Even though many of us are driving less often these days, maintaining your car’s health in the summer is as important as ever. After all, the last thing you need is a breakdown when you finally get to take that road trip into the mountains after quarantining all these months. So what should you pay attention to this time of year? As your Denver auto body shop, here are a few things to consider.
Coolant
Coolant is important for your engine year-round, but obviously the necessity of ensuring the right coolant levels is more important in the summer. Because you’re dealing with hotter temperatures and instances where your car may have to be left out in the sun for long periods of time, your engine needs the assistance of well-maintained coolant levels to cool down properly and avoid overheating.
A/C Status
Just like your engine needs to be able to avoid overheating, so do you. Maintaining comfortable driving environments is important for your health as well as the health of your car. Make sure your air conditioning system is in proper working order and if it’s not, consider getting an appointment with your local repair shop as soon as possible.
Battery Health
Your car’s battery should always be in as good of condition as possible, but during the summer it’s especially important. Because summer heat can wreak havoc on battery conditions if your battery is already struggling, getting a “wellness check” done on your vehicle with your regular oil change during the summer is incredibly important. After all, your vehicle doesn’t do you a whole lot of good without a working battery.
Tire Inflation
Just like winter temperatures can cause problems with your tire’s air levels, the summer can, too. Not only are there often more sharp objects and debris on the roads during the summer that might cause a puncture in your tire, but the heat itself can cause your tires’ air levels to fluctuate. Driving on under-inflated tires in the summer is especially dangerous because it increases the likelihood of your tires overheating, and paired with the high temperatures, puts you at a much greater risk for a tire blowout. Keep in mind that tires usually lose about one pound of pressure over the course of a month from normal seepage, and aim to check on your tires’ air levels at least monthly.
All Fluids
Ensuring your coolant levels are appropriate in the summer is critical, but so is ensuring all fluid levels in your vehicle are topped off and ready to roll. Almost all the fluids present in your vehicle’s engine system serve as a minor coolant for your engine, so letting any one of these go too low could result in engine damage or overheating.
Keeping things cool (outside and in), and maintaining proper tire health are your two main needs for summer vehicle maintenance, but just as with all the other regular maintenance needs (filter replacement, oil change, etc), keeping an eye on the overall health of your vehicle and the systems that help it run smoothly is as important now as ever.
As always, if you are out and about and should have a need for auto body repair, please do give us a call or schedule your free estimate.
