Summer car care tips

Summers are here and the scorching sun just doesn’t affect us human beings, it also affects our beloved machines making it pivotal to ensure we take good care of them. Many of use resort to using our cars during summer for transportation and since we land up spending a sufficient amount of time in them, it is imperative we keep them in the upmost running condition. Here are a few tips that should help you and your car make the best of the summers.

You hate a tan? Your car hates losing its sheen too!

Who loves a tan? Well at least a vast majority of us Indians don’t. Same is the case with our machines as well. Expanding urban territories and concretes jungles don’t leave us much space to park our machines, which means quite often we land up parking them in the open/ in the sun, the result being fading of colour and loss of sheen. Yes, leaving your vehicle parked in the open sun for long hours can cause the colour to fade, so it’s best to try and park your car in the shade as much as possible. Since our summers stretch for a good four months, giving your car a bi-monthly polishing and rubbing treatment will also work wonders for the overall looks of your car.

We highly recommend you indulge in the one-off polishing day rendezvousing with your car, it will not only help you bond with your car but will also motivate you to keep your baby nice and shiny.

Check the tyre pressure

We’ve all learnt in school during physics class that heat makes air expand. The same principle applies to your car tyres as well. Due to the heat the air inside the tyres expands – one to two psi for every ten degree rise in temperature. An under inflated tyre bulges outwards putting undue pressure on the sidewalls of the tyre; this combined with pressure and heat can cause the tyre to burst.

An over inflated tyre can inflate furthermore also resulting in bursting or aquaplaning in wet conditions, so make sure when you fill in air during the summers you maintain the right psi.

Check oil and air filter

The engine oil is the life line of your car’s engine and during summers with more running and the heat outside the engine tends to overheat. So it is imperative to check the engine oil before you head out. Of course you don’t need to do that each time you’re taking your car out, but doing so before a long trip is useful. Also ensure the air filter on your car is clean, as this will also affect your car’s fuel economy. If the engine oil level is low, top it up; or if you haven’t changed the engine oil in a while, then you may want to consider it.

Check your windscreen wipers

During summers the rubber tends to become hard and crack. Ensure you check the rubber on your car’s windscreen wipers; if it is cracked, feels hard to touch or worn out, replace it. Continuing to use damaged wipers will result in damage on your windscreen as well (scratches), and is a much expensive to repair the windscreen than replace the wipers.

Check the coolant on your machine

The coolant ensures you’re car’s engine temperature is maintained and it works extra hard during summers to keep the engine cool, therefore one should always make sure the coolant level is at an optimum in the car. One need not change the coolant every season, rather just annually as it will help keep the cooling system fresh and clean inside. The ideal mixture for the coolant and water for the radiator is 50:50 so make sure you occasionally top up the water level in the radiator as well. Also ensure you keep the radiator clean by periodically cleaning it.

Get the battery checked

Summer heat can cause an accelerated chemical reaction in batteries making them overheat or get over charged which can dramatically reduce the life span of the battery. Heat can also evaporate the external battery fluid thereby damaging it furthermore. Once the summers have set in get your car battery checked from a professional to ensure it is in proper shape and that there is no debris deposited on the terminals.

Want to be cool inside the car? Check the air-conditioning

If you notice your car’s ac not maintaining the temperature inside the car then it is an indication that the air conditioning is not functioning well, which could be a result of low level of refrigerant. Modern air conditioning systems are a complicated unit and it’s best to get them check from professionals. Regular car ac vent cleaning and check-ups also ensure a healthy cooling ability of your car.