Owning your first car is indeed an exciting time. Now, you can easily go on a road trip without worrying about transportation. But before you bring your car to your next adventure, there are a lot of things you need to know first. As part of your proper car care and maintenance, it is a must that you learn how different temperatures can affect your car. Here’s what extreme cold and heat can do to your new investment.
Windshield
The cold and hot seasons both have negative effects on your windshield. Your windshield can freeze during winter while the hot sun can stress the windshield, making it fragile overtime. If you are not careful when trying to cool or warm your car, you can end up with a broken windshield.
If your windshield is frozen or covered in ice, avoid blasting hot air or pouring hot water directly on it. Use ice scrapers and scrape horizontally to get rid of ice. Invest in a washer fluid and a windshield wiper for winter weather to increase visibility.
During summer, cool your car slowly and angle your vents downward. Blasting cold air can stress your windshield, causing it to crack. Find a reliable company for the auto windshield repair, and you can avoid needing to replace the whole thing.
Tire
Extreme temperatures can affect your tire pressure. When the outside temperature is too cold, the air in your tire takes less volume. Then it’s hot, it takes more volume.
Note that every time the temperature lowers, the inflation pressure can drop between one to two psi. Once your car warms up, tire pressure will increase by one psi every five minutes for the firth 15 to 20-minute drive. Improperly inflated tires can lead to safety issues as well as higher fuel economy.
Make sure to keep your tires well-inflated. Check and maintain the recommended tire pressure. Measure tire pressure before you leave and adjust pressure as necessary.
Paint
Your car’s paint serves as an extra layer of protection to your vehicle. But even the best paint job won’t last if you don’t take care of your car. Note that both the hot and cold weather can wreak havoc to your car’s paint. Sun and heat can crack and fade your car’s paint.
The extreme cold can reveal a sloppy paint job and cause small warping within the layers of paint. Don’t forget that we often use salt on roads during winter. Consistent exposure to salt can affect both your paint and the body it protects underneath.
During summer, you can protect your paint by keeping your car in a shady place. A layer of wax after washing and drying the car also helps both in summer and winter.
Battery
Car batteries get weaker as it gets colder. You can end up with a dead battery just when you badly needed it. Even summer can rob your battery’s life.
For best results, make sure you check on your battery no matter the season. Keep it clean, watch for signs of corrosion, leaks, cracks, and low water levels. Charge your battery if you don’t intend to use it for a few days or weeks.
During winter, keep your battery warm by driving it at least 20 minutes each day. Park it somewhere warmer than the bare outdoors. Take it to the pro for regular checks and replace them as necessary.
There are other ways the extreme heat and cold can damage your car. With proper care and maintenance, you can avoid costly repairs and replacements caused by the intense weather. No matter the season, don’t take car care and maintenance for granted to make the most out of your new investment.