The Valley of the Sun is notorious for its hot weather. More than just uncomfortable, all this sunshine is hard on your car. If your vehicle spends the day parked in direct sunlight, please keep reading and learn how to protect your vehicle from the summer heat with this handy guide.
Check the Fluids
Pop-up the hood of your car before Arizona’s summer descends in full force and check your fluid levels. Refill your motor oil, as well as your transmission, power steering, and brake fluids as needed.
Don’t forget to check your coolant levels. Sizzling hot temperatures force your vehicle to work even harder, and coolant prevents it from overheating. If you haven’t had your cooling system inspected in over a year, consider taking your car in for a once-over.
Look at the Battery
The life of your car’s battery is rather short in the Phoenix area. Heat causes battery fluid to evaporate more quickly than designed. Add in the constant air-conditioning, charging your phones, and stop-and-go traffic, and you’ll be lucky if you get two or three years out of that battery. If oven-like temperatures have sapped your car’s battery, make sure to get a new one before you’re stuck on the I-17 during rush hour.
Monitor Your Tires
Heat increases the air pressure inside your tires. That’s why it is vital to monitor the pressure level to ensure your car doesn’t have a blowout on the freeway. Check your owner’s manual for your vehicle’s proper inflation level and check your tires once a month over the summer to ensure it’s within these guidelines — including your spare. Don’t forget to inspect the treads for cracks, bulges, and other signs of wear.
Maintain the Air Conditioning
Every Phoenix resident knows how hard it is to manage driving in the summer without the AC. The components that make up this essential system require regular service to keep running their best and coolest. Dirt and dust can cause the system to malfunction, and coolant leaks are a common occurrence in the desert.
Is your car’s air-conditioner taking too long to cool down the cabin? Get your AC unit checked by a qualified technician before the heat peaks.
Park in the Shade
If you park your car under direct sunlight during the day, its cabin will quickly exceed the outside temperature. Consider parking in the shade to protect your car’s finish and the interior components. Plastics in your dash and vinyl seats may crack and will wear faster under the constant pressure of summer weather. Open the windows about a half inch to let some heat escape.
Many grocery and large retail shops are installing covered parking for their customers in Phoenix. Take advantage of this shade structure and add a few years to your desert car’s lifespan.
Summer is upon us Phoenicians, and it will bring unrelenting heat with it. This exposure to extreme temperatures could damage your car. Use these handy tips to protect your vehicle from the summer weather.
Image via Flickr by Robert Couse-Baker. Used with permission via CC BY 2.0 / cropped from original
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