WEATHER CHANGES

Weather plays a crucial role in the maintenance and overall performance of your vehicle, acting as both friend and foe depending on the season. As the temperature drops, the chilling grip of winter can significantly diminish your car battery's capacity, making those early morning starts a battle against the cold. Drivers may find themselves frustrated as their engines struggle to turn over, the cold air thickening the oil and transmission fluids, creating additional resistance that their vehicles must overcome. Conversely, the sweltering summer sun casts a different set of challenges.

 

The heat can put excessive strain on your engine, increasing the likelihood of overheating and leaving you stranded on the roadside. During the hot months, the oil within your engine can degrade rapidly, leading to the accumulation of harmful deposits and sludge that clog vital passages, jeopardizing your engine's efficiency.

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Cold weather can reduce a car's battery capacity which makes it harder to start the car. Have you noticed when the temperature drops, sometimes it struggles to start? Cars also use more energy in the colder months to stay warm, which can reduce the fuel efficiency. Extreme weather conditions - hotter months and cooler months can affect the effectiveness of your braking system as a whole. Moisture and salt on the roads can cause corrosion and rust on your car's body and undercarriage. In snowy areas and beachy areas, it's more common to see rust under the vehicle. 
Snow can make roads slick, and frozen precipitation can damage your windshield or windows. 

Here are some tips to help your car withstand the weather: 
** Check and maintain your coolant levels 
** Use sunshades to reduce interior heat 
** Wax your car regularly to protect it from UV rays 
** Replace worn brake pads and rotors 
** Maintain your HVAC system, including replacing the cabin air filter 
** Use winter tires in the snow, all terrain ones in the desert areas. 

 

Tire performance is also heavily influenced by the weather. In frigid temperatures, tire pressure can drop, affecting handling and fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, the extreme heat can wreak havoc on your wiper blades, causing the rubber to deteriorate under the relentless sun and rain, resulting in streaky visibility when you need it most. 

 

Whether it’s rain, snow or sleet, you depend on the windshield wipers to help you drive safely in inclement weather. Let’s look at the issues that keep windshield wipers from doing their job.

If your wipers are smearing: This can often be resolved with a good cleaning of your windshield or some replacement wiper blades.

 

If your wipers aren’t moving: With the car off, try to manually move the wipers back and forth. If they don’t budge, it is likely an electrical problem. If you can move them freely, you may have a mechanical issue. (This is a good time to bring your vehicle in to the repair shop for help!)

 

Moreover, moisture and condensation can invade your fuel line in winter, freezing and creating a cascade of starting issues that can make your engine's operation feel like an uphill battle. The scorching summer months add extra stress to your air conditioning system, making routine inspections essential to avoid being left in a sweltering car without relief.

 

Even the cabin air filter is not spared from the whims of the seasons; a dirty filter can hinder your AC's performance, affecting essential functions like heating, defrosting, and defogging. To combat these seasonal challenges, regular oil changes and using the right type of oil are vital in protecting your vehicle's engine, ensuring it can weather whatever climate nature throws its way. Understanding how weather impacts various components of your car empowers you to take proactive steps, keeping your vehicle running smoothly all year round.