Adapting to Summer: 5 Car Preparation Tips
Summer is for cruising with the windows down, day trips to the beach, and family road trips. But is your car ready for the sweltering heat that the season brings? Adapt to summer with these five car preparation tips!
Give It a Spring Cleaning
Thoroughly cleaning your car inside and out is a good place to start when preparing for summer. Spring cleaning your car isn’t just about making it smell nice—it’s about removing dirt, dust, and grime build-up that can stain the interior and cause corrosion on the exterior.
We recommend handwashing and waxing the exterior and thoroughly vacuuming and washing the interior to get it as fresh and clean as possible for summer.
Inspect, Prepare, and Replace the Tires (If Needed)
The tires are a key consideration as the summer heat can be especially damaging to their structural integrity, especially if you’re a family that likes to take summer road trips. Inspect the tires for signs of damage or excessive tread wear.
It’s better to replace your car’s tires before the sweltering summer heat can cause blowouts and punctures if the tires look to be on their last strands.
Remember, one of the benefits of using summer tires in hot climates is that they’re much more capable and heat resistant than other tires. Ensure you inflate your tires to their recommended PSI range, rotate, and clean them.
Check and Refill Fluids
The summer’s intense heat can do a number on your car’s various fluids, so it’s wise to inspect them before the season arrives and refill them as needed. Coolant is especially critical as it prevents the engine from overheating, but other fluid drivers should thoroughly check before summer including:
- Motor oil
- Brake fluid
- Washer fluid
- Power steering fluid
Inspect and Replace the Engine’s Air Filter (If Needed)
Another key aspect of your car that deserves inspection is the engine air filter. This filter ensures that your engine receives clean air for combustion, but if it’s dirty and past its use, it’ll restrict airflow and harm the engine’s performance and fuel efficiency. Ensure your engine gets the clean airflow required with a new air filter.
Test the Air Conditioning
Testing the air conditioning is perhaps our most important car preparation tip for adapting to summer. Driving in the summer with a busted air conditioner can be extremely uncomfortable and exhausting, so it’s best to test it before you need it!
Don’t wait until the first heat wave to discover your car needs a new air conditioner.
We hope our tips help you prepare your family car for the summer! We’re sure your vehicle will be ready for the first heat wave and your first summer family road trip when you follow these tips!