There are several dangers the summer heat poses for your car, but none can cause as much damage to so many systems at once as overheating. At Dowdy’s Automotive, we know that summer heat can do a number on your car, so we’re here to help! Check out these easy ways you can prevent your vehicle from overheating this summer.
Parking: When you park your car in the sun, all manner of problems can come about as a result of it essentially baking in the sun. Instead, try and park your car in the shade. Whether you’re under a tree or in the garage, the temperature is lower in the shade and will keep your vehicle cool and protected. If you can’t get to any shade, try using a sunshade to reduce the heat in your car. Put some window shades in your vehicle, which usually have UV shields to keep your interior from getting too hot. Using these shades can also protect your interior from sun damage, which can be murder on leather seats.
Windows: While window shades are all good, tinted windows make an even more significant difference in your interior’s temperature. A local dealership or auto body shop can apply this window tinting, or you can apply a window film to keep things cool. This will also provide you and your car interior with UV ray protection and sun damage protection. You’ll also want to crack your windows. Closed windows trap hot air, and your car’s glass conducts heat, ramping up the temperature. Leaving your windows open just a bit will allow air to circulate and cool things down. But keep an eye on the weather – you don’t want a summer storm to sneak up on you!
A/C Settings: While using your air conditioning may sound like a no-brainer, it’s also how you use it. Turn your floor vents on; hot air rises, so once you push that warm air up and out, you can turn your upper vents back on. It will drastically lower your car’s temperature and keep you cooler in the long run. You should also refrain from leaving your recirculation setting on your A/C. Otherwise, you’re just blowing hot air around your car!
Engine Health: Driving around, we don’t always think to look at our temperature gauges, but this one is important. Check your dashboard, and if your temperature gauge reads hot, then pull over, turn off the engine, and let your car cool. Adding engine coolant is also an essential part of summer car care. During the summer months, your vehicle uses more coolant than it usually would, so check it frequently.
We hope that by reading this, you learned some easy steps you can take to keep your vehicle from overheating this summer, or any summer down the road. We invite you to contact our auto repair team at any of our five Treasure Valley locations. Our goal is to be your convenient, neighborhood shop, where you know you’ll be treated with kindness and respect. That is why we have gone out of our way to offer a touchless auto repair experience so you can feel a little safer when getting your car serviced. Please be sure to schedule a service appointment if you desire our team to happily pick-up and deliver your vehicle: https://dowdysauto.com/appt