How to Prepare Your Car for Summer Heat

Beat the heat — your checklist

• Test the A/C before the first heat wave, not during it
• Have your battery tested — heat kills batteries faster than cold
• Check coolant level and condition to prevent overheating
• Inspect tire pressure (heat raises it) and tread
• Top off and refresh fluids, including washer fluid

Why heat is so hard on cars

High temperatures thin your oil, stress your cooling system, and accelerate battery failure. Tires run hotter and wear faster, especially when underinflated.

A quick preventive check is far cheaper than a tow and a same-day repair when something gives out at the worst moment.