MERRIAM, Kan. — When it comes to triple-digit degree heat, don't neglect checking under your car's hood for critical summer maintenance, including the air conditioner.
“You're really stressing out that system to work as hard as it possibly can to keep things cool,” Johnson County Automotive owner Alan Heriford said.
That’s why you should make sure everything under the hood is regularly maintained and inspected.
“Test to make sure that system is full, our coolant's clean, our belts are in good shape so our water pump's working well,” Heriford said.
Another thing to check in this heat? Your tires. Experts say it can be one of the biggest factors of blowouts.
“A lot of times, when the pressure's too low in the tire, that causes the tire to overheat,” Heriford said. “You certainly don't want to be on the side of the road changing a tire when it's 110 degrees.”
And if you feel your car is running too hot, shut it off.
“A lot of people don't realize it's kind of like a stop light — if it's yellow, it means caution, if it's red, it means stop," Heriford said. "It doesn't mean drive 10 miles home. Don't ruin an engine because you're overheating something.”
Also, when it comes to air flow inside, make sure there aren’t any leaves or debris blocking the front of the car, so the air circulates without obstruction.
Before any long summer road trip, be sure to change the oil and engine filter to reduce the chance of damage.
