(Family Features) Taking proper care of your vehicle is important all year, but summer heat brings a unique set of challenges to your car’s air conditioning system, tires, brakes, battery and more. To ensure your vehicle is prepared to safely handle the summer elements and to help avoid breakdowns, preventative maintenance is necessary.
The car care experts at Goodyear Auto Service offer these essential tips that can help keep your car performing safely, comfortably and cool – all summer long:
- Keep tires properly inflated. As temperatures rise, so does your tire pressure. Tires with high air pressure perform inefficiently as compared to properly inflated tires. Check your tires regularly, leveraging the inflation level molded into the driver door sidewall or in your vehicle’s manual.
- Check air conditioning. The experts at weather.com are predicting warmer than average summer temperatures for a vast majority of the country. When temperatures climb, avoid losing your cool with preventative care. Look for specials on services such as the Goodyear Auto Service Summer Car Care event, which delivers up to $50 worth of air conditioning system check services for just $9.99 through July 31. The checks include an air conditioning belt inspection, assessment of electronic controls and up to two pounds of refrigerant for testing.
- Test and replace the battery. Battery failure is the No. 1 cause of car breakdowns. Often, batteries give slight warning signs when they run low. For example, you may notice the engine struggling to turn over upon ignition or see white, blue or orange fuzz forming around the battery. While a typical battery life is 4 1/2 years, each day of extreme weather – both hot and cold – contributes to the shortening of a battery’s life. It’s a good idea to have your battery tested by a trained professional during peak seasons to determine whether it’s time for a replacement.
- Don’t overlook tread depth. When it comes to tire maintenance, proper depth is an easy way to maximize safety and performance. There are several ways to check tread depth, including the “penny test.” Simply insert a penny into your tire’s tread groove with Lincoln’s head upside down, facing you. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, it’s time to replace your tires. Through July 31, Goodyear Auto Service is offering big savings on tires through online and mail-in rebates where customers can double their savings when using a Goodyear credit card.
- Inspect brakes. If your car jerks or pulls to the side when you apply the brakes, or if you hear sounds like squeaking, squealing or grinding, it’s likely time for service. Always check your owner’s manual, but a general rule of thumb is to have your brakes checked every 12 months or 15,000 miles.
To learn more about car care maintenance and to set up an appointment to get your air conditioning system serviced at the Summer Car Care event, visit GoodyearAutoService.com.
