Top 10 Car Care Tips to Keep Your Vehicle Cool in Summer

Intense heat has a number of bad effects on your car such as overheating engines, battery drainage, change in tyre pressure and an overall degraded performance. To keep your car in a good healthy condition during these hot months, following a few simple and easy caring tips is a must. These tips will prevent breakdowns of your car, give a better safety and extend the overall life of your vehicle. Lets explore the simple and caring tips for your car to beat the summer heat!

Essential Maintenance & Safety Tips During Summer

From tyre pressure to coolant levels, a few simple checks can make a big difference in your car’s summer performance. These essential tips will help you stay safe, avoid costly repairs, and enjoy smooth, stress-free drives all season long. These tips include:

1. Monitor Coolant and Fluid Levels

We drink water to keep ourselves cool and hydrated during the summer. Just like that, a coolant keeps the car cool and running to beat the heat. In summers, the car works extra hard to keep itself cool, thus eating through the coolant and other fluid levels rapidly (just the way we get more thirsty during the hot months). It is necessary to keep these fluid levels in check so that sudden breakdowns and malfunctioning do not occur. These fluids include:

• Coolant: Regulates engine temperature and prevents overheating
• Engine oil: Lubricates moving parts to reduce friction and wear
• Transmission fluid: Ensures smooth gear shifts and prevents overheating
• Brake fluid: Transfers force to the brakes for safe and efficient stopping

2. Inspect Battery Health

High temperatures can overheat the battery, overcharging it. Also in summers battery fluids tend to evaporate at a faster rate. Usage of the air-conditioner also takes a toll on the battery. To avoid unexpected breakdowns, regularly check the battery terminals for corrosion, the rate of battery getting charged, and test the voltage it generates.

If your battery is 3 years or older, consider getting it inspected through a mechanic. Signs of a bad battery health include slow engine cranking, dimming of the headlights and a warning light on the dashboard. A good battery provides faster, reliable starts even in the blazing heat of summer!

3. Check and Maintain Tyres

Rising temperatures cause a fluctuation in the pressure of tyres. It can also lead to a blowout. This fluctuation of pressure causes the tyre to be overfloated or underfloated, creating fuel inefficiency. To avoid this mishap, regularly monitor tyre pressure levels and keep it maintained to the manufacturer’s recommended levels.

Inspect the tread depths to ensure proper traction especially on heated roads. Look out for cracks, wear and tear of the tyres and replace them if necessary in order to ensure a smooth ride during the summers.

4. Service the Air Conditioning System

A proper functioning A/C is a must to have especially during summers for a comfortable ride. An A/C requires regular maintenance just like the car. If you notice weak air flow or the A/C takes too much time to cool the cabin, probably the refrigerant levels must have dropped. Maintenance of the A/C includes levelling this refrigerant, checking of compressor and other components to ensure a cool ride during the summers.

5. Replace Cabin Air Filter and Windshield Wipers

The cabin air filter ensures a proper air flow inside the cabin. It filters out dust, pollen, and other pollutants. An unclean or clogged air filter will reduce the efficiency of A/C and reduce air quality inside the cabin. Cleaning out or even replacing this air filter will significantly increase the air quality inside the cabin, providing fresh and cool air during the summers.

Windshield wipers wear out during heat waves. It makes them less efficient and may even break. Inspect the wiper blades for cracks and replace them if necessary. Summers may have unexpected showers at times and having a proper wiper is necessary for clear visibility and safety while driving.

Interior and Exterior Protection

The interiors and exteriors of the car not only provide looks and aesthetics, but also have a vital role ensuring safe and comfortable driving experience. In order to protect them, these 5 easy steps can come in handy during the summers:

1. Shield Your Car from Sun Damage

Continuous exposure to sun may cause damage to the interior and the exterior of your car. It causes fading, cracking, and deterioration of the car. In order to protect your car from direct exposure of the sun:

• Use sunshades to block UV rays and keep the cabin cooler
• Park in shaded areas or garages whenever possible to reduce heat buildup
• Apply UV-protectant sprays on the dashboard and seats to prevent fading and cracking

2. Use Seat Covers and Interior Protectants

Did it ever happen to you when you were about to sit in a car and you just jolted? The burning heat of summer causes the seats to heat up, and even make it crack making it uncomfortable to sit on. Similarly, the dashboard can get faded due to heat and the windshield can be fogged up due to A/C.

In order to protect these interiors, you should use interior protectants like seat cover for leather seats, UV-protection Spray on dashboard, cover for steering wheels, and glass protectants to avoid glares.

3. Keep Windows Slightly Open

Temperatures in parked cars during summer rise significantly due to the blazing heat. It can make the car like an oven on 4 wheels. It is a good idea to very slightly open the windows in the car to create an air-circulation inside the car. This can help the car to cool off quickly and allows the trapped heat inside the car to escape. However, make sure the windows are only slightly open as it may get the attention of unwanted eyes.

4. Wash and Wax Your Car Regularly

Dust particles and unwanted pollutants can cause heat to be trapped inside the car. It also causes wear and tear of the exterior of the car, mainly the paint. The paint loses its shine and gets faded due to heat and pollutants. Washing the car regularly helps to remove these pollutants and also helps to keep the car cool.

Applying a good quality wax layer to your car creates a protective barrier against UV rays, heat and pollutants. It helps to maintain your car’s paint and finish. Adding a ceramic coating instead of wax is a more long-term solution to protect the car from the unbearable heat of summer.

5. Perform a Full Summer Check-up

It is a good idea to pre-check your car before going into the hot summer season. This routine maintenance will make sure your car is in top notch condition before entering the hot months. The maintenance checkup should focus on:

• Checking coolant and fluid levels
• Servicing your A/C
• Checking and levelling air pressure in tyres
• Adding Interior Protectants
• Clearing air filters
• Checking battery health
• Applying wax layers

Key Takeaways

Cars are required to be taken care of especially during the summer season. Just like we prepare ourselves for the heat, the car needs to be ready to be in its top condition before entering the scorching heat. These safety and caring tips are easy to do and also help to make sure you do not have a sudden breakdown of your car in the middle of nowhere.

Even if you do breakdown, having a road-side assistance coverage from your car insurance policy will make sure you do not end up being stranded. Car insurance also plays a vital role in order to protect you and your car from the heat. Having a comprehensive insurance policy will help cover some damages due to the weather, and also help you in the time of need.

However, not maintaining your car from time to time will result in having claim issues. Make sure you beat the heat this summer and enjoy the comfort of your car.

Frequently Asked Questions