Summer is a fantastic, fun time of the year where traditionally we get out and explore. However, summer is also famous for quick storms rushing in. If a ferocious storm rolls in quickly, is your car and home prepared to withstand the weather? Here are a few quick tips to make sure you’ll be okay all summer long, no matter what Mother Nature throws your way.
QUICK TIPS TO PREPARE YOUR VEHICLE FOR STORMY WEATHER
Making sure your car is ready for the stormy weather is just as important. If you’re on the road in the middle of a really bad storm, your vehicle becomes your life support system, making sure that you will arrive at your destination safely. That is, if you’ve properly prepared your vehicle. Here are a few quick tips to make sure you and your four wheeled buddy will be okay during bad weather.
1. Tires: Make sure you have good tires with decent tread depth on them and no dry rot. Dry rot cracks the tires and makes them weaker, more likely to cause a blowout during trips. Also, good tread means that your tires can grip the road better. Lastly, making sure your tires have the correct pressure means that they will use less gas during long trips as well as less likely to have a blowout on the road somewhere.
2. Coolant: If you haven’t flushed your coolant in the last three years, you need to do so before you hit the road and before the temperatures rise. Over time, antifreeze breaks down, causing sediment to build up in your radiator, thermostat, heater core, and lines. Flushing the radiator not only gives you the best possible protection against the hot summer days, it also flushes out the old, bad coolant that is breaking down.
3. Insurance: Make sure your insurance is up to date and the new card is in the car. If a storm blows a tree limb down on your car, are you covered? What about hail damage?
4. Tornadoes: In the event that you’re in your car and a tornado touches down near you, stay in your car and make sure that everyone inside is properly buckled. Do NOT try to leave the vehicle if a tornado is nearby. The safety glass, air bags, and seat belts will all provide better protection than trying to be outside unprotected.
5. Wipers: Being able to see is kind of important. Having great wipers on the windshield is your first line of defense against wet weather.
6. Lights: Make sure that ALL of your lights work. In bad weather, you need to be able to see in front of you, so good bulbs are essential. Also, making sure that people behind you can see you is extremely important so check your tail and brake lights to ensure that you don’t get rear ended during foul weather or fog.
7. Inspection: Get your car inspected by My Car Doc Car Care Clinic to make sure your vehicle is ready to handle anything!
Call or text today to make an appointment: 317-345-4528