In Pakistan we have constantly seen that everything has been increasing at a fast pace, same goes for the temperature as we have seen the temperatures become increasingly warmer and hotter during the summer months which are so prolonged now due to climate change and all, you may notice increased car problems. Remarkably, cars like humans can be sensitive to weather and changes in it, that’s why we’ve highlighted common summer car problems in this blog and how you can avoid them by following these few simple tips and tricks.

Summer brings sunshine and higher temperatures, but it can also bring summertime car problems. Here are some common car problems in the summer and hot weather car tips to keep your car running in top condition no matter what the weather may be.

Summer is the perfect time for road trips and new adventures. We look forward to summers for planning trips and vacations where few days of relaxation and different from routine. Sadly, it’s also one of the hottest time the time when car breakdowns can occur because the extreme heat and weather can affect several car components such as the engine, tires, brakes, battery, and fluids.
Below mentioned are Summer Weather Car Problems and How to avoid them and save a lot of money!

Tire Bursts

One of the most common car complications experienced during the summer season and is tire bursts. Due to the rise and fall in temperature (very hot days and cooler nights), the air pressure in the tires can be seriously affected making it easier for them to get damaged leading them to become worn. During the summer season assure that your tires are inflated properly to avoid this problem. Also, one should not forget to check the tire wear patterns and remember, it’s vital for an individual to remember that one should not drive their winter tires throughout the summer.
Problem 2: Weak Battery
During extreme hot weather conditions, the car battery must works a lot harder almost double to keep the car cool in hot conditions. You need to assure that the battery is in top contour and that nothing is hindering the flow of air over the battery. If you find and notice a slow engine crank start, this could mean it’s that’s part of the year where it’s time for a new battery.

Overheating

We definitely can’t blame the sun for this one! A defective cooling system can lead the engine to become overheated. To prevent this from happening, keep an eye and check on fluid levels. If fluids from the car engine are being drained faster than usual, there could be a leak in the system. Also, if you ever notice that steam is coming out from the hood of your car, without wasting a minute pull over immediately and call a repair shop for assistance.

Worn Wiper Blades

Small things which can have a great impact, are the wiper blades can easily become worn from overuse leaving them damaged and making it difficult to remove water without streaking. Replace your wipers when they have become worn to make sure your visibility is not affected.
You’ll get quite a bit of use out of your wiper blades during the spring/summer rains. This will likely leave them worn and damaged making it difficult to remove water from your windshield without streaking.
This could cause a build-up of debris under those nicks or warps on the edge of the blade which may cause scratches on your windshield. That would be the cue for you to replace them.
Summer thunderstorms can get intense and it can be a sudden pour as well. One minute you’re enjoying the sunshine, poolside or at your home balcony or garden with a nice cold beverage in hand. The next, you’re getting pelted with heavy, messy drops of rain. If you’re driving, worn wipers can quickly lead to an unsafe driving state of affairs. It can be extremely dangerous if you get caught in one of these thunderstorms.
Pay attention that the edges of your wiper edges are crisp, straight, and intact. Thuds, nicks, or warped edges allow for water and debris to get underneath and cause streaking and even scratching. Manufacturers recommend replacing your wipers every six months. If your windshield looks like a toddler’s finger painting when it rains, it’s time for an upgrade.

Broken Air Conditioning

Summer is the worst time to not have air conditioning in a hot car. Ensure that the electrical components that power the AC are working well. One suggestion to keep your ac healthy and working are that you may want to consider driving every once in a while with your windows down when the weather isn’t that hot to reduce the strain on your AC.
We understand that there’s nothing quite as satisfying and comforting as a cool car on a hot summer’s day thanks to your trusted AC. If the AC breaks down, the temperature inside the car can rise to dangerous levels which could be detrimental to the health of the passengers of the car.
So, check to see that the vehicle’s fluids are at prime levels and that all the electrical components that power the AC are working fine. To reduce the strain on the AC, try driving the car during the cooler times of day like in the mornings and evenings.

Worn Shock Absorbers

You might notice sometimes the car feels uneven and a little wobbly after hitting a pothole or after driving on gravel. Have the shocks checked before they can cause further damage to the car?
Those off-road summer adventures might sound all great and but they are recipe for disaster for the shocks. If after driving on the gravel or hitting a pothole you notice that your car feels a little uneven while driving, sluggish when making a turn or excessively bouncy the most likely culprit are the shocks. It’s a good idea to have them checked.

