How to Prepare Your Car for Summer in a Hot Climate

Summer afternoons in a hot climate can be tough on a car inside and out. If it is 100 degrees outside, the car's interior temperature can easily rise 40 more degrees, making it extremely uncomfortable when you get in the car and potentially bursting a hose or killing the battery. Follow the preventative steps below to avoid these problems and keep your cool.

Instructions

1. Keep your car's antifreeze/coolant and transmission fluid levels filled to prevent overheating.

2. Tint your windows to lower the car's interior temperature. When you get in, your car will be cooler, and you'll use less gas running your air conditioner.

3. Check your tire pressure and tread often. As the heat fluctuates, it can affect the air inside your tires, and maintaining the correct PSI can extend gas mileage. Rotate your tires if necessary; you don't want a flat tire in the heat.

4. Test the car's battery. High heat can put more strain on the battery. If it is weak, replace it.

5. Cover the steering wheel with a fabric cover to save your hands from burning. Also, lay towels on leather seats, which can get extremely hot in the summer. People wear shorts in the summer, and you can burn your legs quite badly just by sitting down.

6. Pack and keep an emergency bag in the car. Be sure to include fluids for yourself and for the car.