How to Prepare Your Car for the Summer Heat in Phoenix, Arizona!

Summertime Car Maintenance Tips 

It's Summer-Time in Phoenix! And that means excessive heat, vacation trips, stop & go traffic, increased dust storms, and the flooding monsoons. And it all takes a toll on your vehicle.          

 brought to you by CarLife Auto Repair

Summertime Preparation & Maintenance is a Must!

                                  

We have so much fun here in Arizona in the summer, but proper vehicle preparation is a must! So don't get your summertime fun spoiled by forgetting to address a few simple car maintenance areas. Periodic maintenance can lessen the odds of automotive mechanical failure, can save you money by avoiding unnecessary repairs; and it will help to keep you SAFE on the roads this summer.

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Learn how to properly prepare your car for the Summer Heat.

Read the following Tips & Advice:

Air Conditioning: 

Number one on the list for summer is Auto Air Conditioning. Get your A/C checked at your local repair shop before it gets hot!!!

Inspection fees are usually very affordable, and it is well worth it.

Better to avoid a failure and save money, rather then sweat it out in the middle of the summer heat and wind up paying more for an avoidable repair. And... be sure to replace your cabin air filter at this time as well. The AZ dust is abundant and we see cabin air-filters quickly clogging up.

Battery

Batteries can fail at any time of the year, but here in AZ, they fail often and before the usual time expectancy.

The only accurate way to detect a weak battery is with professional equipment.

More on Car Battery Basics

So have your battery checked every time you take your car in for an oil change or other routine maintenance. The service is often FREE and the extra step will ensure peace of mind. The heat is the number one factor that wears car batteries out here in the desert. And while there are many other combining factors that create a quicker then usual failure, just living in Phoenix alone can do this.

Brakes

Don't delay with brakes!!! See your owner's manual and follow the recommended inspection intervals - get them inspected especially if you will be traveling.

You never at any time want a brake failure to occur. So don't delay when it comes to brakes.

If you are experiencing pulsation, noises, grabbing or longer stopping distances when braking, then get into see your mechanic ASAP. Minor brake problems need to be resolved quickly, and they should take little time to perform.







Cooling System

Overheating is one of the most common breakdowns that occur in the Summer; and living in the desert just makes it far worse.

Be sure to have your cooling system completely flushed & refilled approximately every 2 years.

Have regular check ups performed as well during this time to check the level and condition of the coolant. Your mechanic will also inspect the condition of the drive belts, clamps and hoses. If your vehicle does overheat, DO NOT remove the radiator cap until it is completely cooled off (or better yet, just don't do it) - or you risk serious injury from scalding water under pressure.

Engine Performance

We live in very dusty conditions; and with that said, Arizonians must pay attention to all of the filters in their vehicles. 

Did you know that you have an air filter, fuel filter, PCV filter and more?

All of these filters are important for engine performance and clog up quickly in our climate. This can lead to all kinds of engine drive-ability problems like, stalling, rough idling, hard starts and diminished power. Getting on a good maintenance schedule with your vehicle can save money and prevent performance problems.

If you have been neglectful however, engine performance failures can be numerous and you will want to correct them as soon as possible; and then, stick to your recommended scheduled maintenance recommendations to help avoid such issues in the future and to keep your vehicle running in top shape.

Lights

Periodically inspect and clean all lights on your vehicle. When we are driving, we depend on the safety lights of other vehicles around us. 

They need to be working properly so we can safely navigate the roadways with one another.

Checking your lights is easy to do, yet is often overlooked because we just can't see our vehicle from the other driver perspective. So have them inspected with your routine maintenance to be confident that all are properly functioning. Additionally, you may want to have your lens polished to remove the dull, opaque build up that occurs from sun damage.

Oil

Changing your oil is relatively inexpensive and can save you a lot of money on unneeded car repairs and failures - so do not neglect this maintenance requirement.

It is one of the most important, money saving maintenance habits you can perform for your vehicle.

• First of all, if you change your oil regularly, you will improve the performance and fuel efficiency of your vehicle. 

• Secondly, you will keep the engine properly lubricated and running safely. Unchanged oil becomes thick, breaks down and is no longer able to prevent the metal on metal friction that will ultimately occur and cause damage to vital engine components. 

The recommended interval is ~ every 3 months or 3000 miles for non-synthetic oil and ~ every 4 months or 4,000 miles for synthetic blends. During this time, be sure to replace your oil filter and get the recommended type of oil specific for your vehicle with each oil change.



Tires

Safety! Safety! Safety! Need I say more? You have precious cargo on board (you & your children) and you need to be in control of your vehicle.

Being aware of tire balance, pressure, and condition is vital to your safety and the safe operation of your vehicle. 

Unbalanced tires will cause an unnecessary burden on your vehicle creating vibration, tire wear & tear and decreased fuel economy.

What you need to know:

Generally, vibration from unbalanced tires occurs throughout the vehicle's chassis and is often felt in the steering wheel. The more the tires are unbalanced, the more severe the vibration. The drive can be unpleasant, but worse yet it can be dangerous and often times it is very difficult to maintain control of the vehicle.

Your tires will also wear out quickly, and wear can occur on parts of the tire that are not meant to take such burdens of road contact. All of this puts your tires at risk of going flat or falling apart while driving. Additionally, unbalance tires will increase your fuel consumption and the more unbalanced they are, the more your fuel costs will be.

Wheel alignment is also important. If your vehicle is pulling to one side and your tires have uneven tread, then you are in need of an alignment. So be sure to have your tires examined by a professional and rotated approximately every 5,000 miles. And you can check your tire pressure yourself approximately every month. Remember, properly inflated tires reduces fuel consumption - as well.

Windshield Wipers

We really don't use these often, do we? But they sure do wear out fast because the dry Phoenix heat just deteriorates them. 

Inspect your windshield wipers annually.

Windshield wipers in Phoenix wear-out fast. And then, when you need them the most and when you least expect it, they fail and fall apart during our first rains of the monsoon - creating very dangerous driving conditions.So be safe and check them every year, and don't get caught off guard in the next unexpected-storm.

*Emergencies*
Never overlook the fact that an emergency can occur - especially if you will be traveling. Make it a must have and pack and emergency kit with tools and basic survival items. We just can't chance it when we live in such a harsh climate. Ask your automotive professional for some recommended tools like flares, and a flashlight, but also be sure to a include a first aid kit & drinking water. Don't delay in doing this. It is easy to grab these items, and they could save your life. See this link from AAA for more items to have on hand.