Top 5 Summer Motoring Tips
1. Check your coolant level
Naturally during the warmer months there is an increased risk of your engine overheating, which can result in some costly repair bills. To avoid this unfortunate situation, it’s important to check your coolant (or antifreeze) level. You should have a mix of half water and half antifreeze. If you’d rather skip measuring them out to a 50:50 ratio, you can buy premixed liquid from automotive shops. If you haven’t paid any attention to your radiator in a while, the best idea is to flush everything out and add new water and coolant as it’s best to completely replace these fluids every two years.
2. Test your cooling fan
If your engine were to overheat, your fan would come to the rescue and push cold air through the radiator to cool it down. This means it’s also vital to check that your cooling fan is working to a high standard for summer. The way you check your fan is to firstly make sure your heater is on cold, then run the car until you see the needle hit the middle of the temperature gauge. Next, park the car and leave the engine running for around five minutes, which is when the fan should come into action. If there is something not quite right with your fan, you’ll notice the temperature continuing to increase when it is supposed to cool down. If this is the case, turn the engine off and take your car in to a mechanic to have the fan looked at.
3. Recharge your air conditioner
Being in a hot stuffy car during summer is almost unbearable so it pays to make sure your air conditioning is working effectively before the intense humidity really kicks in. If your air conditioning is a bit weak, the refrigerant that makes the air cold has probably leaked out and you will need to recharge it. You can buy a canister of refrigerant from most automotive stores - follow the instructions on the back of the specific brand you’ve purchased to top up your air conditioner.
4. Check your tyre pressure
Higher temperatures can cause tyre pressure to fluctuate. Every five degree increase in temperate can change tyre pressure by 1-2 PSI, which can really catch you out if you’re not aware. It’s helpful to be familiar with your vehicle’s recommended tyre pressure and check it more often over the warmer months.