How to prepare your car for the summer. Recommendations

The fact that the car needs to be prepared for the winter period is clear to everyone. But many simply ignore the preparation for the summer, limiting themselves to installing summer tires instead of winter ones. However, this approach is wrong. Summer is a time of serious tests, and the car must be ready for them.

Features of car operation in the summer

Frost, snow jams, icy roads - these are extreme conditions for a car, under which many components and parts experience increased stress. Winter operation is often not in vain for the car, and therefore, with the onset of spring, it is necessary to conduct a detailed inspection of it in order to identify and eliminate possible problems.

In addition, summer itself introduces certain specific difficulties:

1. The engine heats up so much during operation, and in the summer heat it has to work at the limit of its capabilities. Therefore, the engine cooling system requires special attention.

2. In the warm season, the grip of tires with the road surface changes. Out-of-season tires can cause skidding, reduced braking performance and overall handling.

3. Summer is a period of active use of the air conditioner, which must at least be checked before starting operation.

4. In hot weather, the risk of overheating of the brakes increases, and therefore it is necessary to check the brake system so that it does not fail in a difficult situation.

By taking certain measures to prepare your car for the summer period, you will avoid a number of problems, which in some cases can lead to serious trouble.

Some things you can do yourself, and some things are better left to professionals. You decide.

Pay attention to the body

The first step is to thoroughly wash your car. It's not just about appearance. In winter, snow-covered roads are sprinkled with salt and special chemicals. Washing will remove the remnants of these substances from microcracks in the paintwork and thereby stop their destructive action. On a clean surface, minor damage will become more noticeable. Minor chips can be painted over with a coloring pencil to prevent the occurrence of pockets of corrosion. But perhaps the need for local . It is also worth doing the body polishing and applying a protective coating. It is advisable to carry out such a procedure twice a year in the off-season. Anti-corrosion treatment will not interfere either. Read more about body care in this.

Do not be too lazy to wash the bottom and engine compartment. Among other things, this will facilitate the visual detection of some defects.

Change the car's shoes

Has the snow melted and the temperature is consistently above +7°C? So it's time to change tires to summer. Winter tires should not be used in summer. First of all, this is a safety issue, since soft winter tires will simply “float” on hot summer pavement and will not provide sufficient grip, and therefore, there will be problems with handling and braking. In addition, soft tires will wear out a lot and quickly become unusable.

So-called all-season tires are not suitable for use in summer. It would be more correct to call such tires off-season, since they can be used in the temperature range from small negative values ​​to small positive ones. And that's only on a flat and dry surface.

Removed winter tires must be washed, carefully inspected for defects and checked on a balancing stand before being sent to storage. It may turn out that the tires have become unusable and you need to buy new ones. In spring and summer, you can easily find good winter tires at a discount. Read about how to choose the right tires for your car.

The Chinese store has a large selection of different sizes and manufacturers.

Check your brakes

Winter conditions contribute to accelerated wear of parts of the brake system, and it is rather difficult to objectively assess the health of the brakes on an icy road. Therefore, they must be inspected with the onset of spring.

Check the condition of the brake discs, pads, hoses, for traces of brake fluid leakage. Do not forget about the parking brake and its drive. Make sure that the handbrake cable moves freely, without jamming, inside the polymer sheath.

Be sure to check the level and quality. Perhaps it's time to replace it.

Diagnostics and repair of the brake system as a whole require certain qualifications, so it is better if car service specialists do this, especially considering the importance of brakes in terms of safety.

In the Chinese online store you can purchase other parts of the brake system of your car.

Examine the suspension

To get to the suspension, you need to put the car on a viewing hole or use a lift. Therefore, the suspension is often left without due attention. But its details are very vulnerable, especially in winter conditions. Therefore, it is imperative to check how winter loads affected the suspension elements. You need to check everything - , , , , , , anthers. Everything is interconnected here, one faulty part can easily lead to new problems.

Change engine oil

Check the level and quality of oil in the engine lubrication system. The engine oil change interval is indicated in the owner's manual. In general, in our conditions it is better to do this twice a year. At the same time, it is logical to change the lubricant taking into account the season - in spring and autumn. A separate issue is devoted to the issue of choosing engine oil.

In the Chinese store you can purchase synthetic and semi-synthetic from different manufacturers and in different packaging.

Don't Forget About Filters

The replacement is usually done at the same time as the oil change.

Be sure to open the lid and assess the degree of contamination of the filter element. Timely replacement of the air filter will improve engine performance and reduce fuel consumption, so its purchase will certainly pay off.

often slips out of sight of car owners. But you shouldn't forget about it. The efficiency of air conditioning and ventilation depends on its cleanliness, and most importantly, it helps protect the health of those who are in the car. For the summer, it is better to install a carbon filter, which not only performs mechanical air purification, but also traps toxic exhaust gases and unpleasant odors.

The engine cooling system is especially important in summer

First of all, you need to pay attention - clean and wash it, visually check for damage and coolant leakage. Also check the integrity of the connections, serviceability and.

Check the coolant level in the expansion tank.

When purchasing a replacement, follow the recommendations of the car manufacturer and do not pay attention to the color of the liquid. Read more.

A well-maintained air conditioner is the key to comfort and well-being

First, turn on the air conditioner to make sure it works. After a few minutes, cold air should begin to flow into the cabin. If the air is weakly cooled, it is possible that there is not enough freon in the system and it needs to be refueled. Check the pressure in the system and the integrity of the connecting tubes.

Carry out antibacterial treatment using special tools.

How to fill the air conditioner with refrigerant, read in a separate. If you are not sure that you can do it, contact a car service specialist.

Of course, other systems and components of the car also require regular attention and care, but the activities listed above will allow you to carry out specific preparation of your iron horse for operation in summer heat.