Prepare Car for Summer

By Dejan B.. Published on June 18, 2020

Warm summer days can be quite hard on your car. Your air conditioner is practically always on and the air in the tires expands because of the heat. In order to avoid problems with your car on the road, it is important to do regular check-ups. Here is a short list of tips for getting your car ready for the summer season.

Oil

Changing your oil is important, especially in summer time when the engines need to work harder. You should check the fill line which should always be golden brown. If the color for some reason is black, you need to change it as soon as possible. In case the levels of the oil are low, you will need to add some more oil before your next summer trip.

Change oil of your car in summer

Air Conditioning

Having enough Freon to keep your AC working at full capacity is a must during the summer season. Imagine if you are on the road in August and the air conditioning in your car is barely working although you set it on max. Go to an ASE certified technician before summer to have a look at it. Maybe your AC needs to be recharged or cleaned. You should also pay attention to the level of noise from the air conditioning at all times. There is maybe a leak somewhere, which means that the AC is not functioning properly.

AC working in a car

Brakes

Slow driving and winter cold are the main enemies of the brakes. Make sure to check your breaks and see if there is any damage before you hit the road this summer. In case you notice some weird noises coming from the brakes or there are pulsations, go see a mechanic to check the pads. If your low brake fluid is topped up, it usually means that the pads are worn. There is no need to worry since breaks are easily fixable by mechanics and you probably won’t have to spend too much time in the car shop.

brake repair is essential

Tires

It is recommended that tires need to be checked after every 5,000 miles. Make sure to check tire pressure once every 30 days while they are cold. Of course, it is important to check your spare tires and see if the jack is usable. Checking your vehicle for tread depth and cupping is also something you need to do before the summer comes since uneven tread can cause your car to pull to one side and this can be extremely dangerous. In a case of uneven wear, go to the mechanic to get the tires aligned.

Summer tires on a car

Battery

The thing about weak batteries is that they can only be detected with professional equipment. You could do a routine care and tighten connections, clean the off the corrosion with a baking soda, and clean all surfaces. In case the battery caps can be removed, make sure to check the fluid level every four weeks. You should avoid direct contact with battery acid and wear rubber gloves when trying to deal with the corrosion.

Check and keep cleaned batteries in your car

Cooling System

You probably know that overheating is the number one cause of car breakdowns in summer. To avoid being stuck next to the road in July because of overheating, make sure to refill and flush the cooling system every 2 years. When you flush the system, all the grease and rust go away. It is important to check all hoses, clamps and the radiator for leaking before going in a road this in summer. In case you detect a problem, wait for the engine to cool down before removing the radiator cap. I know that it sucks that you’ll have to wait a bit, but I think that you probably don’t want boiling coolant getting in contact with your hands or face. In case you need to check the condition of clamps, contact a mechanic.

Repair the cooling system every two years

Comments

Denise on 7/17/2020, said:

You don’t have to check car batteries and their water levels nowadays. They are sealed with the appropriate fluid level. I’d recommend updating that suggestion in your battery section.

Write your comment:

Illegal string.

More Articles & Road Trip Tips