As the weather starts to get warmer and the days get longer, you’re likely paying more attention to your car and its needs. Summer is the season of road trips and night drives; make sure that your vehicle is up for the increased activity!
In order to operate well under high temperatures, your car needs a little extra attention. High temperatures can stress your engine and cause breakdowns. But they don’t have to!
In this article, we’ll dive into the essential summer car care tips you need to know. A little bit of attention goes a long way when it comes to your car.
Keep reading to learn the essentials of summer car maintenance! Caring for your car in hot weather is easy as long as you follow the right steps. Even if you’re no auto aficionado, you can make sure your car is at its best.
Why Your Car Needs More Attention in the Summer
Increased driving and higher temperatures can wreak havoc on a car. Your car’s engine can overheat really quickly in the summer, which can cause breakdowns. It’s easy to keep up maintenance in the summers, but there are a few details you cannot overlook.
Summer is also hard on the roads, causing the asphalt to expand and crack. This can create new potholes, which are rough on your car’s suspension. You’re not imagining it: more potholes form as the weather warms up!
You’re also driving a lot more in the summer! Vacations and road trips take a toll on your tires, as well. Combined with the heat and rough roads, your car can break down fast!
Luckily, a few summer car maintenance tips can prevent most pothole-related damage
The Most Important Summer Car Care Tips
The good news is it’s not hard to form a summer maintenance routine. Some of the most important steps you can do long before the summer starts! The most important car care tip is prevention.
Many of these summer car care tips are for setting your car up for success after the winter. Cold temperatures stress your car just as much as warm ones do. Your car will need a little TLC before it’s ready to go to the beach!
Once you’re on the road and in the heat, you’ll thank yourself for taking preventative measures! Summertime maintenance isn’t difficult if you’ve prepared for it.
1. Check Your Coolant
Coolant is absolutely vital to summer car maintenance. Coolant keeps your engine, well, cool! Check your coolant levels regularly to keep up with the stuff.
Before summer begins in earnest, though, also check your coolant container. Give it a thorough look-over to see if the bottom has degraded or rusted in the winter. Wintry residue and chilly weather can degrade parts of your engine, and you want to make sure you aren’t leaking coolant all summer!
Keep a bottle of coolant and a gallon of water in your backseat for the summer. In case your engine starts to overheat, you can pull to the side and cool it off with these two.
2. Have Your Battery Tested
Whether you bought your car battery a year ago or three years ago, get it checked. Car battery failure has a way of sneaking up on you. Extreme temperatures will exacerbate existing issues.
Take your car to a professional and have them check the battery. They can recommend a replacement if needed, or let you know how worn the battery is. Get this done coming out of winter; snow and ice can degrade a car’s battery fast.
Car batteries can overheat easily and short, so make sure you’re working to keep the engine cool! The last thing you want is a dead car battery in the middle of your Great American Road Trip.
3. Be Vigilant About Tire Pressure
Changing and cycling temperatures can make the air in your tires expand and contract quickly. You may not notice how low your tire pressure is getting until it’s too late! Nothing’s worse than getting a flat in the middle of a big move.
Give your tires a good tune-up before summer begins in earnest. This will help stabilize the air pressure inside before the heat hits. It’s also a great chance to make sure the winter roads didn’t wear down your treads too much!
Make a habit of checking your tires every time you get in the car. This way, no issues will sneak past you! Those cool mornings and warm days aren’t great for tire pressure, but you can remedy that!
4. Do a Deep Clean
Sure, we all know about spring cleaning, but what about summer cleaning? The beginning of summer is a great time to devote a day to cleaning your car. Shake out your mats, vacuum the floor, finally throw away all those old Powerade bottles.
Also, take this time to inspect your engine for any rust or degradation. Winters and heavy spring rains take a toll on the engine, but a good summer cleanout will allow you to catch any before it wreaks havoc.
Finally, give your car a good wash. Your car performs at its best when it’s clean; set your vehicle up for success in the coming months! Washing away mud, rain spots, and other grime will have your car looking as good as new.
5. Fill Up at Sunrise or Sunset
This is not only a way to treat your car well, but a way to get more bang for your buck! In the summer, gas prices go up due to the increased amount of travel nationwide. But if you fill up in the middle of the day, you actually get a little less gasoline!
Gasoline expands in the heat and contracts in the cool weather. In order to take advantage of this in the summer, fill up your car early in the morning or later at night. This way, you’ll be getting gasoline that’s more compact.
Of course, this will save you a dollar or two at best. But it’s also better for your car because the gas tank will also expand and contract in the heat. Using gasoline at cooler times will prevent stress on your gas tank!
6. Get Your Oil Changed
Ideally, you’re changing your oil every 5,000 miles or so. If it’s been a while since your last oil change, though, go ahead and get that done before it warms up. The temperature change can affect your oil and oil filter, meaning your engine will have to work harder to function normally!
Check your oil at the beginning of summer with a dipstick. If it looks like the normal yellowish-brown hue and flows readily, you may be able to put the oil change off for another week or two. But if your oil is dark, sticky, or clumpy, go ahead and start the change (or call your favorite mechanic!).
When you get your oil changed, the oil filter will also be replaced. This is important to keep your car functioning in the summer; a clean filter means more debris and extraneous material will be picked up. This prevents your engine from getting dirty and possibly malfunctioning!
The last reason getting your oil changed is so important is that it acts as a coolant and lubricant on the engine. Oil levels that are out of balance can lead to your engine overheating! Staying on top of your motor oil is easy and always worth it.
7. Update Your Suspension
Remember those potholes we mentioned earlier? They’re demons on your car’s suspension. A bumpy spring and summer can lead to expensive suspension repairs at the beginning of fall.
Update your suspension at the beginning of summer to prevent a breakdown. You may not need a full replacement but confer with a mechanic or professional to make sure. The suspension is a delicate piece of machinery; treat it as such!
Even if you don’t think your suspension needs tuning up, get it checked out. It’s a part of your car that you don’t want failing on you at the last minute. The mechanism can be thrown off without you even noticing, so don’t hesitate to call a pro!
Keep it Cool With These Tips
We hope these summer car care tips help you as the temperatures rise. With some care and attention, your vehicle will run smoothly all season. You’ll drive into fall with confidence after following these summer car maintenance tips.
Whether you’re planning a cross-country road trip or are moving over the summer, make sure your car is up for the challenge. But don’t forget you can also get your vehicle shipped at a low cost!
If you’re looking for a car shipping service that puts you first, check us out at Nexus Auto Traders. We’ve simplified auto transport to a streamlined process that saves you time and money. Receive your free anonymous quote today!
