Summer road trips usually come with a familiar checklist for us all: sunglasses, cold drinks, a good playlist and a wonderful destination. But while you are thinking about ways to keep yourself cool, your car is dealing with the same heat as well.
High temperatures, long highway drives, traffic jams and long hours under direct sunlight can all make summer tougher on a car. Most of the time, everything can work out as it should. But knowing what to look out for, what not to do, can save you from turning a beautiful road trip into an afternoon spent waiting by the roadside.
Here are a few summer driving tips worth knowing before you set off.
1. Your engine is overheating. Now what?
Picture this: the road is clear, your playlist is perfect and then suddenly the engine temperature warning light appears, or you notice that the temperature gauge climbing much higher than usual.
First: do not panic.
Find a safe place to pull over as soon as you can, turn on your hazard lights if necessary and switch off your engine. Then give your car time to cool down.
And here is one of the most important parts: do NOT immediately open the radiator or coolant cap. When the engine is hot, the cooling system can be under pressure, meaning extremely hot steam or coolant can escape the hatch when opened.
If you see steam coming from the engine, the temperature keeps rising, or the warning comes back after the vehicle has been cooled and restarted, don’t try to just make it another 20 kilometers.
This is your cue to contact roadside assistance or your rental car provider. The beach will still be there when you arrive late. Your engine would prefer not to arrive smoking.
2. The air conditioning suddenly stopped feeling very air-conditioned
When it is 35 degrees outside, warm air coming through the vents is something you notice very quickly.
The AC suddenly becomes much less effective, especially alongside increasing engine temperature, so pay attention to what the car is trying to tell you.
Turn down any unnecessary electrical demand and find somewhere to stop if the engine temperature is also rising.
If you are driving a rental car, avoid attempting mechanical fixes yourself. Contact roadside assistance or the rental company to follow their instructions.
Your holiday should be relaxing and does not need an unexpected Bob the Builder arc.
3.Tires can feel the summer heat too
Tires are one of those things that most of us think about when something goes wrong. But temperature affects tire pressure and long drives on hot asphalt can put extra stress on them.
Before a longer trip, check that the tires look properly inflated, and keep an eye out for visible damage.
If you need to check tire pressure, follow the recommended pressure specified for the vehicle rather than guessing based on how the tire looks.
And don’t forget a classic: take a quick walk around the car before heading off. Thirty seconds now can be more convenient than discovering a problem halfway to the coast.
4. Never underestimate how hot a parked car becomes
Even when the weather outside feels manageable, the inside of a closed vehicle can heat up extremely quickly in direct sunlight.
Never leave children or pets unattended in a parked vehicle, even for what feels like just a minute.
For your own comfort, park in the shade where possible, use underground parking and give the car a moment to ventilate before settling in for the next leg of the journey. That steering wheel has been sunbathing too.
5.Summer traffic can be harder on the car
Slow-moving traffic on a hot afternoon is not anyone’s favorite part of a road trip.
If you know that you will be travelling through a busy city or popular tourist destination, consider leaving earlier in the morning or later in the day when temperatures and traffic may be more manageable.
Keep enough fuel in your tank, especially before driving through less populated areas, and do not wait until the warning light to start looking for a gas station.
6. One final summer driving rule
When something feels wrong, do not push the car simply because you are near your destination.
Always pull over somewhere safe, assess the situation and contact assistance whenever necessary. Most summer drives are wonderfully uneventful, exactly as they should be. So grab some water, queue your playlist, check the dashboard and go chase those final summer sunsets!
And remember that your destination can always wait an extra few minutes. The road is better when you arrive safely.