It’s no secret that Florida heat is hard on all of us, including our cars. That’s why it’s important for drivers to understand how a car’s function is affected by summertime in the sunshine state.
Why does the Florida heat affect your vehicle’s function?
With all the different moving parts, a car’s engine is designed to take on a lot of heat—but when it’s extremely hot outside, this heat puts extra pressure on your vehicle and may cause it to overheat.
When a car overheats due to hot summer temperatures, the vehicle’s mechanics and performance are subject to severe damage. Some drivers have even experienced their car not starting after being exposed to severe temperatures.
What exactly is affected?
Your vehicle’s fluid levels
High summer temperatures cause fluids in your car to become thinner and evaporate more quickly, which reduces their cooling effect, leaving behind a great deal of damage and overheating the vehicle. Make sure you check your car’s fluid levels routinely. These fluids include windshield wiper liquid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, oil, coolant, and power-steering fluids.
Your car battery
Your car’s battery suffers during the summer. The extreme heat affects your vehicle’s battery by halting the ionic reactions inside. Essentially, this means that there’s too much heat, and it’s eating away at the chemicals in your car’s battery, so it burns out faster than usual. That’s why it’s sometimes difficult to start your car in hot Florida weather—because your battery is either temporarily or permanently disabled.
The best way to avoid any battery issues is to get your car serviced right before summertime.
Your tires
High temperatures in the summer season can affect your car, especially the air levels in your tires. That’s because hot weather causes your tire pressure to increase by one to two pounds. If you’re not consistently monitoring your tire pressure, the extra inflation in your tires could cause you to have a blowout while driving, damaging your vehicle and making you even lose control of your steering. Make sure to keep your tire pressure at manufacturer-recommended levels to avoid these issues.
How to Keep Your Car Functioning Properly
The best plan to keep your car functioning properly during hot summer days is to stay up-to-date with your routine car maintenance. It’s really that simple!
Just make sure you monitor your vehicle’s fluid levels, performance, engine, and tires so you can ensure you’re driving safely, especially in hot weather. If you’re searching for a car mechanic, come on over to Big Chief Tire, and we’ll take care of you.