What are the impacts of warmer weather on the performance of a car?

Machines are vulnerable to extreme temperatures. Temperature fluctuation affects the performance of a car in all sorts of ways. Besides, summer temperature also can be hard on the engine, tires, battery, cooling system, and other important and expensive components of the car. So, a vehicle owner should be aware of the basic car care tricks to safeguard the vehicle against the blistering hit of summer.

Irregularities in the car maintenance might make it prone to different types of mechanical failure which might cost a lot. So, a car needs special attention to withstand the impacts of extreme weather. However, some people are unaware of the basic aspects of maintenance required to safeguard a car during such extreme weather conditions.

Impacts of warm weather on the car:

Now, let’s take a closer look at the direct and indirect impacts of extreme summer weather on different components of a car which might bring down the vehicle to a halt in the middle of nowhere.

The engine:

The internal combustion engine works efficiently at an optimal operational range of temperature. The fluctuation of the temperature beyond this limit might have adverse impacts on the power output of the engine. Besides, excessive use of air conditioning system during the summer also negatively affects the power output of an engine. Apart from this, extremely hot weather also contributes a lot to the engine overheating. A combination of heat generated due to the internal combustion and environmental heat might cause engine overheating. The primary function of the cooling system is to prevent this from happening. However, an abnormal cooling system could not do its job efficiently which could have disastrous consequences. So, efforts should be made to enhance the efficiency of the cooling system to keep the temperature of an engine at the operational range.

The battery:

Batteries are made from chemicals and thus vulnerable to the temperature fluctuation at an extreme level. Warmer weather is more deadly than colder weather. According to a study conducted by AAA, batteries are more likely to last longer at a colder climate than a warmer climate. Warmer weather increases the rate of power drainage from the battery and could permanently impair the battery. The fluid used in the battery evaporates faster during the summer. So, regular inspection of the battery helps a lot to identify and fix such problems in time. Efforts should be made to get rid of the corrosion deposited on the terminals of a battery to prevent excessive power drainage. Besides, it has been found that older batteries could not withstand the extreme temperature and thus older batteries should be replaced immediately to prevent disruption of power supply.

Tires:

Tire pressure fluctuates with the change in environmental temperature. Driving a car with underinflated or overinflated tires might have dire consequences. Under or overinflated tires prevent a person to get better control over the movement of a car which could lead to a fatal collision. Besides, it has been found that the use of such tires also negatively affects the fuel economy of a car. The use of overinflated tires during a warm climate could lead to a tire blowout. So, it is highly recommended to inspect the tire pressure daily and tires should be properly inflated for better outcomes.

Impacts on different types of fluids:

Engine oils used in the car degrades at a faster rate during the summer season. Driving a car with degraded engine oil could have disastrous consequences. So, routine inspection of the quality of engine oil and replacement of degraded engine oil might help a lot to prevent any major mechanical deformities in the car. Besides, a lack of a sufficient amount of antifreeze or coolant might impair the cooling system of the car which could lead to engine overheating and similar other problems in the car. So, the quality and quantity of the coolant should be subjected to inspection and contaminated coolant should be replaced with suitable substitutes. Moreover, other types of lubricants used in the car like transmission fluid also need special attention during the summer.

Bottom line:

Intense summer heat might jeopardize a car. The cooling system acts as the first line of defense against such extreme temperatures. The cooling system plays a crucial role by keeping the temperature of the engine at an operational level. Any kind of malfunctions in the cooling system during the summer might cause engine overheating or similar other problems. So, efforts should be made to enhance the efficiency of the cooling system.

Medway Imports is a family owned Bosch authorized auto sales & repair center in Medway, MA since 1997 with gratified customers and high quality Bosch trained technicians. It specializes in the service of BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche, Mini Cooper.