Summer can be a demanding season for your car. It can be tougher than winter. We’re talking about more than making sure your aircon has been serviced. There are basic checks you should carry out that will help avoid an expensive breakdown, or worse.
Check Your Tyres
People tend to worry less about the condition of their tyres if they think the weather will be dry and warm. This can be a big mistake. Tyres are put under added strain by hot weather and baking road surfaces.
Check the condition and inflation of your tyres regularly. Heat increases tyre pressures. If they were a little over-inflated to start with they could easily become seriously over inflated. You’ll have less tyre surface in contact with the road and you might suffer a blowout.
The sidewalls of under-inflated tyres bulge outwards. In hot weather there’s a risk that this too could cause a blowout.
Inflating tyres to the correct pressure will also save you fuel. With fuel costs what they are, this becomes an important check. Most cars have a chart inside the fuel filler flap to tell you the correct tyre pressures depending on the vehicle loading.
Oil and Filter Check
If your car hasn’t been serviced for a while it will appreciate some new oil and a change of filter. This will help your engine run more efficiently and protect it from long-term damage. Always check your oil level before setting off on a long drive.
The same goes for your air filter. These clog up faster in hot, dusty conditions making your engine run less efficiently. Take a look. If the filter’s filthy, change it.
Hoses and Drive Belts
Quick visual inspection of hoses and drive belts in the engine compartment might spot the early signs of a problem. Anything that looks a bit weathered or frayed should be replaced.
Coolant
Modern cars tend not to lose much in the way of engine coolant. If you find you need to top yours up it’s possibly the sign of a leak somewhere. This won’t get any better. Find it and fix it - particularly if you’re planning a long drive.
Sitting in a traffic jam on a hot day will test your cooling system to the limit because there’s no air passing over the radiator and engine. An overheated engine can cause expensive permanent damage.
Windscreen Wipers
When the sun’s blazing away, windscreen wipers might be the last thing on your mind. But, with dusty conditions and a few insect splats, you’ll probably want to use the washers. Worn wiper blades will leave you with a smeared windscreen and struggling to see where you’re going.
Summer rain storms can be violent. You can find yourself in a situation where you need to shift a lot of water quickly to keep a clear view of the road ahead. This isn’t the time to discover that your wiper blades are on the way out. These storms are another reason to check that your tyres are in good nick and have plenty of tread.
No matter how careful you are, breakdowns can still happen - out of the blue even when the sky is blue.
So, maybe the most important check before you head out onto the busy summer roads is that you have reliable breakdown insurance from Trusted Bear.
To find out more about how Trusted Bear can support you on your journey, go to our Products page to find out more.