6 Tips To Prep Your Car For Summer

Summertime calls for a well-deserved vacation. After all, there’s nothing better than spending all those sunny days having fun on a trip or traveling someplace else to cool down. But car owners might be more conscious once warm months start coming in. With summer road trips, all they entail is more mileage. 

Although that’s typically not an issue, extreme temperatures will put any vehicle through the wringer. And the peak of summer has always been brutal on the car and its owner alike. Granted, installing a window tint is an excellent choice for residences and vehicles. However, you’ll need more than that to prepare your vehicle for the coming heatwave.

Here are ways to ensure your car can withstand summer:

1. Pay Attention To Your Tires

Scorching hot roads damage tires on a whole other level. After all, the entire car’s balance counts on the tires’ quality. Without any balance, that long road trip could be derailed since poor-quality tires will wear out faster, especially when they’re up against sweltering concrete.

For car owners living in areas with all four seasons throughout the year, use rtires that are appropriate for the weather. Otherwise, using winter tires on your car during the summer will easily wear them out. Meanwhile, summer tires don’t have the right grip for traveling across frozen surfaces. 

Aside from the kind of tires used, determine if they’re still in any condition to handle extreme heat. One way to do that is to see if their tread is still thick enough by inserting a quarter into the grooves. If you see a third of the quarter peeking out, it’s time to replace your tires. 

On top of that, ensure that they’re inflated appropriately. After all, extreme heat can cause tire pressure to fluctuate and result in tire blow-out (for over-inflated tires) or wear (for under-inflated tires). Keep your tires’ pound per square inch (PSI) within what’s recommended. Otherwise, they might wear out unevenly in the long run.  

2. Cover Up 

Naturally, the best way to keep your car in excellent condition during the summer is to keep it out of prolonged sunlight. After all, receiving too much direct heat can easily impact the car’s quality internally and externally. Fortunately, all sorts of covers are available for both sides.

Covering the car’s outer body is crucial since it’s directly connected to what will happen inside. The rest of the vehicle will be impacted if you fail to cover the outer body. Applying car wraps is an excellent choice compared to plain car paint since they can withstand abrasion aside from extreme heat. You can also use a car coat to double your coverage.

Inside the car, ensure that no sunlight passes through the windows using windshield sun protectors. Since most car seats consist of leather, avoid letting them crack from the heat by installing seat covers that can keep them cool as you drive. Regularly coat them in conditioners to prevent them from suffering due to extreme temperatures.

3. Check Under The Hood

As important as the outer components are, hidden beneath the car hood is what runs the vehicle. In essence, the engine is the car’s ‘brain’ whereas the battery is its ‘heart.’ Both parts are so valuable that only using one can’t guarantee the car will perform as it should.

Considering it’s the ‘brain’ of the vehicle, the engine consists of all sorts of components to ensure the drive runs smoothly, especially during the summer. Aside from the heatwave, dust often picks up the most during this time of year, clogging up air filters and disrupting the airflow. Hence, checking the filters before summer hits is the right move.

Meanwhile, car batteries typically don’t require much maintenance. However, if you see signs of corrosion on its terminals lately, clean it with a toothbrush and some baking soda. There might be a serious problem when it comes back after checking it a few weeks later. 

4. Inspect Fluids

The car can’t run smoothly without its fluids. And considering how much heat summer entails, it’s up to you to check on them diligently. Change out your motor oil or top it off regularly to ensure the engine runs smoothly without straining itself. The same goes for the brake fluid, windshield washer fluid, and other fluids needed. However, coolant often collects sludge or particles over time, which calls for the system to be flushed.

5. Run The AC System

Your car’s not the only one suffering during summer. After all, you’re not immune to the heat, so your air conditioning (AC) unit runs overtime to keep you comfortable the entire trip. Pay close attention when running your AC system. Because of how often it’s being used, all kinds of problems might crop up when you hear noises or unusual odors coming from it. Have it inspected by a mechanic to ensure it stays in good condition at the most critical time. 

6. Wash Regularly

Like people, there’s no better way to cool off than a refreshing shower—or in this case, a trip to the car wash. Aside from clearing up any debris build-up, washing the car regularly helps retain its exterior. To dampen the damaging effects of receiving too much sunlight, coat the exterior with quality wax. 

Takeaway

All kinds of fun wait for everyone under the sun. The perfect way to spend long summer days is to go on a trip somewhere refreshing. However, this might be challenging for car owners to accomplish. As fun as summer is, extreme heat and prolonged sunlight exposure only spell disaster for their vehicles. Fortunately, there are countless ways to prepare them, as mentioned in this article.