There’s no denying your vehicle needs special love and attention in the wintertime. But
hey! Summer is no season to just relax and take it easy when it comes to keeping your
car in the best shape either! For instance,…
1. Drivers rarely care too much about moisture getting inside the car. But that’d be a
big mistake! If, say, the floors are damp under the mats, mold can quickly start to
form in the warm summer months. Be sure to dry all the damp areas to prevent fungus growth
from ruining the inside of your car. Do the same before winter hits so that ice doesn’t
form in wet spots.
2. I’m sure you know that feeling when you park your car in the sun for a while and once
you come back, the steering wheel is as hot as a frying pan! So to keep it from frying
your fingers, turn the wheel 180 degrees before you leave the car. This way, the side you’ll
touch will stay down in the shade.
3. Ok, but what about the scorching gear lever? Easy: just put an insulated drink sleeve over
it, and you’re good. If you don’t have one of those, you can just spray it with some
water to cool it down. The same trick works for burning hot seatbelt buckles!
4. Not only does the summer sun make your car hot inside, it can also cause a funky
smell to appear. To solve this stinky problem, tape a dryer sheet onto the air conditioning
vents. Just keep a handful of those in the car to use whenever you need them!
5. As weird and illogical as it sounds, the engine doesn’t just need to warm up in the
winter – it also needs to in the summer. When you just start the engine, it's still
not hot enough for normal operation. If you start it and immediately drive off, the oil
won’t have had time to warm up and reach all parts of the engine. Let the engine warm
up for about 30 seconds before you take off!
6. If you're driving slowly, it's better to open the windows instead of turning on the
AC. It burns a lot of gas at low speeds because it runs at full capacity while the engine
is going at low revs. When you're driving fast (like highway speeds), it’s better
to keep the windows up and the AC on. If the wind gets in your car and you’re driving
fast, it’ll slow the car down and make it harder to run. Your pooch will have to wait
until you’re going a little slower if he wants to stick his head out the window!
7. If you hear air hiss through the gas cap when you open it – don't panic. It happens
for two reasons. First, as you're driving, fuel gets pumped out of the tank, but no air
enters the vacant space. This produces a pressure difference that you sort of balance out once
you open the lid. The second reason is the opposite – when your car has been sitting
for a while, gas vapors accumulate inside the tank. However, if you see fuel leaking
out of the tank when you open it, it's a good reason to see a mechanic.
8. Back in the ‘50s before AC was an everyday reality, some drivers put blocks of ice in
their vehicles. You can still use this trick if your AC isn’t blowing out cold enough
air for your liking. Just put a block of ice on the floorboards under the vent. But use
a pan to keep the run-off under control!
9. All you want when you’re driving on a hot summer day is something cool to drink.
Instead of packing a cooler with you, simply use your glove box! Colder air blows in there
from the AC. There’s a little lid inside and when you turn it around, it opens a cool
air outlet. It's not the most powerful fridge in the world so it won't make your drinks
ice-cold or anything, but it can help them get cooler or stay cool for longer.
10. If your visors have those protective panels that slide or close over the mirror, remember
to shut them whenever you’re driving. Sure, the mirrors come in handy if you want to pick
at your teeth or check your makeup (at a stop light of course!), but don’t forget that
they’re made of glass and can easily break if you get in an accident. That wouldn’t
be a pretty picture! Play it safe and just close them before you take off.
11. Don’t leave anything on the dashboard if you park in the sun! It’s not just about
coming back to a car covered in melted gummy bears. The real danger is that the intense
heat from the sun can melt just about anything, the battery can catch on fire, and the entire
car can go up in flames! If you live somewhere with a hot climate, get one of those metallic
sunshades, and put it in the windshield. If you don’t have one on hand, use a towel
to cover the dash.
12. Now, to keep your car from getting overheated under the sun, it’s always best to park
in the shade if you can. Never park your vehicle under trees in bloom. In fact, it’s best
to avoid any trees. And that’s because in the summer, many of them produce juice, resin,
and sticky fruit and berry grains that can land directly on your car. They can gradually
damage the paint and varnish. If you don't have a chance to wash the car for a while,
the stain will remain. If this happens, you can use a soap solution or special liquids
to wash it off. The easiest thing you can do is mix soap and water in a spray bottle
and give it a good cleaning. This will also work just fine if there's bug residue on your
car. You know, bug guts? Clean it with a microfiber cloth or sponge. Just don’t press too hard
or you’ll damage the overcoat.
13. As you wash your car in the summer, it’s a good idea to give it some extra protection
from insects, those tree juice stains, and asphalt stains. There are also sand grains
and pebbles that get kicked up from under the wheels of passing cars. They leave marks
on the car’s body that dull the paint over time. So to prevent all that, cover the vehicle
with a few coats of polish at the beginning of summer. Here’s how you can make your
own at home: Grate a bar of soap to get ½ a cup of flakes.
Mix them with ½ a cup of water and leave it in a bowl overnight for the soap to dissolve.
Melt a tablespoon of beeswax and ½ a cup of jojoba oil in a pot. Combine the dissolved
soap flakes and beeswax-jojoba mix, and blend it into an even paste. Polish your car with
the creamy mixture using a soft cloth, and buff it with another dry cloth to make it
shiny. Once you apply the mix, it interacts with the paint on a molecular level, creating
a thin “shell” to protect the car. Some people also add a little petroleum jelly or
baby oil on top for extra protection against bugs.
14. Flush your engine cooling system regularly to keep the engine cool. Check the overflow
reservoir between flushes to make sure there’s enough liquid in the coolant. And never take
off the radiator cap while the engine is still hot! Boiling coolant can give you a nasty
burn. Make sure rubber hoses and drive belts in the cooling system are in good condition
and there are no cracks or soft spots.
15. Be ready for summer breakdowns. In case your engine is boiling because of high temperatures
or some breakage, turn the heat on at full-blast and let the hot air from the engine blow inside
the car. This is a temporary solution, but if you’re on the highway and can't stop
and wait for help, it’ll cool the engine down a bit. And if the problem is more serious
and you just must stop in the middle of nowhere, be prepared! Keep an emergency kit inside
your vehicle. It should have water, some non-perishable foods, a first aid kit, basic tools, road
flares, jumper cables, and a flashlight. And bring some M&Ms.
And here’s a bonus tip for ya! If you're stuck in a traffic jam and it's
getting too hot inside your car, use a mini battery-powered fan. It probably won't do
you much good, but it’ll at least keep you entertained and help save gas that would otherwise
be wasted on running the AC!
Can you think of any other summer car-care tips that everyone should know? Please share
your own ideas down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give this
video a like and share it with a friend. But – hey! – don’t speed off just yet!
We have over 2,000 cool videos for you to check out. All you need to do is pick the
left or right video, click on it, and enjoy! Stay on the Bright Side of life!