When you think of summer, do you think of fun in the sun and lazy days at the beach? If you want to ensure that your vehicle can carry you
reliably to all those fun summer time destinations, you may need to address a few maintenance issues.
Preparing your car for the summer isn’t expensive or complicated. These three tips will help you have worry-free summer adventures instead of frustrating roadside disasters.
1. Inspect Your Cooling System
An overheating engine can lead to a wide range of expensive and challenging repairs. The cooling system is your vehicle’s first line of defense against high temperatures. Key components in this system include the radiator, the water pump, and the thermostat, as well as the plumbing necessary to move coolant between these elements. While cooling system failures are never good news, they can be especially damaging in the summer when ambient temperatures are high.
What can you do? Start by addressing any leaks. If you’ve been losing a small amount of coolant over the winter, then there’s no time like the present to find the source and resolve the issue. You’ll also want to check your coolant and add more if necessary. Since you need to replace the anti freeze from time to time, a complete flush and refill may be worth considering if you haven’t done so recently.
Finally, make sure that your car’s belts are in good condition. In most vehicles, the engine drives the water pump via an accessory belt. If this belt is old or worn, then it can fail and leave you without circulating coolant. Drive belts can often last for up to 100,000 miles, but checking the condition of your accessory is cheap and easy insurance against failures.
2. Replace Aging Batteries
Although many people worry about whether their car will start on cold mornings, most damage occurs in the summer heat. If you find that your batteries fail more often in the winter, this is usually due to stress placed on the battery months earlier. It’s critical to keep track of your battery’s age since old batteries can be especially susceptible to heat damage.
If your battery is more than a few years old, you should consider a load test before the beginning of the summer. Many auto parts stores and service centers will perform this test for you for free. Testing your car’s charging system will help you to understand both the remaining life of your battery and any other potential issues, such as a faulty alternator.
If your battery’s voltage reads low, replacing it now might save you trouble in the future. A weak battery may still start your car (for now), but it can leave you stranded if it fails without warning. Even worse, a battery that doesn’t hold a charge in the cooler months will almost certainly not make it through another summer.
3. Check and Charge Your AC
Keeping your car reliable is crucial, but don’t ignore your own comfort! Your AC system shouldn’t lose refrigerant under normal conditions, but you should check the pressure levels every now and then just in case. Both high and low pressure can damage expensive components such as the compressor, so there’s more at stake than a little extra sweat.
If your system’s refrigerant level is too low, a trained technician can recharge it to an appropriate level. Since your AC shouldn’t lose refrigerant, this also means that the system may have a leak. Fixing this leak now can help you to avoid costly damage in the future in addition to keeping your car’s cabin cool.
Powers Transmissions can help you to maintain your vehicle through any season. If you’re ready to tackle a little pre-summer maintenance, then give us a call to schedule an appointment today.