It’s common to hear people talking about getting their cars ready for the winter, but how often is summer maintenance discussed? Here are a few ways to make sure that your vehicle is up to par this season.
Belts
No, not the ones you wear on your pants. Your car’s engine has a lot of belts running between parts to help it run smoothly. One belt, especially, called a serpentine belt can start to break apart for no real reason. If you take a look at it and it appears to be wearing out or is broken or degraded in some areas you should replace it right away.
Engine Coolant
The engines in our cars must be cool as overheating can cause the car to stop working. In the winter, this might not be so much of a problem, but in the summer, when the temperature outside is hot already, your car will be more prone to overheating. To make sure that this doesn’t happen, check the amount of engine coolant you have and look over the hoses and coolant reservoirs in your car. It’s important to check out the connections – especially where they connect to the engine block – to make sure that there aren’t any leaks. You could also squeeze the hoses occasionally, – when the engine is cool – to make sure that they are firm and not squishy.
Tires
Tires that are always in good condition help keep you safe. It’s important to make sure that your tires are in good shape without any cracks in the rubber. You should also make sure that the tread is still good without too much wear and occasionally check the air pressure as well.
Windshield Wipers
While they might be more commonly used in the winter, it still rains in the summer, and if your wipers are not in great shape, you’ll likely be left with streaks on your windshield. You’ll want to make sure that the wipers hug your windshield and match the curve of the glass. If you’ve had your current wipers for a couple of years, it might be time to change them out just in case.
Other Fluids
It’s a good time to check the other fluids in your car like the oil, brake fluid or windshield-washer fluid. These liquids are constantly being used or consumed by your car, so you’ll need to make sure that yours are as full up as they should be to keep your car running smoothly. It’s a good idea to check these fluids periodically throughout each season as well just in case you end up using more than you thought.
No matter if your car is new or a few years old, performing regular maintenance is crucial for the life of the car and to make sure that you don’t run into major mechanical repairs down the road. Doing some simple checks now could save you from writing some big cheques later on!