Car Problems in Hot Weather
Hot Weather – How it can affect your car
Friday 29 July, 2016
It is widely known that cold weather can affect your car, but hot weather can also take its toll on your vehicle. Here we look at the points you should consider during the warmer weather in order to keep your car running at optimum performance and safety. If you have any concears please speak to our Car Servicing or Van Servicing Teams.
Tyres problems in hot weather
Car tyres are most commonly affected by items on the road such as nails or other sharp objects that can result in a puncture. However, the heat in warm weather also poses some issues that should not be overlooked or disregarded. High heat during the summer can affect the stress levels of the tyres tracks, bubbles on the side of the tyre and bald areas of the tyre. These stress levels can potentially result in a blow-out whilst travelling and therefore poses a potential safety issue.
To help avoid these issues, ensure you have your tyres checked during each car or van service to make sure they are inflated to the correct pressure and the tread depth is within the legal limits. Also inspect the tyres for signs of wear or damage.
Reduced Car Battery Life
The high heat of summer can increase the chemical operation of your battery, resulting in a higher fluid evaporation. This will reduce the overall life span of the battery. If you have a battery that appears to not be holding charge, it could potentially indicate that you have malfunctioning alternator.
To help maintain your battery’s health, try to ensure your battery is kept clean. You will need to keep the terminals free from corrosion. This can be done by having the battery checked regularly by professional technicians
Belts, Hoses & Cooling Systems
Long periods of extremely high heat can have an effect on the hoses and belts that help to maintain the engines operational temperature. Most of the time a simple visual check can help identify areas of damage around connectors and clamps. Ensuring all fluids such as oils and coolants are freely flowing will help manage the performance of your car or van. It is also prudent to have your cooling system pressure tested for leaks, then flushed and filled on a regular basis.
Car Paint & Upholstery in Hot Weather
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can have a damaging effect on your car’s paintwork. It can also fade the plastics and rubber elements of the car with cracking and peeling becoming a more noticeable problem. With very high internal car temperatures, the seat upholstery and dashboards, no matter if they are made from either cloth or leather can dry out, fade and crack.
If you do not have a garage to protect your car from the elements and other damage such as acid rain and the droppings from birds for example, many experts recommend using car or van covers as a form of protection. These covers will also protect the interior from fading in the direct sunlight. Additional protection can be found by using a good quality wax and applying a liquid sealant once a year.
Transmission
The transmission is one of the most important factors to the car. It comes under increased pressure during the summer heat and can be prone to failing during these periods of high workload if it isn’t properly managed and maintained.
In order to ensure your car or van is working reliably, it will be important to schedule the transmission maintenance, whilst not forgetting to include fluid and filter changes approximately every 20,000 miles.
Pets in Cars in Hot Weather
We understand that predicting the weather is practically impossible, especially here in Britain. However it is vital that dog owners ensure their pets safety by being conscious of the dangers of leaving dogs in a car during high temperatures.
The Kennel Club has released advice for anyone travelling with a dog during the warm summer weather, to read more about what you will need to do when preparing for a journey with your pets, please visit The Kennel Club
If you’re worried about your car or van during periods of hot weather or if you’re travelling abroad to hot parts of Europe this summer give Garage Express a call on 0208 905 8788 and we can provide the right advice for you and your car or van.
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Fleet Manager, Fleet Van Servicing Centre North London.
Whilst travelling to you you ordered the part, and an hour after my initial call my van was on the lift and a new starter-motor was being fitted. An hour later I was on my way back to work. I cannot thank you enough for your help. Not only did you go out of your way to keep us working, you did it at a very sensible price.
