Page 14 - AAA Schuylkill County – AAA Now! – July/August 2018

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
Is Your Car Ready for the Hot Summer Temperatures?
Whether you’re headed out on a weekend road trip, planning a month-long family vacation or waking a four-wheeled friend from its long winter nap, you’ll want to make sure the summer driving season brings maximum enjoyment and minimum stress. Before you pack up the car, check out these travel tips from AAA and your local AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities.
First of all, have your car looked over by a certified and inspected AAA Approved Auto Repair facility.
If you are a AAA member you can have a maintenance check performed free of charge with any paid maintenance or repair. The auto repair facility will check over those items on the engine that can frequently fail during summer’s heat, such as belts and hoses. Also, they will give you a written estimate of any repairs or maintenance and guarantee all work with a 24-month or 24,000-mile warranty that is good at over 7,000 repair facilities across the U.S. and Canada.
Tend to what connects your car to the road – your tires.
If you have snow tires on, make sure to switch to some all-season tires for the summer. Check your tire pressure – and check it often. Buy a quality tire pressure gauge to check air pressures and check the door decal that has the proper pressures for your vehicle listed on it. Check your tires when they are cool because as you drive on your tires the air pressure inside increases as the air gets warmer.
Stay on top of your car’s fluids.
If you’ve fallen behind on maintenance, get your vehicle's oil changed before you hit the road. Use the proper type of oil for your engine; 5w-30, 10w-30 or 10w-40 are multiviscous, and get a bit thinner the hotter it gets outside, thereby increasing the chance that the engine might not get the proper lubrication (it’s the opposite in winter). Check the owner’s manual for the proper oil rating for your vehicle, and if you are going to be driving in extremely hot weather you may
want to consider using slightly thicker oil in the engine for extra friction protection. Also, have the coolant checked and make sure it has enough protection for both summer’s heat and winter’s cold, which is ideally a 50/50 mix of coolant and water, but again verify this by checking your owner’s manual.
Have your battery checked.
Summer’s heat and vibration are the two primary causes of battery failure in vehicles. With today’s vehicles being heavily dependant on electrical components such as computers, switches and motors, it is absolutely vital to have a good strong battery and charging system to power all of them. If your vehicle is four or more years old and has the original battery, it is highly advisable to have it replaced before you go on a trip. If you are a AAA member, call us and one of our trained battery installers will come to your location to install a fresh, reasonably priced six-year AAA battery in your vehicle.
Make sure you can see.
Check your wiper blades for condition; if they are skipping on the windshield or streaking it, they need to be replaced. Twice a year replacement is not unusual because of damage from winter ice and summer bugs and dirt. Also, do a light check regularly to make sure all your lights – especially headlights, turn signals and brake lights – are functioning properly.
Finally, pack for emergencies.
Carry a cell phone with a full charge and a cell phone charger in the car. Also carry an emergency kit with a flashlight, flares, first aid kit, jumper cables, gloves, paper towels, extra washer fluid, non-perishable food, a gallon of water and some basic tools (Leatherman, wrenches, ratchet/socket set, screwdrivers, pliers or Vise-Grips, etc.).
If you take care of your car before you go on your trip, it will take care of you and make sure you have a safe, trouble-free trip. For more information on AAA’s Approved Auto Repair program, go to AAA.com/autorepair.
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