As we enter into March, the roaring summer season is right around the corner. With rising temperatures and excruciating heat, it is essential that you tune up your vehicles and ensure they are well-equipped to face the heat. If you’re wondering where to begin, here are some maintenance tips to get your cars and bikes ready for the summer season.
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Change the coolant liquid
Checking up on the coolant liquid is a good place to start when tuning your car and bike for the summer. The coolant is an integral part of the system and absorbs the excess heat from the engine. During summer, the engine of your vehicle had a tendency to heat up more than usual, so it is absolutely essential that the coolant is in working condition. It is recommended that you change the coolant in your car once a year. Ideally, you should time the change of coolant in a manner that you have to do it right before the summer hits.
Check the tyres
Another great maintenance tip is this one. The scorching heat of the summer can cause the tyre pressure to fluctuate. Keep regular checks on the tyre pressure throughout the summer and make sure they are properly inflated. Under inflation poses the risk of the tyre blowing out. Tyre inflation aside, make sure you also assess the physical condition of the tyre. As the temperatures rise up, your car and bike tyres will be more susceptible to damage. A change of tyres is recommended after every 50,000km.
Battery check
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone but excessive heat causes batteries to wear down faster. There are a few things you can do to mitigate the effects that the blazing heat has on your car battery. Firstly, make sure the battery and the area around it are clean. Wipe out any dirt, grime, and corrosion you find around the battery. Secondly, in order to ensure its efficient working, get the internal fluids of the battery checked by a professional.Â
Check the engine oil
The engine oil is the lube that ensures the smooth functioning of the engine. While you should change the engine oil at regular intervals, the summer months especially demand a good look at its status. When getting the engine oil changed in the summer, it is recommended you choose a lubricant with a high viscosity.
Deep clean your car inside and out
Next in our list of car maintenance tips is this. If the freezing winter temperatures have kept you from cleaning your car, it is time for a spring clean to get it ready for the summer. Give the exterior of your car a thorough wash. Make sure you use good quality car shampoo for the job. We would recommend Turtle Wax Max Power Car Wash Shampoo.Â
Cars parked under direct sunlight are more likely to stench. In order to control the cabin odour, make sure you clean everything up. This includes clearing the trash from under the seats, to wiping the dashboard and seat upholstery clean. Use a specialised cleaning liquid for the cabin of your car. We recommend Hybrid Solutions Ceramic + Graphene Inside Job for this particular task. This cleaning liquid works on every interior surface, be it the plastic door panels or the leather upholstery on the seats.
Service the AC
Since you will be cranking up the air conditioning a lot during the summer, it is a good idea to get it serviced by a professional. If you haven’t changed the air filter for a long time, it can disseminate a nasty odour in your car. Since the AC isn’t used in the winter, the vents attract a lot of dust and grime over the months. Make sure everything has been properly cleaned before you turn the AC on.
Check the brake pads
Last on the car maintenance tips breakdown is this point. The brake pads on your vehicle suffer a lot of abuse all year round. The sudden change in temperature has an effect on its working condition and may lead to additional wear. If you have enough time, you can remove the wheels and check the brake pad yourself. If not, take your car to a professional and inspect the condition of the brakes and make a call on whether you want to replace the brake pads before the summer.
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Conclusion
These are the top maintenance tips to get your car and bike ready for the summer. You can carry out the cleaning and oil-changing jobs by yourself, but the servicing of components will require taking your car to a professional. Aside from these major inspections, always look out for the smaller issues that need fixing. This includes giving your windshield wipers a tune-up, making sure the trunk is organised, and examining the seat belts at periodic intervals.
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