Two people driving a convertible toward the sun.We all know there's more to driving than putting your keys in and zooming off. Ideally, you should run some basic maintenance checks before you leave home every day, like checking the oil and water levels. But when the seasons change, especially around summer and winter, you need to be on your toes to keep your car running smoothly without fear of a sputter in its step.You might think of winter as the main stress test for your vehicle, and it's certainly a formidable opponent, with its slippery roads and poor visibility. Hence, it's reasonable to expect the bulk of your maintenance attention as a driver to drift into the colder months.However, summer can be just as demanding. For one, your engine operates under more stress. Running your car already generates quite a bit of heat. When you factor in the atmospheric temperature nearing (or even surpassing) triple-digits Fahrenheit, the room for natural cooling when you're driving is narrower. That can lead to breakdowns if you're not adequately prepared — and that's just one of the concerns you have to contend with as the weather turns sizzling hot. So, how exactly do you get yourself and your car up to speed to battle the harsh elements? We've outlined nine important tasks, so roll up your sleeves and pop the hood open. Run air conditioner and filter checksA closeup picture of a car's climate control dials.Summer's great for letting your hair down and take a trip to the beach, and the last thing you want when that happens is to be caught in a small space without air conditioning. It can be a very sweaty and uncomfortable experience, and although you could roll down your windows and let the natural breeze do its thing, the humid summertime air makes it a bad solution — especially if you account for the times you're going to be stuck in traffic. So, you'll need to check your air conditioning well before summer comes around.Pick a day to test it extensively before the weather changes. If it makes any strange noises, doesn't cool the way it should, or you notice any strange odors, you should pick up the phone and call a trusted mechanic.Another thing to check in the air conditioning system is the filters. Your cooling system could be working perfectly, but if you're driving around with clogged filters, the airflow and circulation quality will be disrupted. That means your cooling system will work harder and cool less. Take a look at the cabin air filter — it's usually located behind the glovebox — and the engine air filter. If any of these appear visibly dirty, clean or flat-out replace them. Perform tire maintenanceA person tightening the nuts on a tire.During winter, you may need specialized tires. Winter shouldn't be the only season where you care about what's going on with the tires, though. After all, they're the only contact your car has with the ground. First things first, swap out those winter tires if you haven't already. You see, winter tires are made of a soft rubber compound specifically designed to negate the impact of colder temperatures. If you drive around with them in the summer, though, the rubber will wear out very quickly, and they can increase stopping distances on hot and wet pavement by up to 26%, compared to regular tires.You should also check your tire pressure to be sure all four tires are properly inflated. You don't want to pump them too hard — tire pressure increases with heat, so you might run the risk of blowouts if you exceed the maximum limit specified.Finally, watch out for worn tire tread. Depending on your location, summer could mean lots of rain, and driving with worn tires increases the risk of hydroplaning. Do a tread depth check to protect against this. If your tires have wear bars, that's what you should use. Otherwise, you can use the penny method: Stick a penny head-first into the tread. If Lincoln's entire head is visible, you're due for a trip to the tire shop. Get heat protectionA professional detailing a car window with tint.The danger posed by the summer heat goes beyond mild discomfort. Exposing your car to UV rays from direct sunlight can damage parts of the interior: The dashboard, seats, even your steering wheel and armrests are vulnerable to fading and cracking. That's because UV rays break down the chemical bonds in upholstery dyes, so direct (and prolonged) exposure to the sun during summer, when it's at its most intense, can cause the color to fade faster than expected.To mitigate these risks, you should consider installing seat covers and tinting your windows. These are not just aesthetic choices; Window tints in particular protect your interior from the sun's rays, which translates to a cooler ride that is conducive to both you and your upholstery. Of course, you'll want to do your research on the legal technicalities of driving a tinted vehicle in the areas you commute in. For instance, New York and California require a minimum of 70% light transmission for the front windows.If you live in a state where similar laws are in place, buying seat, dashboard, and steering wheel covers might be a good alternative. These help protect the original upholstery from cracking, although they come with their own risks, and some even made it on our list of accessories you should avoid buying. Wax and detail your carA person wearing gloves waxing a car with a power tool.Building on our last point, heat does more to your car than alter tire pressure and crack your upholstery — it also affects the bodywork. And just as you should take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of your car's interior, you need to consider how best to keep its paint job shiny. UV rays pose a threat to your paint: With enough exposure and under the right conditions, they can cause paint oxidation. This phenomenon produces the fading effect that makes vibrant cars into chalky and dull ones.That's where waxing comes into play. Wax helps you maintain that shiny, fresh-from-the-dealership look by protecting the exterior from the weather and from contaminants like road salt (yes, washing and waxing your car is important during winter, too). You could wax your car yourself or get the help of a professional detailer if you're looking for a perfect finish. As for how often you should reapply wax, the precise answer depends on many factors, but it should be somewhere between once every three and six months. Inspect windshield wipersA person