TYRES
A car’s tyres are the only part that come in direct contact with the road but easily the most neglected part. The summers can be really harsh on tyres hardening the rubber sidewalls and causing irreparable damage. A good way to check the health of your tyres is by a simple visual check to see if there are any cuts on the surface.
The simplest check is getting the air pressure inflated to the level recommended in your owner's manual. Summer heat increases the pressure in tyres (by 5-6 psi), so make sure you check the pressure before driving far. Don't forget to check your spare as well. Over inflating the tyres might lead to tyre bursts.
Many owners make the mistake of checking the pressure after driving around. Since air pressure builds up due to friction with the road it’s advised to get them checked as soon as you head out, while they're still cold. Ideally, don't drive for more than 2-3 km before filling air and in the morning when the temperatures are relatively low.
An under-inflated tyre bulges outward and puts undo pressure on the sidewalls of the tyre. With enough heat and pressure, that tyre eventually will blow. Not an ideal situation when doing highway runs.
COOLING SYSTEM
Before checking the coolant levels you need to check the condition of hoses and belts.
Check the hoses for any cracks, minor leaks and loose connections. Hoses should be firm. Hoses suffer from a slow deterioration process, especially in the summer heat that eats away at rubber from the inside. Get them replaced if the need arises. Don’t go penny-pinching while getting them repaired. Remember, cheap rubber parts can fail again, when you are on the highway.
Also check if the fan belt is in good health. Belts can also be visually checked for cracks and damage. If the radiator fan fails, there will be no air flowing across the engine to help keep it cool, which will overheat your car.
Check under the hood and make sure that your coolant levels are fine, not only the radiator but also the coolant reservoir. Add a bit of water if you don't have access to coolant. The general rule is to flush your radiator and add new coolant at least once every two years. Flushing the radiator is done with a special chemical that cleans debris and build-up on the inside of the radiator. Make sure your service centre is doing this for you. It's advisable to carry a bottle of engine coolant before you're off on a road trip.
It's a good idea to carry a couple of spare fuses, which come handy in case a fuse fails while you're in a remote place on your road trip.
FLUIDS
The ideal time to check the engine oil level is when the car hasn't been active for a while. At the same time, make sure that the car isn't completely cold, since that could give you a wrong reading. Confused? Let's clarify this a bit – To check your oil level, let your car run for a couple of minutes, then park it on a flat surface and shut off the engine.
You're looking for three things here — the level, the viscosity and the colour. The oil should look brownish yellow and clean on the stick. If the dip-stick indicated low, then add a bit of recommended oil. Also, check if the oil isn’t too sticky, which means it will need replacement. If the oil is a dark colour or there's a lot of dirt and grime in it, then you definitely need an oil change and oil filter replacement.
Most manufacturers now recommend oil changes around the 10,000km mark but if you’ve driven around 7,000km and are planning a road-trip we’d advise you to go for a change. The best time to pop the bonnet open for this is a day before you hit the road.
AC CHECKS
It goes without saying that you really need this one part of your car working flawlessly during the summer. The most common cause of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit is a low level of refrigerant. This could be caused by a leak somewhere in the system. Since modern air conditioning systems are complicated, it's best to have a professional check out the problem.
Another smart method to reduce your car from becoming an oven when parked in the heat, is by simply leaving half an inch of a window open. This will allow fresh air to enter the cabin ensuring the heat will escape. But do this only if you are in a secure parking area (that's relatively dust free as well), where the car isn't at the risk. Also, it's ideal to roll all windows down and turn on the ac blower at full blast just as you switch on the car. This will ensure that the hot air inside the car moves out rapidly. Leaving the windows open for a couple of minutes also helps the AC cool effectively otherwise it has to first negate the hot air trapped inside.
SEAT UPHOLSTERY
This may sound a bit gross, but unfortunately it's quite a valid point. Fabric seats are prone to stains in the summer, especially from excessively sweaty occupants. Summer months also bring extra dust with them, which tends to enter the car cabin along with passengers.
While we won't go as far as going the taxi way and covering your seats with towels, you can however maintain fabric upholstery with regular dusting, vacuuming and an occasional shampoo from a pro car wash.
THE OUTSIDE STORY
The sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays can remove the sheen from your car’s paintwork. Ideally you should try and park the car under a tree’s shade if you can or use the basement if your office has one. The best thing to do though is get a good wax/polish job done which provides a thin but very vital protective layer between your car’s paintwork and the harsh sun rays.
The sun’s harmful UV rays affect the rubber wipers, which tend to harden leading to scratches on the glass surface as well as that irritating screeching noise. Sand and dirt carried by the wind can get deposited on the blades, reducing their effectiveness.
Thankfully, it's quite easy to maintain wiper blades; all you need to do is wipe the blade. Use a damp piece of cloth soaked in soap water to gently clean the blades. It would also be a good idea to get rid of the sludge on the windscreen glass by wiping with light soap solution. Use a shampoo at home if you do not want to buy an expensive windscreen cleaner, but don't use strong detergent..
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