Summer season is the most taxing time for your used cars. All the components in your car - from the exterior paints, tires and of course the engine are subjected to immense heat. Wear and tear faced by the used cars during the summer months is much harsher than any other time of the year. If you do not carry out a thorough check of your car prior to the hot summer months then you could be left stranded in the middle of nowhere with no help in sight. The leading Japanese car manufacturers often advise their car users to draw a breakdown policy and most people adhere to this advice. But the breakdown policy will only cover your costs, what about the hassles you have to put up with when stranded in a lonely place with no security?
It is always useful to gain some knowledge about how to care for and inspect various used car components before the warm summer sets in. Below are some maintenance tips that will keep your used car in good condition despite the heat of sun outside:
Coolant is an important car engine component in the warm summer months. Your car pulls in the warm air inside when you drive. This warm air coupled with the heat produced by the engine creates a formidable temperature under the bonnet. This temperature is regulated with the help of a special fluid known as the coolant. During the summer months you should make it a habit to check the coolant fluid level marks on the tank at least once every week. Ideally the level should be somewhere between the high and low marks. Check the coolant level of your used car only when the car’s engine has cooled down.
This is a sort of fan that is built inside the engine. The fan is activated automatically when the engine overheats. The cooling fan draws cool air from the radiator to maintain equilibrium in engine’s temperature. If your cooling fan malfunctions then it could lead to boiling of the coolant, thus causing severe damage to the engine. You can check on the health of your cooling fan by turning the heater on and running the car till it reaches normal temperature. Once you have achieved this, keep engine running for five minutes. Under normal circumstances the cooling fan will activate within this timeframe. If there is any problem with the cooling fan it will not activate, in which circumstance your engine’s temperature will soar.
It is a norm all over the world that: roads are mended and built afresh in the summer months. But, before a road is made lot of digging around the area is needed. When you are driving a used car in summer months always beware of the "Road under Construction" signs. These are areas where you have to drive with due caution. The stones, tar and debris in the surrounding area can hurt your bodywork. Drive slowly in areas where road construction work is in progress. Do not get too close to the back of another car, for it may fling stones damaging your bodywork.
Even when your coolant levels and cooling fan is fine, you can still have problems with overheated engine. Such problems arise when you are stuck in traffic for long. When you see signs of engine overheating immediately turn the heater to its full capacity.
These were some of the many cares you should take to maintain perfect running condition of used cars in the hot summer months.
