Summer Vehicle Maintenance Tips

Summer brings warm weather, fun days, and long nights. If long drives and road trips are on your summer agenda, you should make sure your car is in top condition. These summer maintenance tips can help keep your car in top shape.

Check Your Air Conditioning

With summer comes heat which means you’re going to want to use your air conditioning more. As the temperature rises and humidity sets in, you will work your air conditioning much harder. Unless you live in a warm climate, chances are you aren’t using your air conditioning in the winter. If you only get hot air coming out of your air conditioner, it may need a refrigerant charge. Refrigerant may give your air conditioning a boost, but if that doesn’t work, you may need to contact a car mechanic.

Tire Pressure

Winter can wreak havoc on your tires. Before you take any long drives, you should check the pressure in your tires. You want to make sure they aren’t over or under-inflated. Most tires should be between 30 and 35 pounds per square inch (PSI). If you aren’t sure what your tire pressure should be, you can check your owner’s manual for specific information about your tires. When your tires are underinflated, they may go flat. When they are overinflated, you can risk a tire blowout. Having properly inflated tires ensures that you can get the most out of your gas, especially on longer car rides. If you have a spare tire, you should also check the tire pressure in your spare to ensure it’s available in case you have an emergency.

Engine Fluids

As the weather changes and temperatures fluctuate, it can cause your engine fluids to thin or evaporate. This causes you to have low engine fluid. You should check and top off your power steering fluid, transmission fluid, coolant, and windshield wiper fluid. The coolant in your car keeps it from overheating, so it’s important that you check the fluid level at the start of summer and throughout the summer. If you don’t feel comfortable checking the fluid levels in your car, bring it into Coulter INFINITI and our experienced technicians will check out your vehicle.

Oil and Filter Change

You should have your oil and filter changed regularly and not just in the summer months. However, if you haven’t had this service in a while, the summer is the perfect time to have it done. This is one of the easiest ways to increase the life of your vehicle. Oil lubrication keeps your engine safe from wear and tear. An oil filter helps to remove contaminants from the oil in your engine. When you don’t have regular and routine oil changes, it can cause expensive problems, including particle buildup that wears down vital parts of your engine. It’s advisable to have an oil change every 5,000 miles.

Don’t Forget the Brakes

You should always have an awareness of how your brakes are performing. Your brakes may need some assistance after a particularly harsh winter. Your brakes are an essential part of your car. You use them every time you drive. If you aren’t sure about the condition of your brakes, you can perform a brake test. It’s a good idea to do this several times throughout the year. When testing your brakes, pay attention to stopping performance. You also want to listen for odd sounds like squealing, growling, or rubbing. You should also pay attention to whether or not your car is pulling to one side when you press the brake pedal. If you notice any of these signs, you should have a technician perform an inspection on your brakes and potentially have them repaired or replaced.

These are just a few ways you can prepare your car for the summer. You should perform some of these tests throughout the year, but especially if you plan to take a road trip or long drives. If you don’t feel comfortable performing these inspections on your car yourself, schedule an appointment with us at Coulter INFINITI. Our knowledgeable technicians will inspect your vehicle and get you summer road ready.