car Interior Parts
Sunlight and the hot summer temperatures can cause problems for engine fluids and degradable materials. Sunlight and hot temperatures can also threaten your car’'s interior. The interior of your vehicle can reach 160 degrees in summer in southern regions of the country. Sunlight can degrade vinyl seats and plastics on the dashboard, console, doors and other surfaces. Subsequent cooling by air-conditioning can cause a heat-cold cycle that takes a toll on interior parts, leading to peeling, cracking and breakage. Keep your car’'s interior cool when you are at work, shopping or enjoying summer events by putting up visors on the front and rear windshields. This action will not only keep the interior cooler for your comfort, it will keep your air-conditioning system from working so hard and will help to protect interior surfaces.
