Top Car Care Tips For This Summer

Extreme heat can affect your car's performance and your driving comfort. But a few simple maintenance steps can help keep your car running smoothly during the summer. This article covers essential summer car care tips to help protect your car and maintain its performance in extreme temperatures.Read more

Summer Car Maintenance Checklist: 8 Tips to Protect Your Car from Extreme Heat

Follow these essential car care tips to beat the summer heat:

1. Get Your AC Serviced

   Your car's air conditioning system works harder in hot weather, putting more strain on the engine and increasing fuel consumption. If your car cabin takes longer than usual to cool or the airflow feels weak, get the AC system inspected. A technician can check the refrigerant levels, compressor oil, belts and cabin air filter.

2. Check the Coolant and Radiator

   A car's cooling system helps prevent the engine from overheating. Low coolant levels, damaged hoses or leaks can become a bigger problem in high temperatures and heavy traffic. Check the coolant level and look for any leaks around the reservoir, radiator and hoses. Always use the coolant recommended by the manufacturer and follow the replacement schedule as mentioned in the owner's manual.

3. Maintain the Right Tyre Pressure

   The air in your car's tyres expands due to heat, causing over-inflation. On the other hand, less pressure in the tyres can heat up more and increase the risk of tyre damage. Regularly check the tyre pressure when they are cold and keep the level as recommended by your car manufacturer. Moreover, look for any cracks, cuts, bulges, or uneven tread wear on all the tyres, including the spare one.

4. Inspect Battery's Condition

   A car's battery lasts long but higher temperatures can accelerate battery deterioration. Summers can cause the fluids in the battery to evaporate quickly, leading to reduced battery life. Moreover, excessive heat can also lead to overcharging the battery.

   Hence, get the car's battery tested to ensure it's charging at a proper rate. Clean any corrosion from the battery terminals to make sure that the cables are securely connected. If the car takes longer than usual to start or the battery is nearing the end of its expected life, have it tested.

5. Inspect Engine Oil and Other Fluids

   Routinely checking and changing your car's engine oil at the prescribed service interval is important to keep oil levels under check. Also, inspect other fluids, such as brake oil, gear oil and windshield washer fluid. Use the oil grade mentioned in the owner's manual, and do not change it just because it's summer.

6. Check Belts, Hoses and Wipers

   Rubber components can deteriorate over time, and high temperatures can add to the stress on them. During your car servicing, ask the technician to inspect the belts & hoses for cracks, leaks or other visible damage. Moreover, check the wiper blades, and replace them if they are cracked, hardened or leaving water streaks on the windscreen.

7. Park in the Shade

   Direct sunlight can significantly increase the temperature inside a parked car, which may fade or deteriorate its interiors over time. Hence, whenever possible, park your car in a covered or shaded area. If that is not available, you can use a windshield sunshade to reduce direct sunlight entering your car's cabin. Moreover, if you leave your car outside for a long time during summer, use a car cover to protect the paint and metal from UV rays.

8. Roll Down The Windows Before You Start Driving

   The cabin of a parked car becomes a heat chamber in the summer. The best way to cool down a cabin is to roll down the windows as soon as you unlock the car to let the hot air escape and let the relatively cooler ambient air pass through. Doing this at the beginning allows better circulation, helps the air conditioning work better, and cools the cabin faster.

Does Car Insurance Cover Damage Caused by Overheating?

Standard car insurance generally does not cover mechanical or electrical breakdowns caused by wear, tear or failure of a component. However, a comprehensive policy can cover eligible accidental damage to the insured car as per policy terms.

If your car breaks down because of overheating, you can use the roadside assistance add-on if it is included in your insurance coverage. It may provide 24x7 emergency services such as vehicle towing or minor repairs. Therefore, even when your car is insured with a comprehensive plan, its periodic maintenance is still crucial.