You might love the summer heat, but who's to say that your car does too. The high temperatures can do some severe damage to your engine if you aren't careful. It can cause your engine to overheat, leading to a car breaking down and compromising your safety. Though you can't necessarily control the sun, you surely can take preventive measures to prevent your vehicle from overheating.
1. Park Your Car in the Shade
Parking in the shade not only keeps the temperature in the cabin cooler but also helps to keep your engine from overheating as well. If you are fortunate to have a garage at home, use it! If a shady parking spot isn't available to you, then try sun shades.
2. Use Sun Shades
Sunshades are a great alternative if you have trouble finding shady parking spots. This accessory is equipped with UV heat shields that will keep the interior from getting super-hot while protecting its quality from the damaging effects of the sun.
3. Leave Your Car Windows Opened Slightly
Your glass windows serve as a conductor that helps trap the hot air inside your car. If you can, try to leave your windows open slightly so some of the air can escape. If you do leave your windows cracked, make sure you be wary of the weather – a surprise summer thunderstorm could creep up on you and lead to a damaged interior.
4. Be Attentive of Your Temperature Gauge
The temperature gauge is located on your dashboard, and the needle should always be near the middle. If it approaches "H," then you should pull over.
5. Turn on the Heat to Cool the Engine
The last thing you'd want to do on a hot summer day is to turn on your heat. This simple act can extract hot air from the engine compartment and cool it off.
6. Regularly Inspect and Top Off Your Coolant
To check the coolant levels, open the hood and locate the reservoir. However, make sure your engine is cooled off before you open the cap. If you need assistance, our mechanics at Integrity Auto Service can top off your coolant for you.
We cannot stress enough how critical routine vehicle maintenance is, especially the process of step #6, to keep your car from overheating. If you require maintenance or repairs on your vehicle, you can trust us to take care of it. Give us a call or visit our shop today.