What is a Summer Tune-up?

With hot weather upon us, we all have to be thinking about how to keep our vehicles running well even in the dead of summer. Winter and summer car care are different, and every car owner should know what things their car needs in each season to keep it running like a new one.
A summer tune-up is a check-up for your car. Giving your car a once-over during the summer will help you keep it from working too hard, and it will probably benefit you in the long run. As they say, ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’
There doesn’t have to be anything wrong for you to take it to the shop at the beginning of summer to get things checked out. If your mechanic does find a problem, they can fix it before it causes you some big-time damage – and a ton of money. But if not, you can walk away knowing that all the major components of your car are working exactly as they should.
Here are some things that TuneTech recommends that you have done during your car’s summer tune-up:
• Check and clean the battery.
Your auto repair shop should have a tool that will check your battery’s remaining life so you’ll know if it needs to be replaced long before it dies on you, leaving you stranded somewhere. You can clean your battery yourself with a little baking soda, or you can ask your mechanic to do it for you.
• Restore all fluids to the proper level.
Antifreeze is the fluid most people think about for their car during the summer. It is important for your car’s air conditioning to function at its highest performance level, but don’t ignore the other fluids. The transmission fluid and oil need to be checked, and you’ll even want to fill up on wiper fluid before summer’s pop-up showers begin.
• Check the tire pressure.
If you’re headed out for a trip, you can check the manual to see what pressure the manufacturer recommends when your car is loaded down. Otherwise, just check inside the door or inside the gas tank door to see what the normal tire pressure recommendations are. You can buy an air gauge just about anywhere and keep it handy in the glove box so you’ll have it anytime you think the tires look a little low.
• Inspect the condenser, compressor and hoses.
Your air conditioner can develop leaks or cracks in any of these components. If you’ve added antifreeze and you’re still having a problem getting your car as cool as you’d like, one of these components could be to blame.
Check our website for specials on summer tune-ups. Some garages will throw in an oil change or full fluid replacement with the cost of your inspection. You can get a great deal on services for your car during the summer, and you’ll have the peace of mind to know that your car isn’t going to give you trouble over something that was completely preventable.