Summer is upon us here in San Diego County! If you’re like me then you’ve got all the necessities: extra sunscreen for the pool, extra gas for your road trips and an extra porterhouse steak for the grill. But is your car as ready for summer as you are?
With the summer comes longer days and higher temperatures, both things that cause your automobile to work overtime. Make sure your car, truck, SUV or minivan is ready for this time of year with these important summer vehicle maintenance tips.
The 5 Best Summer Vehicle Maintenance Tips:
1. Check your cooling system. If you’re using regular coolant it should be replaced every 24 months or 24,000 miles, and if you’re using extended-life coolant it should be replaced every 5 years or 60,000 miles.
2. Replace your thermostat. You should replace your thermostat whenever you are flushing your cooling system.
3. Get your transmission serviced. We recommend getting your transmission flushed and serviced every 15,000 to 20,000 miles (about once a year). This is not what the manufacturer recommends, but by getting your transmission serviced more regularly you can extends it’s life, and not have to replace your transmission at only 100,000 miles!
4. Properly fill your tires. Check the air pressure on your tires regularly, as the change in temperature will change your tire pressure. One out of three cars on the road is driving on under-inflated tires, which wastes a lot of gas!
5. Check your air filters. Make sure your air filters are clean because this can affect your car’s engine as well.
Take your vehicle to your trusted auto repair shop or mechanic and ask them to check the above five things and make sure your car is ready for summer this year. Your professional mechanic will also be able to determine if there is anything else on your specific vehicle that needs to be repaired for summer.
Remember, proper vehicle maintenance is the key to saving money on expensive auto repairs. For example, your water pump helps cool down your engine, but if you fail to get a leaky water pump fixed before the really hot summer days, you could find yourself stuck on the side of the road with a dead car, smoking engine and expensive car repair service!
If you are in the area this summer and need any vehicle maintenance services or auto repair in Escondido or El Cajon or the surrounding San Marcos, Rancho Bernardo or Poway areas, we're happy to help. We’ll get you back on the road and enjoying that summer air in no time!
Summer Car Safety Tips for Children & Families
As we mentioned above, the summer heat directly affects your car, but it's important to mention that it also affects the people and pets inside your car! When it comes to your children and family, vehicle safety is extremely important at all times of year, but the heat the summer brings is cause for extra precaution. Our friends at SummerNanny.com have come up with a great list of Summer Car Safety Tips to make sure you and your family stay safe in the heat. Make sure you check them out and have a safe and happy summer!