replacing windshield wipers on a car.Visibility is really important for driving. Come rain or shine, you need to see a safe distance ahead of you to make good decisions on the road. Your windshield wipers play a big part in this, especially during the winter months — chances are, they remove a fair bit of ice and snow while using a good amount of wiper fluid. But summer is hardly immune from the rain, and in some locations it can even have more rainy days than winter.Wear from use is just one of the things you should worry about. If you're a believer in leaving wipers down on the windshield during winter, you've probably had to chisel them out of ice at least once. That exposure to ice could weaken the rubber and make it less effective when it's time to wipe off the rain.As the weather changes, you'll want to be sure your wipers are in tip-top shape — especially if you're in an area that gets lots of rainstorms. Take some time to physically examine your windshield wipers. Do the rubber blades look worn, cracked, or dry? It may be time to get a replacement. If you can't spot any damage with your eyes, run a quick diagnostic with the wiper fluid and check if the wipers streak the windshield. Don't forget to top off the wiper fluid as well. Top off fluid levels under the hoodA person pouring pink fluid into the engine.Chances are, summer is the season that will test the limits of your car's performance. The internal combustion process that keeps most cars on the road running already generates heat, and that heat increases as the ambient temperature rises. If your engine isn't well-maintained, or the fluids aren't sufficient, your car runs a much higher risk of overheating.Run a thorough inspection of all fluid levels: coolant, engine oil, power steering fluid, and brake fluid. All of these need to be at a good level to drive safely. A good mechanic should be able to tell you what the right levels are, but your car's manual should have this information as well.The only exception to the top-off rule is your brake fluid. The level you see in the container likely matches the wear on the brake pads, so unless you have a leak in the system, you don't need to check it often. If you suspect a leak, take your car to a repair shop and have proper diagnostics run on it by a professional. Also, the advice to top off your fluids is made under the assumption that what's already flowing through your engine isn't dirty. If you locate any gunk buildup, you should flush the fluids first before replacing them. Examine your batteryA person replacing a car battery.In the same vein as the fluid level examination, your battery is another component you need to assess before summer comes around. The heat in the summer can accelerate degradation and is a common reason behind constant battery failures. Now, you could be lucky and not have any breakdowns in the summer, but when winter rolls around and you need more juice to get your car rolling, you may run into some problems.The first point on your checklist for changing your battery before summer should be the age: if it's older than five years, you should get ready to replace it. If it still has some shelf life left, then you may want to clean it instead. Take a wire brush, dip it in some baking soda solution, and get to work cleaning the terminals. Doing this will remove corrosion, which can stop your battery from charging the way it should.Removing corrosion doesn't mean you're high and dry yet, though. Give the terminals a few weeks, go about your regular commute, then check on them again. If the corrosion is back, you might want to consider getting a new battery. Apart from that, make sure your connections are tight, and that the battery is securely mounted — you don't want it shaking out of place when you drive. Check brakes, belts, and hosesA brake and brake pads on a table in a workshop.We talked about checking brake fluids earlier, but you should also monitor the brakes to make sure they function properly. Driving in winter and colder temperatures can put quite the strain on your brakes, as road salt sticks to the undercarriage, builds up around your pads, and, if left unchecked, leads to corrosion. With summer approaching, there's a chance that your braking system has taken quite the beating and will need close examination.As a first step, listen for any squeaky noises while driving and watch out for vibrations when you apply the brakes. If you notice any of these symptoms or find your engine low on brake fluid, have a technician check it out. Likewise, while it's easy to overlook the health of your connecting belts and hoses, the last thing you want is for any of those, whether a serpentine or a timing belt, to go bad. That will be the start of a whole host of issues, ranging from the minor inconvenience of a broken cooling system to flat-out engine failure.Get a mechanic's work light, pop open your hood, and take a look at the belts and hoses. Don't be afraid to touch them, too. Should you spot any cracks, frays, soft spots, or brittle texture, you'll need to get a replacement lined up. Pack a summer supply kitAn emergency kit placed in the of a car.Maintenance is important, but you can take all the necessary steps and precautions in a manual and still run into problems. Breakdowns happen all the time, especially if you live in an area that touches triple digits Fahrenheit at the peak of summer. To prepare for this eventuality, you should have some emergency supplies that can get you back on the road in no time, even if just as a stopgap solution before calling a mechanic.These essentials include jumper cables, a flashlight, brake and transmission fluids, and coolant and spanners. The supply kit doesn't have to be just for the car, too. Heat isn't ideal for the human body, either, so you wouldn't be remiss for loading up on snacks, a first aid kit, and most important during summer, some sunscreen.You may want to get some water, too, but you should avoid single use plastic bottles, as they're one of the items you should avoid leaving inside a hot car. The reason is simple: Heat can break the chemical compounds in the plastic and can cause harmful chemicals to seep into the water, as claimed by multiple studies. Opt for an aluminum or glass water bottle instead, fill it to the brim, and add it to your supply kit. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.
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