For most Americans, the summer is the ideal time for travel. The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day sees hundreds of thousands of people taking time for themselves, oftentimes away from home. Thus, their cars are likely to get a good amount of use- and as a result, need to be taken care of.
Here are five quick tips we recommend to keep your car in tip-top shape during the dog days of summer.
Check Your Tire Pressure Regularly
Tire pressure can change depending on a number of factors, most notably the outdoor temperature. Sometimes, that temperature can fluctuate frequently and by considerable margins. Therefore, it’s always best to make sure that each tire is neither underinflated nor overinflated- otherwise, you could be spending a good amount of time on the shoulder of the highway with a flat tire, rather than at your destination.
Make Sure Your Windshield Wipers Work
Summertime has a way of spawning particularly vicious thunderstorms. If you get caught in the middle of one, the last thing you’re going to want to deal with is a set of windshield wipers that don’t work so well. With water cascading down upon your car, and without adequate windshield wipers to clear your vision, visibility decreases, and that puts not only you but fellow drivers around you as well in danger.
When In Doubt, Change Your Air Filter
It’s generally recommended to change your air filter every 12,000 miles or so, and it’s difficult to rack up that type of mileage in between two summer seasons. But wintertime also raises the possibility of external debris such as dirt and gravel clouding the filter and drastically shrinking your fuel efficiency. Be sure to check the air filter whenever you know you’re about to give your car a good amount of exercise- and if there’s any doubt, swap it out for a fresh one.
Ensure That Your Brakes Are Working Properly
Simply put, no part of a car does as much to protect its occupants as the brake pedal. Therefore, it’s worth consistently checking on them and heeding any warning signs they may naturally present. Aside from the brake light turning on, some such warning signs include the brake pedal becoming soft and squishy, stiff and difficult to apply pressure on, or if it emits grinding or scraping sounds.
Check Your Air Coolant And Radiator
Cars are best situated when they run hot- but not too hot. If an engine overheats, the internal components of your car can melt into each other, which will make sure that none of them work. Thankfully, cars come with a built-in cooling system that utilizes antifreeze to help combat this. But there are quite a few moving parts to this, too, such as hoses and belts- and if any of them malfunction, problems could arise. In the hottest parts of the year, it’s best to err on the side of caution here.
Fender Mender is the name for auto repair in the Charleston area. Whatever body repair you need, whether small body damage or a full collision repair, our team can help you get your car back to the way it was. If you’ve been in a recent accident, or have damage that requires fixing, contact us today. We’re ready to help you!