Can You Handle the Heat? Read Our Car Care Tips for Summer

Summer is the perfect time to hit the beach or go on a big road trip. The only hiccup? The summer heat calls for extra car care between pit stops. As the temperatures rise, so too do your car’s maintenance requirements. Your brakes, air conditioner, and electronics — which already generate a lot of heat — strain more as they strive to regulate their temperature.

The good news is that prevention saves on major repairs and enhances summer driving comfort. Summer car care can be as simple as regularly checking the cooling system to stay ahead of overheating issues. Want to keep the engine spinning all summer long and beyond? Read on for more car care tips to protect your ride and keep you safe.

Bring Brake Fade to a Screeching Halt

When the going gets hot, the brake system is more vulnerable to overheating — especially if you’re taking it on a long drive. Bonus points if there’s bumper-to-bumper traffic or you need to stop mid-hill (in which case, best of luck to manual drivers who lack the luxury of a hill holder). When brakes lose their grip in the heat this way, it’s called brake fade, and this happens because:

• The brake pads and discs are too hot to provide optimal friction, and
• The brake fluids have lost their effectiveness due to the heat.

You can tell when brake fade is coming, too. You may notice:

• A squealing or grinding noise when you brake
• A burning smell, especially following heavy braking
• The brake pedal feels soft or ‘spongy’ underfoot
• The car pulls to one side as you brake
• A vibrating brake pedal or steering wheel.

So, what happens when you ignore these signs? Your brakes may have reduced stopping power, as well as longer braking distances. In other words, you may have to press the pedal harder or longer just to slow down. What a nightmare — especially when you need to stop suddenly or are halfway through a steep descent.

The good news? You can take proactive steps to bring brake fade to a screeching halt. These can include:

• Giving your brakes a breather between long descents
• Avoiding slamming on the brakes if you can help it (a good tip for driving in general, really)
• Inspecting pads and rotors often for signs of brake fade.

Keeping tabs is an excellent summer heat car care practice that can keep you safe on the road — and help you dodge some costly repairs.

Taking (Climate) Control: Keeping the AC in Mint Condition

The climate control system works up a sweat to keep you cool during summer. The least you can do is check in on it from time to time. Here are our top car care tips for keeping climate control systems cool throughout summer:

Run the AC Regularly — Even Throughout the Milder Months

Car parts are like muscles — if you don’t get them moving, they won’t work as well. Even in cooler climates, it helps to flick the air con on for 10–15 minutes every few weeks. This action keeps the compressor seals lubricated, preventing the dryness or cracking that can cause refrigerant leaks.

Keep an Ear Out for Odd Noises

Healthy compressors operate fairly noiselessly in the background. If your air conditioner is grinding, rattling, or squealing when you flick it on, get a qualified mechanic to run an eye over it — pronto, before the issue escalates.

Pre-Summer Services Are a Good Idea

How’s your compressor faring? Get its clutch, belt, and seals inspected by a professional to find out. Do this before summer so you have time to replace any worn or torn parts.

No one wants a broken air con on a sweltering hot day. Take back (climate) control with these car care tips and avoid expensive breakdowns. You’ll be grateful for a functional climate control system not just during summer, but throughout the entire year.

Sensor Sensitivity: How Heat Affects Modern Electronics

High summer temperatures don’t just challenge brakes and air conditioning — they can also affect your car sensors. But what exactly are the different sensors for cars? Let’s go through them one by one.

Ambient Air Temperature Sensor

Think of this sensor as a thermometer measuring the outside temperature. It delivers this data to the car’s computer, which adjusts the air-conditioning system and fuel mixture accordingly. Please note that it can give inaccurate readings when exposed to direct sunlight or radiant heat from asphalt. This can make for a less effective air conditioner, as well as decreased fuel efficiency.

Coolant Temperature Sensor

While the ambient air temperature sensor monitors outside temperature, the coolant temperature sensor keeps tabs on inside temperature. That said, this sensor can fail under excessive heat, potentially giving a false ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ reading. Without a functional coolant temperature sensor, the engine may overheat without warning or potentially run on a rich, inefficient fuel mixture.

Car Oxygen Sensor

The car’s oxygen sensor knows how much unburnt oxygen is in the exhaust gases, unless it degrades over time due to extreme heat. Such degradation leads to inaccurate readings and affects the air-fuel mixture.

Mass Airflow Sensor

The oxygen sensor monitors the oxygen exiting the car, while the mass airflow sensor tracks how much air enters the engine. It’s not as vulnerable to heat as the ambient air temperature sensor, but the culmination of heat beneath the bonnet can hinder its performance, which, in turn, affects fuel economy and engine performance.

Crankshaft Position Sensor

Perhaps the most critical of the car sensors, the crankshaft position sensor monitors crankshaft rotation, which is critical for engine timing and fuel injection. When subjected to high temperatures, its electronic components can break down, potentially stalling the engine or causing a no-start condition. Now you know which car sensors’s what, here are some common signs that the sensors aren’t sensing as they should:

• Check engine light: When the check engine light is on, a sensor is likely providing an out-of-range reading to the car’s computer.
• Poor engine performance: Sluggish acceleration, rough idling, stalling, or a noticeable decrease in power are all signs that a sensor is sick.
• Reduced fuel economy: When sensors aren’t regulating the air-fuel mixture, it only follows that the car will consume more fuel.
• Increased emissions: Exhaust shouldn’t smell like rotten eggs. If it does (or if the car is giving off higher levels of harmful emissions), you may have a malfunctioning sensor that is setting the air-fuel ratio off-balance.
• Inoperative or inefficient air conditioning: If the air con’s acting up, that can mean the ambient air temperature sensor is too.
• Engine overheating: If the coolant temperature sensor isn’t working, the cooling fans may not kick in when they should. The result? Engine damage.

So, how do we keep car sensors in check? Check them regularly (especially when warning lights illuminate), and replace them when necessary. It can also help to park your car in the shade.

Nothin’ but Blue Skies from Now On

Now you know our top car care tips for summer, you can hit the road in a safer car — with a sunnier disposition. When navigating heat, what it boils down to is checking in on your car more often and keeping its temperature regulated.

If you need to upgrade your car’s brakes, air conditioner, or sensors, you’ve come to the right online store. Get your vehicle ready for summer with quality parts from Machter.