In just a few short weeks, the temperatures will start to rise, and before we know it, summer will be in full swing. With summer comes excessive heat where it’s almost a gauntlet getting from your vehicle to the safe recesses of air-conditioned locations. While the summer months are filled with regular life activities, such as going to work or the store, they also offer opportunities for leisurely cruises and longer expeditions for vacation and road trips.
With this in mind, it’s best to make sure your car, truck, or SUV is ready for the hot weather with some basic summer car care. Let’s take a look at this essential summer maintenance tips checklist.
Why Summer Car Maintenance is Important
Neglecting to complete summer car care can leave your vehicle in bad shape, leading to expensive repairs that could have easily been avoided. Temperatures can get pretty high in Arlington, Euless, Fort Worth, and Texas as a whole, which can put some serious wear and tear on your vehicle. Some common occurrences during the summer months include:
- Overheating engines
- Leaks
- Tire problems
- Battery issues
To avoid needing to have your car taken into a local service center, let’s look at what you can do to protect your vehicle.
Summer Car Care Basics
Check Your Cooling System
Obviously, the worst time for your air conditioning system to fail is when you need it the most. With average summer temperatures in the mid-90s and sometimes hitting over 100, air conditioning is an absolute must when you get in your car. Car interior temps can reach over 130 degrees when they’ve been sitting in the heat, so ensuring you can cool things off is vital.
- Inspect your radiator to make sure there aren’t any leaks (which lead to cracks and major issues).
- Heat can dry out parts under the hood, so make sure hoses and belts are in good condition.
- Ensure your water pump doesn’t have any leaks.
- Maintain proper coolant levels and look for any possible leaks.
Check Your Fluids
Engines are already under plenty of stress just operating at a baseline. Heat exacerbates those issues, and not maintaining your engine can quickly lead to it overheating and causing big problems. Stick to your regularly scheduled oil change cadence so your engine is properly lubricated to mitigate friction (which causes excess heat). Keep an eye on power steering and brake fluids as well while you’re there.
Check Your Tires
As temperatures creep up into the 80s and especially 90s, the heat causes the air in your tires to expand. Improper tire pressure can lead to blowouts which can be incredibly dangerous — more so at high speeds when traveling on Texas highways. Not only that, the heat, in general, puts extra wear on your tires. Check your treads to make sure they’re at the proper height for safe driving. Follow your owner’s manual for the recommended tire maintenance.
Check Your Battery
Corrosion can set in across your car during the summer, but you’ll most likely find the battery as the main victim. Corrosion limits the battery’s lifespan, leading to times when your car won’t run optimally (affecting your air conditioning system) or preventing your car from turning on at all, leaving you stranded in the heat. To avoid battery replacement later, make sure it’s clean now.
Simple Summer Car Care Tips
While these may seem a bit obvious, it’s always good to have reminders so you can protect your vehicle when the weather starts to be described as, “scorching.”
- Make sure your windshield wipers are in good condition and working order. Thunderstorms are no joke in the Fort Worth area, and poor wiper blades reduce visibility and can lead to collisions and accidents.
- Replace your filters. The heat and winds can kick up more dust and debris than usual, and if your cabin air filter is already on its last leg, the air quality in your vehicle can suffer which can lead to some health issues.
- Park in a covered structure or the shade at a minimum. Direct summer sunlight isn’t good for your vehicle, period. It can also heat the interior of your car to blistering temps, meaning you’ll need to have it running for longer to cool it off with air conditioning, burning fuel and putting more wear on parts.
Get Summer Ready at Our Arlington Toyota Service Center
Bring your car, truck, or SUV to our Arlington Toyota Service Center, located at 1661 Wet N Wild Way, Arlington, TX 76011, for summer car service to prepare for the hotter months just around the corner. We have rotating service specials to help you save more when maintaining your vehicle, so be sure to keep an eye out for new deals.
Contact us, call us at 682-238-1699, or schedule service online to pick the time that works for you.
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