Beat the heat and get your summer driving checklist ready before you hit the road for your vacation. You can take several simple precautions to keep your family safe and save money. Extreme heat and long drives can be tough on cars. Cracked hoses, leaky radiators, underinflated tires and dirty filters can significantly lower your fuel efficiency, or worse, lead to a total breakdown.
Prepare your car for the Summer:
Just like winter, Summer brings its problems for car owners.. That’s why taking the time to prepare your vehicle for summer driving is vital for any car owner. So when it comes to summer car maintenance and dealing with extreme temperatures, there are a few things you should check:
1. Air Conditioning check:
Checking your A/C is the first thing on the list especially if you haven’t used it in a while, and you don’t know if it’s broken or performing poorly. Diagnosing the unit is easy to do, but the system is complex.
The most common cause of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit is a low level of refrigerant. This could be caused by a leak somewhere in the system. Since modern air conditioning systems are complicated creatures, it's best to have a professional check out the problem.
2. Coolant and Radiator check:
Engine overheating is the number-one cause of breakdowns during the summer months. if an engine gets too hot, the moving metal parts can actually start to melt and fuse together, causing a variety of internal problems for your engine. Internal problems such as low coolant levels, cracked hoses, loose or broken belts, a leak in the radiator or even a loose or missing radiator cap can cause your car to overheat and break down. You can check under the hood and make sure that your coolant levels are fine. If you are checking the coolant yourself, do not remove the radiator cap until the engine has completely cooled! Other routine checkups (belts, clamps, hoses) should be checked by a technician.
3. Tires check:
Tire pressure changes with the rising temperatures. Check the pressure on all tires every month. Examine the tires closely for tread wear. Look for worn spots, bald patches, radials poking through. Also check the sidewalls for nicks, cuts, or cupping. Be sure to also inspect your spare tire and your jack.
4. Battery check:
Hot weather can be tough on your battery. Summer heat can speed up the chemical reaction inside a battery, causing the battery to be overcharged. You may also notice corrosion starting to occur, resulting in your battery not being able to sustain a charge. So, If you suspect that your battery is being overcharged or isn't holding a charge well, take it to a service shop where they can run a quick battery inspection. And if you need to replace the battery, make sure that it's the right battery type for the model of your car.
5. Brakes check:
Brakes are the most important safety feature on your car. You should know that brakes need to be replaced when the lining on your brake pad or brake shoe is worn down past the minimum thickness specified by the car manufacturer. Also If you feel any sort of softness or pulsing when you apply pressure to your brakes, get them checked out immediately.
6. Engine Oil check:
If you haven’t changed your engine oil for a bit, now would be a great time. Most of us do a lot of heavy driving during the summer so the engine is more likely to overheat. That’s why owner's manuals suggest that you change your oil and oil filter every 7,500 miles (12,070 kilometers). Oil change specialists suggest every 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers) or three months. This is a very important part of your car maintenance.
7. Windshield Wipers check:
The hot air can dry and crack your windshield wipers, making them ineffective. If your wipers are leaving visible streaks or take several passes to clear away light rain that may occur in Summer, they need to be replaced. When replacing a wiper blade, it's better to replace the whole blade, not just the rubber part. Check them out monthly to prevent performance issues. You don’t want to find out they aren’t working while you’re driving. So get your car maintenance done perfectly by changing your wipers
Why is car repair vital before Summer?
It is important to take care of certain summer car maintenance. This is especially important if you're planning any road trips in the near future. Summer car maintenance will ensure that your vehicle not only avoids major issues throughout the summer, but also keeps you and your family safe on the road wherever you decide to travel to. Performing some routine car maintenance will keep your summer adventures on a roll this year. Get started now so you can make the most out of the season.