Top tips for getting your car ready for the summer
With summer just around the corner, you may be looking to prepare your car for the warm weather to come. Hot temperatures can be hard on your vehicle, affecting several of its key components. Read on for top tips for getting your car ready for the summer.
How to prepare your car for summer
Most people know that getting their car ready for winter is crucial, however, many don’t realise that they also need to prepare their vehicle for summer. The truth is that the high temperatures can be hazardous for cars, making many of their components work harder than at other times of the year. The heat can take its toll on a car’s tyres, cooling system, hoses and drive belt. Keep reading for our top tips for getting your car ready for the summer.
Remove winter tyres and check the air pressure
Winter tyres can play an important role in helping you stay safe on the roads during the winter months. However, they’re not necessary for summer since they’re designed to handle cold temperatures, snow and ice. Besides, you’ll wear out winter tyres much more quickly if you use them on warm, dry roads. Once summer arrives, remove your winter tyres and replace them with summer or all-season tyres.
Don’t forget to check the air pressure in your tyres. They need to be properly inflated to ensure the best possible contact between the tyres and the road. If a tyre isn’t properly inflated, it can overheat, potentially resulting in a blowout whilst on the road. Tyre pressure tends to fluctuate in summer, it’s especially important to check it regularly at this time of year.
Check the A/C system
Since you’ll need your car’s air conditioning system much more in the summer months, it’s important to check that it’s working properly. Chances are you didn’t use it much in the winter, so run it for a bit to check it’s still blowing cold and that there are no strange noises or smells coming from the unit. If there are any issues with the A/C system, have a mechanic inspect it. The system might have a leak, need recharging or simply need cleaning.
Inspect the wiper blades and fluid
Since you may have used the wiper fluid repeatedly to de-ice the windscreen over winter, it’s a good idea to check the fluid reservoir and top it up if necessary. Visibility is important all year round and you don’t want to find that you’ve run out of wiper fluid when you need it the most. You want to choose a solution that helps to clear bugs from the glass effectively. Check the wiper blades too as you may need to replace them if they’ve been used excessively over the winter months.
Check your car’s electrics
There are various electrics in your car, from the windows and headlights to the battery, and they all need to be checked frequently to keep you safe. We recommend doing this at the start of summer so you know the electrical system is ready for the warmer months ahead. The battery is a good place to start. Whilst many people associate battery problems with the winter months, they can happen in summer too. The scorching heat can make the battery fluid evaporate, leading to damage to the internal components of the battery.
Inspect the brakes
Inspecting your car’s brakes before summer arrives is highly important. Brake pads tend to suffer from the effects of huge temperature changes caused by the high heat produced during use meeting with freezing water in winter. Take notice of any strange noises coming from your brakes or longer stopping distances and check the edges of the pads for signs of discolouration or crumbling. Get them inspected professionally by an experienced mechanic who will be able to tell you if they need replacing.
Car repairs in Barnsley and Wombwell
After checking your car, you may find that it needs repairs carried out in preparation for the summer months. For car repairs in Barnsley, look no further than Wyatt Auto Services. Wyatt’s is a family-run, independent garage located on Mitchells Industrial Park in Wombwell. We regularly help local people to prepare their cars for summer, carrying out a wide range of repairs to the highest possible standards. We’ve gained a fantastic reputation over the years, with many people coming to us due to personal recommendations from friends or family members.
We can repair all makes and models of vehicles, sourcing official car parts directly from manufacturers. This allows us to provide a specialised service for the world’s leading car brands. Our prices are highly competitive, with our team dedicated to providing a real value-for-money service to our customers. Book your car into our garage and relax in the knowledge your vehicle will be ready for you to drive safely throughout the summer months.
Contact us
Now that you’ve read our top tips for getting your car ready for the summer, you may be looking for an experienced mechanic to carry out some key checks on your vehicle. If so, get in touch with the team at Wyatt Auto Services. We can expertly inspect your car to ensure it’s ready for summer and the high temperatures that come with it. We can carry out a range of car repairs in Barnsley, making sure your vehicle is in optimal condition.
Call us on 01226 979 087 to book your car into our fully equipped auto centre on Mitchells Industrial Park. Alternatively, send us a message via the website and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can with the answers to your questions.