Summer is the time when one must be extra careful while driving, especially in the day time, when the sun is beating down hard and the heat is excruciating. Extreme heat conditions affect vehicles as well, especially small cars!
If you have not had your vehicle checked before the onset of summer, then it is time you do so now! Make sure that apart from oil and filter change, the water is topped up, otherwise you might face sudden heating up of the engine.
You must take particular care of any oil or fuel leaks in the engine because such leaks could be the spark for a fire in the engine; all the more reason to keep a fire extinguisher in the car.
While on the subject of engine maintenance, one must note that a sound wiring is equally important for a vehicle to avoid a short circuit which might result in a slow fire culminating in a conflagration.
Summer is also the time to take a close look at your vehicle’s tyres. Old, damaged or worn-out tyres, those with improper amount of air (either too much or too little pressure) and the ones badly or crudely repaired may all lead to accidents on a hot summer day when weak or repaired joints tend to give way due to the intense heat.
Also, make sure to keep your engine cool as far as possible. Remember that the act of driving itself heats up the engine and the use of the vehicle’s air conditioner in summer generates even more heat. In view of this, try not to keep your engine running for long while the vehicle is parked with the air conditioner on, especially in the afternoon when the outside temperature is quite high. The generation of so much heat might at some point result in that dreadful spark which has been known to consume the entire vehicle within minutes. So beware!
Stay cool and happy driving!