SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – Summer heat is set to return across the Ozarks, prompting auto experts to remind drivers to make sure their vehicles are ready for daily heat and summer road trips.
Dona LaRue’s 2003 Pleasureway travel van has more than 160,000 miles on the odometer. LaRue said she handles generator oil changes and her son does some maintenance, but she also brings the van to professionals.
“I bring it here for oil changes and making sure I’m doing the maintenance that the big motor needs to have done,” LaRue said.
She and Tim Fess, general manager of Rick’s Automotive, said keeping a vehicle maintained is important because summer heat can stress parts of a vehicle.
Fess said drivers should check the coolant to see whether it needs to be replaced or topped off. He said heat can increase tire pressure and lead to uneven tread wear, so drivers should check and adjust tire pressure before setting off.
Fess said drivers should also check their vehicle’s battery.
“Everything on today’s vehicles is primarily electronic,” Fess said. “In the higher temperatures, its ability to hold a certain amount of electricity is reduced by as much as half in certain cases.”
Fess said a battery test at a store such as O’Reilly’s or AutoZone can check a battery’s health and whether it needs to be replaced.
Fess said drivers should not assume air conditioning problems can be fixed by adding more refrigerant. He said the full system should be checked.
“If it’s low, there is a leak somewhere,” Fess said. “Physically check your belts and hoses to make certain that they are intact, not cracking or coming apart or showing any signs of leakage. As far as low refrigerant, that would be best left to the professionals.”
Fess also encouraged drivers to have a summer travel kit with more than jumper cables and a jack for changing tires.
“Bottled water, especially in the summertime — flashlights, a preparedness kit, some snack bars,” Fess said. “Make sure your spare tire is full of air, and you have all the tools for that spare tire, including the wheel lock key.”
Keeping up with proper maintenance and having your summer car travel kit ready will keep you cool for driving around the Ozarks or on that summer road trip. Additional advice from the NHTSA and AAA will break down what to check and what should be in your summer car kit.
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