Dead Battery

One common summertime problem is a dead car battery. High temperatures can cause the evaporation of battery fluid, which makes the battery work harder, reducing its efficiency and lifespan. To avoid a dead battery, make sure you:
Things to remember…
1. Have the battery changed every three to five years
2. Keep the battery clean
3. Check your electrical system to make sure it’s charging at the proper rate
4. Engine Overheating
Another common problem in the summer months is an overheated engine. The engine naturally produces a lot of friction and heat, so when temperatures get high and we’re dealing with a heatwave, it’s easy for the engine to become overheated. That’s why it’s important to check your engine in hot weather to monitor its temperature. It’s also a good idea to make sure the engine has the right amount of coolant to help regulate its temperature.

Tire Damage

Tire damage can occur during the summer months for several reasons. Foremost, asphalt heats very quickly, and driving on hot asphalt can cause the tires to lose adhesive friction and pressure. Heat also logically causes tires to lose pressure, as air indentures and expands with changes in temperatures. This change can lead to over-or under-inflated tires, which will reduce the vehicle’s manoeuvrability, increase wear on tires and affect your gas mileage.
To avoid excessive tire damage, be sure to check the tire pressure frequently, especially before, during and after any long car trip.

Fluid Leaks

Heat and sun can vaporize essential fluids in the vehicle, from brake fluid to coolant and more, which can cause abundant issues. For example, low brake fluid will affect the car’s capacity to stop and complicates the engine oil that can cause the engine to fail.
Summer heat also causes petrol to turn into gas, which will increase the pressure in the gas tank. This pressure is relieved through a system of hosepipes, but the hotter it is outdoor, the more the pressure will build. If the hose is fractured at all, the evaporated petrol will leak out of the tank, which will lower the fuel efficiency. The main thing, nevertheless, that we see in hot weather are blown head seals. The extreme high temperature will take what is generally a moderate head seal issue and push it into an added serious problem.

Funky Smell

Scorching heat might mean or may lead to more beach days, but the heat also encourages the growth of microorganisms and mildew. The best way to keep your car smelling fresh and clean is to quickly remove any wet or soggy things, such as bathing suits and towels, and allow the internal of the car to air dry completely (with doors and windows wide open) when it does get wet.
Is there a mildew smell already there in the making the passengers crinkle their noses? Don’t agonize. You can treat mildew damaged fabric or carpeting with a variation of all-natural solutions, like baking soda and coffee grounds. The Mold Blogger suggests in one of its blogs states that sprinkling the seats and floor with baking soda, letting it sit for a few hours, and then vacuuming it up. Still, if there is an odour problem? Try freshly grounded coffee beans. No, it’s not a period to bring out your French press while driving. Merely place a small open dish filled with ground beans and wait. The grounds will absorb any persistent smell or odour.

Emergency Kit

It is recommended to always keep an emergency kit in the car irrespective of the weather or climatic conditions. It is a good idea to keep checking the kit before a change in the season and modifying its content accordingly. For instance, a person can always remove the extra hoodie and swap it with a light cotton sweatshirt or some clothing as the season changes from winter to summer.
Blood pressure medicine, water bottle, and basic first aid apparatuses are an essential part of an emergency kit that need to keep in car 24/7. All this certainly becomes more essential if an individual is driving outside city confines or going on a long road trip.

Children

Now and then, parents tend to keep their kids unattended in the car’s back seat while they step out of the vehicle for a quick shopping trip or a teeny tiny smoke break. This can be dangerous or even fatal in the summers.
Whether the car’s engine is switched on or off, children should not be left unsubstantiated, especially the younger ones. The temperature inside a static car that is uncovered to the sun can shoot up in an instant this can be a tough state of affairs for children. The same reasoning applies to pets as well.

Fuel

Driving during the summer period means the car’s air conditioning is working almost all the time. Dependent on other factors, this can make bad the car’s fuel economy. Therefore, be extra aware of the fuel meter in your car in the summer. You don’t want to be stranded in blistering heat, do you?

Windscreen

Try to clean the windscreen frequently and get rid of any scratches, dents, and cracks. When sunlight falls on such distractions at a certain angle, it can cause a glare, leading to a loss of focus. A few seconds of unfocused driving can be a cause for lethal accidents. Therefore, be proactive and avoid such situations.

Plan the Journey

Driving for long hours in the summer heat can take its toll on you. Driving three hours in winter is different from driving for three hours in high temperatures. You might want to wash your face to be refreshed, change a sweat-soaked shirt, or have a snack thanks to the constant heat. Be aware of the route, the pit stops, and try to plan your journey in a manner that avoid the peak heat timings, for example, cover most of the distance before the sun starts operating at full power.

