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6 Ways To Prevent Overheating This Summer

by Jeff Watson - Posted 4 years ago

Summer has officially hit Southern Utah – bringing with it the desert heat that residents have come to know and expect. High temperatures can take a toll on us, our kids, our pets, and our cars.

Extreme heat can push our vehicles past their limits, and could even leave you stranded on the side of the road in the blistering sun. Some preventative measures can be taken to ensure your car is in tip top shape to handle the roads this year.

1. Test Your Battery
You may think that you only need to worry about your car’s battery in the winter, but summer heat can negatively affect your battery even more than bitter cold.

There’s not much you can do about the heat, but if your battery is over 3 years old it’s a good idea to get it tested by a trained technician to verify it is in good running condition as well as how much life it has left.

2. Keep Your Engine Cool
Flushing your coolant periodically is vital to prevent overheating in your engine. Most modern formulations will last five years, or 50,000 miles. Check out your owner’s manual or talk to your mechanic about when you will need to have your coolant flushed.

Between flushes, it’s important to make sure your coolant is filled to the proper levels - have your auto shop check your levels next time you’re in for an oil change!

3. Maintain Proper Tire Pressure
Hot roads and low tire pressure can cause blow outs as well as bad handling, breaking and bad gas mileage.

Tire’s should be checked if the car hasn’t been driven recently or in extreme heat environments. Check your driver’s side door jamb to find suggested tire pressure levels for your tires/vehicle!

4. Change Your Oil
This is a no-brainer. Changing your oil is important for any time of the year, but especially summer. Change it every 3 months or every 3,000 miles or less – this will prevent your car from blowing the motor.

5. Top Off All Fluids
Cars need fluids during the high temperature summer months to stay running smoothly. They lubricate and help transport heat away from critical engine components.

Low fluids = low cooling = overheating.

Drivers should check all vehicle fluids including: motor oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid and brake fluid.

6. Air Conditioning
Besides the creature comfort of air conditioning, a malfunctioning A/C can mean refrigerant levels are low or there is another problem. If your cabin air isn’t blowing cool, have it checked by a certified technician.


Safe & happy driving, friends!


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