If you haven’t had your car serviced in a while, now is a good time to do it. The hot summer months can be a stressful time for your car and when you add some high-mileage road trips to the equation, your car is on anything but a summer vacation.
Below are five car services you should have done before your summer driving heats up.
Summer Car Service Checklist
1. Top off coolant and other fluids.
As summer heats up, so too will your car’s engine. If the coolant level in your radiator drops too low, you risk overheating the car and damaging the engine block or cylinder heads or blowing a gasket.
Make sure your radiator has plenty of coolant along with an adequate amount of freon in your air conditioner.
2. Check your tire pressure.
The hot summer temperature causes the air inside your tires to expand and your tire pressure to increase. When your tire pressure gets too high, traction decreases and the potential for a blowout goes up, which can lead to an accident.
Consult your owner’s manual or the sticker inside the driver’s door for your recommended tire pressure and adjust accordingly.
3. Test your battery.
Most people associate dead car batteries with cold wintertime temperatures. But heat is actually a bigger cause of a shortened battery life. And heat accelerates evaporation of fluid loss in the battery which can result in oxidation and poor connection.
Have your car battery tested at the beginning of summer or before embarking on a long road trip.
4. Have your brakes checked.
The friction created by braking produces heat, which can cause brake components to wear down. And the added heat from sizzling summer asphalt can worsen the damage even more. It’s a good idea to have your brakes checked twice a year: Before the icy road conditions of winter arrive and before the summer heats up.
5. Change your air filter.
Air filters can get pretty dirty throughout the winter and spring months with decomposing leaves, road salt and sludge and spring pollen. And because you’ll be running your air conditioner quite a bit in the summer, you’re going to want that air filter nice and clean to promote increased efficiency and air quality.
Next time you go for an oil change, have the technician check your filter and replace if needed.
Schedule Your Summer Service in Madison
The expert technicians at Zimbrick Auto in Madison, WI, can perform any of the above services and more to get your vehicle primed for summer. Check out our service specials and schedule your appointment today to help your car beat the heat this summer.
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