With the temperatures rising to a scorching high every day and the heatwave knocking on our door already, one can only imagine how hard things are going to get in the months to come. And while we keep ourselves ready to beat the heat, our cars need a bit of love and attention too. This way, they won’t break down when needed and can spare you from having to get your car fixed in this heat. So, here are some things to keep in mind that will make sure your car is ready not only for the grocery run but also for a road trip if needed, and offers some respite from this heat.
– “Is the AC working?“
Just reading the sentence above would have triggered memories of you wondering whether the AC is even working in this heat or has it simply given up. If there are signs of your air conditioning system struggling with the heat already, you may want to visit a mechanic right away because it will definitely struggle a lot more in the months to come. Make sure testing it is the first thing you do and get it looked at by a professional if you have any doubts about its efficacy.
– “Well that air filter was dirty!”
Just like the AC at your home, your car’s AC too has an air filter. And just like the air filter of your home’s AC needs to be cleaned every now and then, so does the one in your car. Many a time, the car’s AC air filter is choked up with all the dirt that it has accumulated over the seasons in the past several months and this could be a reason why your perfectly healthy AC may not be working at its best. Remember, it is a lot cheaper to replace this air filter than it is to repair the AC.
– “All of us need fluids”
This is what your car would say and by all, it would mean the multiple things you need to make sure are topped off with correct fluids. The need for this comes as seasonal weather changes can sometimes mean that the fluids in your car could get thinner or even evaporate as the heatwave comes around. So make sure your transmission fluid, power steering fluid, coolant, and windshield wiper fluid are all topped off.
– “Matter of the heart”
The heart is perhaps one of the most important organs in our body and similarly, the heart of the car needs to be looked after too. And the heart in this case, of course, is the engine. As mentioned above, fluids are important and for the engine, you need to make sure the coolant is topped off as it is directly responsible for keeping your engine running cool. This is also a good time to make sure the entire engine cooling system is in a healthy condition. It consists of the coolant, thermostat, hoses, radiator, and water pump.
You can monitor the engine temperature from the temperature gauge in your instrument cluster. If your engine is heating up, make sure you DO NOT keep driving as that may cause significant damage to your engine. If it heats up, pull over, turn the car off and let the engine cool down. Call a mechanic right away and prevent engine damage and in turn, expensive repair bills.
– “Stop, STOP!”
You do not want to find yourself thinking this while driving your car. And to prevent such a situation, get your brakes checked. If your car makes squealing or growling sounds while braking or if your car pulls towards the side when braking in a straight line is a big red flag. If something like this is happening, make sure you get the brakes checked right away. The brakes generate a lot of heat while bringing the massive chunk of machinery that you are driving and with the extreme ambient temperatures in the summer, it is best to make sure they are in a condition to perform at their best no matter what.
This is also a good time to check your tyre pressure while you are at it. You are only as safe as the grip from your tyres and with the rising temperature, the air inside the tyre gets hot and expands. This can prove to be dangerous if your tyre pressure is not at the correct level as it may end up in a flat tyre or even a tyre blowout. Check your user manual to know what is the recommended air pressure and make sure all your tyres – including the spare tyre – have the correct tyre pressure.
So there you have it. There is a lot more which you can do like parking your car in the shade and replacing your wiper blades to ensure good visibility. But make sure your car is at least in a healthy state to tackle the heatwave and do it as soon as possible to ensure maximum safety.
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