10 tips for car enthusiasts to survive the heat

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Find out why you need to turn on the stove in the summer, how easy it is to get rid of bitumen stains, and why you need to wash your car as often as possible.

Extreme heat is just as severe a test for a car as winter frosts. The asphalt melts from high temperatures, and the hood gets so hot that you can cook fried eggs on it. Our tips will help you avoid problems with your car and make your life easier in hot summer.

1. Check the cooling system

If you have not yet managed to do the maintenance of the system, do not delay it. Be sure to check the level of antifreeze in the expansion tank. And, if necessary, add fluid according to the marks. In order not to burn yourself, it is best to do this when the engine is cold.

Carefully inspect all pipes and radiator for leaks and make sure there are no leaks. Remember that the coolant has a limited service life, which, depending on the brand, ranges from two to five years or from 20 to 40 thousand kilometers. Over time, it becomes dirty and loses its properties. If you don't remember when the antifreeze was last changed, then it is better to get rid of the old one as soon as possible and fill in a new one.

Also check if the radiator fan comes on when the engine is warm. If not, then you should contact an auto electrician and fix the problem. Otherwise, there is a risk of antifreeze boiling when driving at low speed and standing in traffic jams, when the natural blowing of air for cooling is not enough.

2. Wash your car often

Despite the lower amount of dirt, you need to wash your car even more often in summer than at other times of the year. At least once, and preferably twice a week. The fact is that dust deposits and bird droppings, which inevitably appear after parking in the shade of trees, cause uneven paint fading and the appearance of noticeable spots on the body. A clean car (even in a dark color) reflects the sun's rays much better and thereby reduces their negative impact on the paintwork.

3. Clean the radiator from dirt

Remember to keep the engine radiator and air conditioner clean. When moving, fluff, dust, midges and other debris get into them, which clogs thin combs and impairs cooling. It is important to periodically clean the radiator and keep it clean. For cleaning, it is best to use a pressure washer and flush the radiator from the engine side with a gentle jet, pushing the dirt out. In case of slight contamination, you can simply blow out the honeycomb with compressed air.

4. Do not panic if the engine "boils"

If the temperature arrow has reached the red zone, and streams of steam are escaping from under the hood, do not be alarmed. Instead, turn the stove on to maximum to increase heat extraction and lower the coolant temperature. Then stop immediately or, while driving at low speeds, find a place to stop.

Stop the engine, but do not turn off the ignition to keep the radiator fan running. Open the hood carefully using gloves or a rag to avoid scalding from the steam escaping from the engine compartment. After waiting a few minutes, also carefully remove the cap of the expansion tank to relieve excess pressure.

After the engine has cooled down, go to the nearest car service to fix the problem, having previously replenished the coolant level. Ideally, it is better to add the same brand of antifreeze that was before. If no coolant is available, distilled water can be used. As a last resort, ordinary water will do, but after that the antifreeze will have to be replaced as soon as possible.

5. Protect your interior from the sun

Most of the time the car spends in the parking lot under the scorching sun. In just half an hour, the temperature in the cabin rises to 50 ° C, turning it into an oven. The plastic in the dashboard overheats and can begin to crack, the skin dries out and loses its appearance. Even ordinary fabric upholstery suffers, which simply fade in direct sunlight.

Do not forget lighters, phones and other electronic gadgets with batteries in the cabin, which, due to overheating, can cause a fire.

Special reflective screens for the windshield will help reduce heat and prevent upholstery burnout. They are easily installed using suction cups and prevent the sun's rays from entering the passenger compartment, reducing the temperature by about 10 ° C.

6. Take care of the steering wheel

If the car stands in the sun for a long time without a reflective screen under the windshield, then the steering wheel becomes hot to such an extent that it is impossible to grasp it with your hands. It is quite easy to avoid this unpleasant situation. It is enough to turn the steering wheel 180 degrees before leaving the car in the parking lot. As a result, the lower part of the steering wheel will heat up, and the upper part, which is usually held by hands, remains cold. Using the man's example above is also an option.

7. Take your time to drive

Sitting in a stuffy cabin is still a pleasure. Therefore, before setting off, it is better to ventilate the car a little. The easiest way to do this is to open all windows or doors and wait a couple of minutes until the temperature inside equals the temperature outside.

Owners of cars with air conditioning and climate control are also better off doing this. Or at least not turn on the cooling at maximum power. Otherwise, due to the large temperature difference, cold air currents directed to the windshield can cause cracks.

8. Get rid of splashing bitumen

One of the unpleasant consequences of the heat is the stains and splashes of bitumen that form on discs, fenders and doors after driving on molten asphalt. Fortunately, they can be removed without much tweak. The easiest way is to contact a car wash with such a problem, but you can do it yourself.

Sprays for removing bituminous stains will help to clean the body. The composition is applied to the contaminated area, left for a couple of minutes and then wiped off with a clean sponge. If you don't have a special tool at hand, you can use ordinary white spirit, kerosene or alcohol. They dissolve bitumen and deal with pollution just as well. The main thing is to rub the stains with a soft sponge for no longer than 20-25 seconds so that the solvent does not cloud the varnish.

9. Keep a supply of chilled water in the machine

Everyone knows that there should always be a bottle of water in the car. But many people forget that it can be kept chilled. Almost all cars equipped with air conditioning or climate control have a damper that allows you to direct cold air into the glove compartment and thereby turn it into a makeshift refrigerator for water, energy bars and other snacks. The flap is located on one of the inner walls of the glove compartment and looks like a handle that you just need to turn or move.

10. Open drinks with improvised means

When openers and corkscrews are not at hand, you can open a bottle of lemonade or wine with what is in the car. For glass bottles of soda or beer, it is convenient to use the tip of the seat belt. And wine without a corkscrew can be easily opened using a car compressor. To do this, you need to take a needle for inflating balls, which is almost always included in the set of nozzles, pierce the cork with it and direct air into the bottle until the cap is squeezed out by pressure from the inside.