Summer is a season that everyone across the United States looks forward to the most because it brings those beautiful summer days!  Unfortunately, those summer months also bring extreme heat to some states.

Extreme heat from the sun’s UV rays can heavily and negatively affect your vehicle in so many different ways from the exterior to the interior. Let’s dive into the different ways extreme outdoor heat can affect your vehicle, and what you need to do to prevent it from happening during those warm summer months!  

Car Paint

The sun’s heat rays can negatively impact the exterior of your vehicle, particularly the vehicle’s paint.  Nobody likes to see rust or paint start to chip on their precious vehicle so in order to protect it, store your vehicle inside a garage whenever possible.  The enclosed area will protect against the ultraviolet lights from the sun.  Waxing your vehicle once every three weeks will also add an additional layer of protection against the UV rays.  

If you keep your vehicle stored and maintained correctly, it will prevent cracks and chips. If your vehicle’s paint has already started to chip, fix those paint chips as soon as possible to prevent them from getting worse.  Make sure to always wash your car often to protect your vehicle from damage due to heat as well.  

Summertime also brings out a massive spike of bugs, so be sure to wash your windows and the grill of your car to minimize the number of bugs that are damaging the exterior of your vehicle.  Replacing the air filters on your vehicle often will help keep bugs out of your vehicle along with dust and pollen that is also prevalent during the summer months.  

Hot Tires

During the summer months, the heat could cause your tires to overheat.  Overheated tires can result in lower tire pressure than normal, and if this goes without being noticed you could end up with a blown-out tire.  The best solution is to routinely check your tire pressure every two weeks to ensure that your tires have the correct amount of air in them because, in the summer, the tire pressure can significantly drop faster than in the winter.  

Another thing to consider is hot asphalt on the roads, which can stick to your tires and tire shoes.  If pieces of asphalt begin to stick to your tires, you could be in trouble!  Wash your tires, rims, and shoes often when driving on asphalt to remove all the grime, chemicals, and oil that gets splattered onto your vehicle. 

Hot Battery

When it’s hot outside, your car’s batteries’ vital liquids could begin to evaporate and weaken the charge.  Hot temperatures can also impact the corrosion process of your vehicle’s battery which will damage the internal structure of your vehicle.  

Long story short, heat can drain and damage your car’s battery so its best to drive the vehicle often so that the vehicle’s battery does not self-discharge.  Keep your battery posts and battery clean.  Dirt can negatively affect the conductor of the battery.  

Avoid using the vehicle’s electronics when the engine is off, as that will drain the battery of your vehicle quickly, and always park in a nice shaded area away from direct sunlight.  

Air Conditioning

Finally, your air conditioning is used a lot during the summer months to keep you cool inside of your vehicle, but extensive use comes with extensive maintenance otherwise your car AC will give up on you.  

Changing your air filter regularly will help protect against dust and debris from getting into your air conditioning unit.  At the start of summer, you should take your vehicle to a local repair shop for regular maintenance, to make sure that your vehicle’s AC, Oil, and Tires are all working properly.  Having a DriveSmart Auto Warranty will also help you on those hot summer days with free 24/7 roadside assistance. 

Written by: Stephen Lubas