Sun Glare

Keep those fashionable sunglasses handy during the summer season. Consider keeping an extra pair in the car if you do not want to carry them with you every time. For those who wear prescription eyeglasses, you can get special glasses made that will help you to avoid sun glare while driving.

Servicing

Different weather conditions pose various challenges to a car’s health. Thus, it is valuable to take satisfactory cautionary measures just before the start of every season in case someone lives in a locality that is exposed to marginal to extreme weather conditions or if there is a harsh change in weather situations.
While one might not want to undergo the full tuning, servicing and repairing treatment just before there is a change in the season, one might want to get the vehicle checked and go for specific required treatments that can prevent issues in the car before they flare up or aggravate.

Dehydration

Just in case you are someone who needs to be reminded to meet daily water-drinking requirements, then one needs to set an alarm or use a similar app that will help individuals to stay hydrated. Avoid sipping caffeinated or soda-based drinks, rely on water or fresh juices instead especially during the summer season. An important thing is that those who sweat a lot need to pay exceptional attention to their water intake, especially during the summer.

Vaporized Fuel Leaks

It’s time for a small chemistry lesson. Don’t worry, we’ll keep it short.
Heat in general causes the liquid fuel in your tank to vaporize. The trapped vapour causes the pressure in the fuel tank to rise. Cars are designed to allow this excess pressure to escape through a system of hoses where it is held until your car engine needs to use it. This system is particularly important in the summertime to prevent engine breakdowns and extend the life of the car when temperatures are abnormally high. If there’s a cracked hose in the system, the vaporized fuel leaks resulting in low gas mileage.
That’s the cue for the check engine light to come on. This is quite a communal problem in second-hand cars. If God forbid that happens, the local auto repair shop can sort that out the issue in an instant to have the car up and running in no time at all.

Summer Driving Safety Tips

1. Apart from the above-mentioned general tips, here are some specific summer driving safety tips to keep the car healthy while driving in hot weather/season
2. Avoid sun glare by replacing old wipers and keep the windshield clean.
3. Take breaks as per your body needs. For example, if you have a bad back, you might need to take more breaks while on a long trip as compared to somebody who doesn’t have such issues.
4. Prevent sudden changes in the temperature by increasing the air conditioning bit by bit before venturing out of the car and by reducing it slowly after you enter the vehicle after spending some time in the sun. Recurrent and unexpected fluctuations in the temperature can be harmful.
5. Try to park the car in the shade whenever possible.
6. Sidestep from driving if you are feeling weak and seek suitable medical help.

FAQS – Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1: Here are some frequently asked questions about driving your car in the summer season.

What kind of an effect does the hot weather have on a car’s performance?
Different weather conditions affect the vehicles differently. Hot weather, combined with other factors, can harm the vehicle. As mentioned in the above sections, a car’s tyres, battery, fluids, and mileage are affected because of intense heat.

Q2: Which kind of clothing will be helpful while driving in the summer?
Wear light-coloured comfortable clothes made of natural fibre fabrics. Cotton or linen are good choices.

Q3: Will my insurance company help me out in case my car breaks down due to overheating?
Insurance companies offer a Roadside Assistance Add-on that helps in such tricky situations. It can be purchased with a Comprehensive car insurance policy. Some insurers might offer it as a feature of the policy as well. If you have the appropriate plan, the insurance company will send a mechanic to repair your vehicle or arrange for a towing vehicle to take the car to a garage for repairs.

The Bottom Line

As much as these car problems may be common during the summer, don’t let them put a cramp in your style. If you can avoid them altogether, the better your summer will be.
The last thing you want is to get stuck by the side of the road waiting for a tow truck to rescue you from the hot summer sun. Get proactive and start preparing today.
Do you want to get the most out of your car? Be careful and up to date on effective ways you can use to keep your car in top condition. Last but not least you can avoid them and ensure your safety by checking your car before every drive, especially before a long-distance trip.

One Essential Step

Every tip and trick of taking care and maintenance is extremely important and needs to be remembered and taken off at regular intervals. There is also a need to address the risk which is not apparent and cannot be assessed completely or even be prevented 100%. These risks can be covered by buying a car insurance policy. The car insurance provides comprehensive coverage to the vehicle covering all the known unknown risks, the insurance policy covers the risks that are beyond maintenance and ignorance of the vehicle but mostly due to environmental factors not under human control. So one should always try to secure all fronts to avoid any kind of financial catastrophe.