School is out, the weather is hot, and we know you’re just itching to hop in your car for a trip to the nearest body of water. Whether you’re heading to the beach, lake, river or pool, you’ll want that vehicle in tip-top shape to avoid the summer breakdown blues.
Follow these tips to prevent a sweltering-hot highway breakdown on the way to your cool summer fun:
Get a Checkup. Find a trustworthy mechanic to inspect your vehicle early on in the summer. This should be done every year to prevent more costly and inconvenient breakdowns. For instance, hoses and belts can become loose, pumps can break, cooling fans take a turn for the worse, and radiators can literally rot away. These issues become even more serious in soaring summer temperatures. If you are motor-savvy and consider yourself a DIY’er, then check out CarTalk’s helpful Summer Driving Tips.
Check Your Battery. Hot summer temperatures wreak havoc on car batteries. Extreme temperatures eat away at the battery acid, which will eventually kill the battery altogether. To avoid getting stranded on the sizzling asphalt, you can have your battery checked at your next checkup or oil change. Or, you can purchase a voltmeter and check it yourself.
Watch Your Tire Pressure. Heat is a menace to tires as well. The high day temperatures and cooler nights cause tire pressure to fluctuate drastically. Uneven tire pressure can lead to lower gas mileage and more tire damage. Prevent tire damage, and the inevitable blowout, by checking your tire pressure regularly.
Change Your Oil. This time of year, your engine can use all the lubrication it can get. So be sure to stay on top of your oil change schedule. The standard recommendation is every 5,000 miles.
By paying special attention to your vehicle’s summertime needs, you’ll have a season of smooth-sailing. Have fun and drive safe!