Car maintenance during harsh summers
Your car is nothing short of an entity of its own! Just like us, if not taken care of, your car might breakdown or even cease to work completely, if it encounters a graver issue. One of the many challenges your vehicle will face is the constant change in its external and internal environment. The perpetual variation in the environment leads to a never-ending cycle of contraction and expansion of the internal parts of your vehicle, like the metals and rubber. To stay away from such mutilation, it is important to stay prepared. Continue reading this blog to find out some tried and tested tips to practice this summer for car maintenance.
First things first: Keep the engine cool!
While a lot of people simply add water to their radiator to keep the car cool, it’s suggested you avoid this. For better results, add antifreeze to your water and use the water-coolant mixture in the ratio of 50:50. This refrains the water in the radiator from boiling and at the same time, diluting the antifreeze allows the product to last longer!
What’s next? Change the car fluids!
- Radiator Coolant -If you don’t change the coolant frequently it can wreak havoc on your radiator and even cause a leak. And if there’s one thing you want to avoid at all costs, it is an interior leak. Leaked coolant will cause your car to overheat and that is primarily what we want to sidestep during the summer season.
- Engine Oil – Next, you must ensure that your engine oil is at the minimum required level. The engine oil is responsible for lubricating various parts within the car. With time, the oil loses its viscosity and hence its magnitude of lubrication, which in turn creates friction, thereby causing an overall increase in the amount of heat being generated. Thus, you have to make sure your car has enough engine oil by using a dipstick to measure its level. Switching to synthetic oil like the Divyol Spectro SX 20W50 can provide you with longer intervals between your refills.
- Brake Oil – The logic behind keeping your brake oil in check is similar to that of the engine oil. Our goal is to minimise heat production and when you’re low on brake fluid, your car once again, will not have enough oil to lubricate the necessary parts causing friction.
So keep in mind that all your fluids are replenished just enough and in time to keep your car running as coolly as possible!
Lastly, insure that your tires are inflated properly.
Wondering why this could be of significant concern? Well, your tyres take the weight of your car. When not inflated right, the tires undergo undue pressure and the friction results in higher temperatures within the tyre, which potentially harms the sidewall. Heated up tires are also at a higher risk of deflating or getting punctured and you don’t wish to be stuck on the middle of the highway on a hot summer day.
But what can be done if your car finds a way to break down despite your best effort?
Life is unpredictable and we can’t foresee it all. If, somehow, despite taking all these preventative measures, your car executes a breakdown on you make sure you have a well-stocked emergency kit handy. A few things to keep in mind, while prepping this emergency kit would be:
- Drinking water and non-perishable food items.
- Jumper cables and a flashlight with extra batteries.
- Road flares or an emergency beacon.
- Basic hand tools and a spare tyre.
- A first aid kit and a fire extinguisher for an accident based emergency.
To sum it up, preventative measures must be engaged in to avoid an absolute nightmare. Car maintenance isn’t as complicated as it might sound. It includes keeping check on the needed car fluids, tyre pressure, and water-coolant mixture. An emergency kit, although seemingly unrelated to the situation, is gear you must always have in your trunk as it is the fundamental of car safety.
Implement these techniques this summer and drive away happily!