Avoid Battery Problems.
While cold weather can cause problems for your vehicle’s
battery, hot weather can be equally as brutal. Battery fluid can evaporate
during high temperatures, leading to a malfunctioning charging system which can
destroy your battery. Before you head out on a long road trip, it’s not a bad
idea to have your battery inspected to avoid delays associated with the hassles
of dealing with a dead battery.
Get the Most of out of Your A/C.
If you have service performed on your A/C but it still
doesn’t seem cold enough, consider a couple things to get the most out of your
system. In a dry climate with low humidity, use the “fresh air” or “fan”
setting to allow your A/C system to cool most efficiently. Alternatively, if
you live in a climate where humidity is rampant, use your A/C’s “recirculate”
setting. This eliminates using the high-moisture outside air and makes it
easier for your system to cool the interior of your car down.
Keep an Eye on Those Coolant Levels.
When it’s extra warm out, your cooling system works overtime
to keep your engine from overheating. This requires a 50:50 mixture of coolant
and distilled water. Make sure to never open hot radiator cap as to avoid hot
pressurized coolant from spraying out. While this should typically be done once
a year, the owner’s manual for your car should provide you with the
recommendations of how often it should be done.
Avoid the Greenhouse Effect.
Parking in the sun can quickly make your car unbearably hot.
This can cause a burning hot steering wheel, a faded interior, and a lot of
misery and sweating. Using a sun shade in your windshield blocks direct rays
from invading your interior. After being parked in the sun, open your doors for
a couple minutes to let the heat out as the glass windows turn your car into a
mini greenhouse. Also, leave your windows cracked a tiny bit, or get your
windows tinted, to keep temperatures down in your car.
Keep up on Tyre Pressure
High temperatures cause more stress on your tyres. Underinflated tyres can fail because of more friction due to heat, while overinflated tyres can result in uneven tread wear since air expands with heat, possibly leading to a blowout. Read up on your tyre’s recommended pressure in your owner’s manual, and use a tyre gauge to stay on top of the proper pressure for your tyres.
While it may seem like a lot of little things to remember,
staying attentive to your car’s needs will save you time and money in the long
run. Paying attention to how your car feels, having it serviced regularly, and
keeping an eye on your dashboard gauges will alert you to any potential
problems that are lurking. A little mindfulness as well as regular visits to a
reputable and trustworthy auto repair shop will help keep you safely and
comfortably on the road this spring/summer.
Keep a BriteAngle in the Boot.
Even though it’s getting lighter for longer, visibility is
always an issue for motorists, especially when stopped on the roadside. The
BriteAngle is visible from 300 meters away day and night meaning the road users around you will be fully conscious
of your whereabouts well before any vehicle comes near yours. This piece of
mind knowing that you and the people you’re with are fully visible any time of
the day allows you to get on with what needs doing and get back on the road to
that holiday destination.