How to Avoid Car Problems Due to High Temperatures. The gorgeous, sunny summer days of Southern California are well-known around the world. Our pleasant weather allows us to relax in the sun, go to the beach, or walk to mountain peaks. You’ll also need reliable transportation to partake in most of the area’s activities.
However, on exceptionally hot days, your car may have performance troubles due to the heat. These issues may prohibit you from reaching your target location, particularly if your vehicle is not in good working order. Review our list of heat-related automotive concerns below to ensure that hot weather doesn’t ruin your summer fun. You’ll learn which faults may harm your vehicle and how to avoid them entirely.
Helpful Tips for Your Vehicle to Beat the Heat
1. Take Care of Your Battery
In hot weather, your battery fluid may evaporate more quickly than usual. Internal components are more likely to corrode when this happens. Furthermore, the combination of summer heat and regular vibrations induced by driving will quickly deplete your battery.
You may lessen your chances of battery issues in the heat by doing a few simple things:
- To avoid vibration-induced damage, make sure your battery is firmly attached.
- Remove any rust from the battery, especially around the terminals.
- Request that a mechanic tests your battery to see how much life it still has.
Also, keep jumper cables in your vehicle at all times so you can jumpstart your car in an emergency.
2. Keep your gas tank safe.
Gas costs aren’t cheap, and drivers in Southern California pay more per gallon than most other motorists in the country. You may not appreciate finding that hot temps can cause some gas in your tank to evaporate if your pocketbook hurts every time you pump petrol.
While you can’t completely avoid this from happening, there are a few things you can do to make it less likely. Consider the following:
- To keep your automobile cool, park it in the shade.
- After each fill, tighten the cap as much as possible.
- When the weather is colder, buy gas early in the morning or late at night.
Additionally, keep a watch out for gas leaks in your driveway or regular parking space. If you see any drips, have a mechanic examine your fuel line.
3. Get Your Engine a Checkup
Your car’s engine heats up whenever you turn the key and start the ignition, regardless of the weather. When that heat collides with the hot air outside, your engine’s cooling system must work overtime to maintain your engine in a safe operating temperature range.
Engine coolant, like any other car fluid, needs to be topped up from time to time. A full engine cleanse is also advised every five years or 50,000 miles for many cars (whichever occurs first). A mechanic will replace all of the coolants in your automobile and clear out any muck that has accumulated in the engine during an engine flush. Check with your mechanic to see if a flush is possible for your vehicle.
4. Don’t Get Smothered by the Heat
Car troubles are inconvenient at any time, but they’re more aggravating when you’re trapped on a hot day. Use the recommendations above to lessen your chances of having a car problem caused by heat. As part of such efforts, remember to bring your automobile to Discount Tire and Service Centers for routine maintenance.
5. For More Than Comfort, Rely on A/C
In Southern California, a functioning car air conditioner appears to be a need rather than a luxury. However, if your car’s air conditioner fails frequently, you may try to live with it. This is not a good idea. You and your passengers will be more comfortable when your car blows cool air despite the scorching weather. You may also stay awake and safe while driving by avoiding fatigue.
Furthermore, air conditioning troubles may be linked to other vehicle problems, such as a low refrigerant level. To improve the performance of the temperature control system, you may need to replace the air filter. If your air conditioner isn’t working, have a mechanic look at it and make a repair recommendation.
