Classic Kia of Waukegan’s Helpful Car Care Service Tips to Check Before Your Next Summer Trip

Aug 3, 2022

Welcome to another edition of our Car Care Service Tips blog! We’re here to help you maintain our vehicle between your regularly scheduled maintenance appointments at our service center and auto body shop. Check out these summer essential service points before you head out on your next long drive or day trip.

Check Tire Air Pressure and Rotate Tires

After several day-trips or even a lengthy drive to your vacation destination, your car tires are going to have seen their fair share of wear-and-tear. Check the tread depth for signs of wear or uneven tread; replace or patch any damaged tires. Check the tire pressure before you depart on your next adventure, and especially with any 10 degree temperature change outside. Inflate them to the recommended PSI from the manufacturer’s guidelines. Make sure you bring your car in for a wheel alignment check and have the tires rotated to ensure even wear.

Top off Fluids

While it’s important to keep your car’s fluids in check on the regular and with each seasonal maintenance, it’s imperative that during the summer months you especially keep an eye on your Coolant and motor oil levels. An increase in summer travel along with high-heat can mean these fluids are depleted quicker than average, and the last thing you want is to be stranded on the highway with a seized engine. Make sure that you have Antifreeze/Coolant topped off as well as the appropriate oil before you leave on a long trip.

Change Oil and filter

Each vehicle make/model will differ in mileage requirements for oil changes, but most are between 3,000 and 6,000 miles between an oil change service. Be sure that you bring your car in at the appropriate mileage markers especially if you’ve been making frequent drives or a long journey. It will ensure your vehicle runs more efficiently in hot weather, reducing the chance of a seized engine or fuel inefficiency.

Clean and/or replace air filter

Summer heat means running the AC frequently, and that can lead to a need to replace your air filter in just one or two months as opposed to the usual 3. Make sure you’re regularly checking the filter and cleaning it as needed, or replacing it earlier if you’ve been doing a lot of driving this summer. It will ensure that your AC runs properly and can consistently cool your vehicle.

Park your car in the shade

Finding the shadiest spot in the lot during summer has quite a lot of benefits for your vehicle. The most obvious benefit of a shady spot is keeping the interior cool, making it more comfortable for you to drive later and preventing damage to the car’s leather or fabric surfaces. If you can’t find a shady spot, you can add a window shade or a sunshield to the windshield and prevent UV light from warming your car as quickly. Shaded parking over the long term can also help protect the longevity of your car’s paint and protective clear coat, which can be damaged over time by long exposure to direct sunlight. Using a fabric car cover for prolonged storage or lengthy parking times such as a few days can help keep paint safe.

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