1) Wash & Dry Your Vehicle Regularly
It’s always important to wash and dry your vehicle regularly, but in the summer it becomes an especially crucial part of your regular car care routine. Not only does washing help to remove dirt, dust, and grime, but it preserves the quality of your finish and your investment. Leaving this debris on your car, especially in the summer, will cause it to bake on to the surface, making it almost impossible to remove while also risking permanent damage.
We recommend using a pH-neutral vehicle shampoo and a microfiber cloth or wash mitt to avoid scratching your vehicle’s surface. Now, rinse the vehicle thoroughly, ensuring you removed all soap residue from the surface. After washing and rinsing, you’ll need to dry the vehicle thoroughly with a microfiber towel to minimize and prevent water streaks and spots. Don’t forget your lights, tires, windshield, windows, and mirrors; all of these areas are crucial to ensure visibility and safety.
2) Take Steps to Ensure UV Protection
You should always keep your vehicle covered or parked in a covered area, but, just like with washing and drying, this is even more crucial in the summer. Increased sun exposure can cause paint oxidation and can even cause your paint to visibly fade. In order to help protect your vehicle from UV, you should try to park in shaded or covered areas. You can also use a car cover; increased tint on your windows can help the inside feel less hot but won’t help with the engine overheating or the paint fading or getting damaged. You can also apply paint sealant or wax that comes with UV protection to help create a barrier between the sun and your vehicle’s finish.
3) Don’t Leave Paint Issues to Worsen
Paint chips, scratches, and even swirl marks and streaks can do far more damage in the summer than any other time of the year. The increased heat and sun exposure will cause these imperfections to worsen. You can have these issues taken care of by professionals or you can try to handle them yourself. Either way, you should address these paint issues as soon as possible, lest you ruin your investment.
4) Check and Maintain Tire Pressure
Did you know that hot weather can actually cause your tire pressure to increase? This can be risky for a number of reasons and could even decrease your fuel efficiency! You should regularly keep a check on your tire pressure and ensure it stays within the recommended levels (can be found in your manual). Keeping your tires inflated properly can help improve your traction, handling, and even the longevity of your tires.
5) Maintain Fluid Levels
An absolutely crucial part of car maintenance is maintaining your fluid levels. If you don’t maintain them, you can face restricted performance and risk your vehicle overheating. Make sure you regularly check the levels of your coolant, wiper fluid, brake fluid, and oil. If any need it, top them up or replace them using the manufacturers recommendations, which can be found in your manual.
6) Keep Check on Your Cooling System
In order to protect your engine from overheating, you need to insure your cooling system is running properly. Inspect your hoses, radiator, and coolant levels to ensure they’re all functioning and are in good, proper order. If it’s necessary, you can always have the cooling system flushed and refilled with fresh coolant; this will ensure that your vehicle maintains its optimum performance and function.
7) Check the Battery and Air Conditioning System
Believe it or not, high temperatures can lead to a lessened lifespan or a failure in your battery due to high temperatures accelerating chemical reactions in the battery. You can have your battery tested or purchase a tester to do it yourself from home. Whichever way you go, you need to check your battery regularly to make sure that it stays in good condition and remains free of corrosion. You may also need to clean the battery terminals and check its secure connection.
Air conditioning systems are also crucial to keep a watch on, though these are more for your own comfort than the function of your vehicle. Make sure your vents remain clean and have your system checked and/or serviced regularly to maintain cool air circulation and lower your risk of failures.
8) Have Your Vehicle Detailed and Checked Regularly
You may think having your vehicle detailed is just an aesthetic choice, but it actually makes a huge difference on the longevity of your vehicle and your resale value. As we said earlier, the hot summer sun can bake on dirt, grime, bug guts, and other debris. Having your car regularly detailed can help protect it from accruing permanent damages from said debris baking onto the surface.
You also need to make sure you’re having your vehicle checked by a professional mechanic regularly. When you get your oil change or your inspection done (based on your state regulations), make sure the mechanic gives your vehicle a good once-over. Catching any problems early is absolutely crucial to keeping your car in good shape.
Keeping your car in good condition and looking nice can be challenging in the summer. You’re using it a lot more, the road is hotter, and your vehicle is hotter, all of which puts your vehicle at risk of damages and overheating. There are some things you can do, however, to protect your vehicle over the summer. If you follow our list above, you can take better care of your vehicle this summer and beat the heat.
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