How to Keep Your Car Healthy in the Summer Heat

As a new summer rolls around and your thoughts turn to leisurely country drives and visits to the beach, you should first spare a thought for your vehicle and make sure your next car service is planned before you start your summer motoring holidays.

When you break out of the shackles of a cold winter, it is very tempting to jump into your car to enjoy a summer holiday. But it is a good idea to adopt a safety first approach and make sure your car is ready and properly prepared for the journey. That means taking a few moments to consider the best ways you can prepare your car for summer.

Here are a few tips to help you.

• Summers in Australia can be hot and tortuous and your engine needs to be prepared for it. You can do this by making sure you have the correct levels of coolant in your radiator and that your oil levels are up to the mark.
• At the start of the new season it’s a good opportunity to check all the fluids in your vehicle including transmission and brake fluids. This will ensure every part of your engine is well lubricated and protected against overheating. Low fluid levels and old fluids can easily contribute to engine damage. This is particularly important in those parts of the country where there are large temperature variations between summer and winter.
• Book your car in for a service and ask your mechanic to make sure all your hoses are in good operating order, free from cracks and obvious wear. They should also be tightened.
• Check your tyres for signs of wear and, if necessary, replace them. You can add life to your tyres by or always ensuring they are inflated to the recommended pressure levels indicated in your owner’s manual or inscribed on a plaque located in a prominent position in your vehicle.
• If you live in a snowy climate make sure the undercarriage of your vehicle is properly cleaned because salt, which may have been used to melt snow on the roads during winter, can quickly corrode the underside of your vehicle if it is not washed away.
• Air filters can easily become clogged during winter so it’s important to clean or replace them where necessary.
• Check your windscreen wipers and replace them if they show any undue signs of wear and tear. This is particularly necessary when you have been using your wipers for long periods of time during cold wet winters.
• One of the most important safety checks you can perform is your brake system. If your brakes feel mushy or soft, or the brake pedal rests too high or too low, you should visit your car mechanic as soon as possible and have your brakes serviced and the brake pads replaced.

You can never be too careful when it comes to maintaining your vehicle, and preparing your car for extended summer driving makes it even more imperative to do so. Having a car service is the easiest and most practical step you can take.