5 Hot Weather Maintenance Tips for Your Vehicle

Hot weather during summer can do a number on your vehicle. If you ignore some issues, they could end up leaving you stranded in the heat. To protect your car and yourself against the hazards of summer, keep the following hot weather maintenance tips in mind.

1. Check the Battery

While many people know cold weather is hard on a battery, they don’t realize that hot weather is just as harsh. Too much heat can cause the fluid in the battery to evaporate. This can make the charging system malfunction and possibly even ruin the battery. That’s why it’s wise to have your battery tested to make sure it’s ready to handle summer conditions.

2. Help the Air Conditioning Run More Efficiently

To make sure your air conditioning can help keep you comfortable throughout the summer, consider having it serviced once a year. You can also use the proper settings to help it run better. If you’re in a humid area, select the “recirculate” setting. This keeps the high-moisture air outside and makes it easier for the system to keep the air that’s already inside the vehicle cool. If you’re in a dry climate with low humidity, select the “fresh air” setting, which brings in outside air and lets the system cool more efficiently.

3. Check the Tire Pressure

As the temperature outside rises and falls, the air inside your tires also fluctuates. This can lead to problems if your tires aren’t properly inflated. Overinflated tires can experience uneven wear that could result in a blowout. On the other hand, underinflated tires hurt your fuel economy and are more likely to fail. You should use a gauge to manually check your tire pressure once a month. Additionally, you’ll want to check the pressure either before you drive or at least three hours after you’ve driven.

4. Inspect All Fluid Levels

Most people know to watch the coolant levels since the system is working even harder to keep the engine from overheating during the hot summer. However, they might not realize that the scorching heat can create an added strain on all systems in the vehicle. Before the worst of the summer heat hits, take your vehicle to your dealership so a mechanic can check the oil, windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid, and transmission fluid and make sure they’re at the proper levels.

5. Protect the Interior

If you have to park your vehicle outside and you’re not able to find a shady spot, make sure you have a sun shade you can put in your windshield to protect the inside of your car from the sun’s rays. Not only can sun shades prevent the interior from fading, but they also keep the inside cooler. In fact, according to a study done by the Florida Energy Center, car shades can lower the interior temperature of a vehicle by 15 degrees.

This summer, make sure your vehicle is protected from everything the hot weather will throw at it by following these important maintenance and safety tips.