From camping to music festivals or just a friend’s barbeque, there are an abundance of reasons to get out of the house and on the road during the summer in Oregon. It gets exciting and active around here during the warm weather, so it’s good reason to start prepping your car now for the coming weather. Here are a few things to check on your vehicle to make sure it’s ready for summer.
Fluids
You’ll want to check the fluids of your vehicle to make sure everything’s working right. Fluids serve as lubricants for your car’s moving parts and prevents overheating. They’re absolutely necessary year-round, but especially when its hot out. All fluid levels should be checked on a regular basis to ensure none are leaking or burning up in the engine. This includes, but isn’t limited to, engine oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, radiator coolant, power steering and brake fluid.
Hoses
Hoses should also be checked before any long trips. If one is loose, you and your friends might be stuck waiting the on the side of the road for a tow truck instead of getting to that outdoor show across town.
Tires
Tires are vital on long trips, they’re what connects your car to the road. Make sure you have a healthy amount of tread on your tires to ensure traction, beware of tires warn down too much. Also make sure they’re inflated closer to the maximum amount of pressure during the summer months. Having under-inflated tires affects the brake response and handling of the vehicle, and if the road becomes too hot, this combination can lead to overheating and blown-out tires.
Brakes
Summer is a highly active part of the year, and this means lots of people on the road. With heavier traffic comes the higher probability of accidents, so you’ll want to be prepared and prevent anything from happening to you. Besides defensive driving, exceptionally responsive brakes are you first line of accident prevention. Worn brakes could be the difference between rear-ending someone who’s stopped suddenly versus being able to brake in time. Getting your brakes checked will give you an idea of how much life is left in them and how well new brakes could increase your stopping time.
Being Prepared
Even with all the preventative maintenance in the world, things still happen, so make sure you’re prepared if they do. Having a vehicle emergency kit is highly recommended. This kit should contain things that come in handy at the event of a vehicle breakdown or accident such as a first aid kit, flashlight, road flares, and jumper cables.
Make sure you’re prepared for the summer by visiting https://www.kandmautoservice.com/. We’re a family owned and operated business servicing the greater Portland and Gresham areas. We would love to help you get your vehicle prepped for the hot weather. Visit our website to schedule and appointment, today.
