The end of spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Can warm weather damage your car, truck, or SUV? It can in some ways but don’t panic. It’s nothing serious unless your vehicle overheats. Spring maintenance for your automobile, both professional and DIY, can get your vehicle ready for summer and prevent warm-weather damage. Here is a list of what can go wrong in the spring and summer.
Engine Trouble
Your vehicle’s engine is designed to keep the temperature under 220 degrees Fahrenheit. If the engine temperature gets above that number, your car, truck, or SUV will overheat. Have the oil changed and the radiator flushed prior to the hot summer months to make sure the engine stays cool, even when the mercury rises. Your engine works hard in hot weather, so keeping it cool is crucial to its performance.
Exterior Damage
Spring and summer also introduce many things that can damage your vehicle’s exterior. The good news is, you can avoid this damage if you wash and wax your automobile regularly and/or buy a quality vehicle cover. You might be surprised to learn that the things we enjoy about the spring can cause harm to your vehicle. Specifically, as the weather warms
- Pollen is introduced into the air and settles on your car, truck, or SUV. Excessive pollen can scratch your vehicle when you try to wipe it off. It can also be acidic and eat away at your vehicle’s paint.
- Trees begin to bloom and release their sap. This sap is stickier than rubber cement, and if it finds its way onto your automobile, you’ll have a heck of a time getting it off.
- Birds build their nests in the trees to hatch eggs and, well, they poop on your car, truck, or SUV. We won’t candy-coat. Bird droppings have uric acid in them, and this can eat through your paint.
- Bugs swarm in the spring and seem to have a suicide-pact. The front of your car and the windshield is their method. While they can’t damage your windshield, the acid from their splattered bodies can eat through your paint. Sorry for being graphic.
You don’t want any of this to damage your vehicle’s exterior. As mentioned above, washing and waxing will help prevent pollen, bird poop, and bug damage, and if you park under a tree, a car cover will keep the sap off your vehicle’s exterior. Preventative maintenance and DIY washes can go a long way to protect your vehicle when the weather gets hotter.
Bring your car, truck, or SUV into Auto Solutions in Orlando, FL, for the preventative maintenance part. We’ll do a spring check and make sure your automobile is ready for the summer heat.
