How can I make sure my car is cool when warm weather hits?
We’ve got a selection of tips and tricks that you can use to help keep your car as chilled out as possible. Pictures: PA
It’s nice to think of summer as very much on the horizon in Ireland and with it the arrival of some warmer weather. Though at present it can feel like keeping your car cool isn’t a top priority, once those warmer temperatures arrive it can be useful to be prepared.
In fact, we’ve got a selection of tips and tricks that you can use to help keep your car as chilled out as possible.
Let’s take a look.
This is something that is definitely worth checking over before the temperatures start to climb.
Your car’s air conditioning is one of the primary ways that you’re able to cool down your car and, that’s why now is a good time to make sure it’s working properly.
If your air conditioning isn’t feeling properly cold when at its lowest setting, it might need re-gassing.
Fortunately, many places offer this service and, when your air conditioning system is refilled with refrigerant, it’ll be back to being ice-cold.
Though this might not help you to stay cool directly, it’ll mean that your is far better prepared to cope with warmer temperatures.
Checking fluids such as the coolant and oil will ensure that your car’s engine will deal with the strain which comes from warmer weather while helping to reduce wear on the engine’s parts.
You can check the oil by removing the engine’s dipstick -which is usually shown with a yellow handle – cleaning it off and then returning it to the engine.
Remove it once more, and the gauge on the stick itself should show the levels and whether more oil is required.
Likewise, the coolant is usually located in a transparent bottle – you should top this up with an appropriate coolant if it’s too low.
Since we’re doing some smaller checks, it’s a good idea to look over your car’s tyres and re-fill them if they’re low on air.
You’ll be able to find the correct pressures for your vehicle in the car’s handbook or on a panel behind the fuel filler door. Sometimes the area covered by the driver’s door shows them on a label as well.
Simply check the pressures and inflate them to the correct pressures.
Not only will your tyres grip more effectively, but when they’re properly inflated they’ll cause your car to use far less fuel.
When that warmer weather does finally appear, it’ll be a good idea to park out of the sunlight.
This will help to take the edge off the sun’s warmth and ensure that your car’s cabin stays a little cooler than it might do parked in direct sunlight.
Just remember that if you park under a tree you might be best to cover your car if it’s going to be there a while – bird droppings are a nightmare to clean off in the summer!
If your car is feeling more like a sauna inside, then this door ‘trick’ could help. Essentially, you open a window on one side of the car. Then, go to the opposite side of the vehicle and carefully ‘waft’ the door open and close. This will help to circulate the air in the cabin, drawing in cooler air while expelling the warmer air.
Just be careful not to slam the door when you’re closing it and watch out for your fingers, too.
