AAA is encouraging motorists to ensure their vehicle is equipped for the hot temperatures this week.
They say the heat can impact car batteries, tire pressure and more.
“What motorists need to keep in mind is that extreme heat for an extensive period of time has accumulative effect on your car, especially the car battery, so your car battery may have survived this most recent heat wave, but it may not have the strength that needs to survive the next one to get you through the rest of the summer,” said Jana Tidwell from AAA Public Affairs.
Tidwell said, like air pressure contracts in the wintertime, it expands in the summer.
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“You want to make sure that you're checking your tire pressure on a regular basis weekly basis to make sure everything is inflated properly and not overinflated,” she said. “You also wanna make sure that you have your coolant checked to make sure that the AC is operating the way it should be and make sure that all of your other fluids, especially the windshield washer fluid is operating properly.”
She said old and new cars are impacted by the heat, that’s why it’s imperative that drivers take precautions should anything happen.
“There should always be a vehicle emergency kit in your car for the summer months. In addition to those jumper cables, first aid kit and flashlight with new batteries, you should also have some beach towels, blankets, extra sunscreen, a hat, plenty of extra drinking water,” she explained.
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Aldo Grimci from Lex Auto Service in Hartford said it’s a busy time of year in his shop and many drivers don’t realize the dangers that the heat brings.
“If the car gets very, very hot we always recommend to park in the shade or in the garage, or sometimes by driving it,” he said. “By parking the car, leaving the car in the sun all day long, that’s definitely going to affect multiple parts of the car.”
He said even the plastic on vehicles can melt.
“There are some parts of the car where they are plastic, and they can kind of melt, changing the shape of it, it can make a difference outside, a bumper or something, but it can go deep in the engine,” he said. “The car is made for variable temperatures, but if you try to keep it steady, it will definitely help and there will be more of a long life on the car.”
