If you travel on a long journey, you should prepare a few litres of water. Drinks containing caffeine such as coke or black tea are diuretic. Even though they can help the driver stay awake, consuming these drinks types are not encouraged as it makes the body lose water quickly.
Water is indispensable in the hot weather
You should bring the car to the garage for maintenance within 6 months before departure. Moreover, the car should be checked by a skilful technician or specialist to ensure that no problems will occur on the road.
You should bring the car to the garage for maintenance
Hot weather, the high temperature will increase the power consumption of the battery. For most batteries, you should check the battery. If your vehicle goes with a wet-type battery, the battery of electrolyte gel or battery that uses an Absorbed Glass Mat Batteries (AGM), you need to carry out a thorough check of battery for early detection of cracking or leakage.
Read more: What Should You Know About Changing The Car Battery? - [Car Battery Guide]
Executing a thorough check of battery for early detection problems is necessary
It is necessary to have a clean windshield along with a car sun visor as the stain on the windshield could possibly reduce the driver’s visibility.
The windshield is being cleaned
To prepare for any possible incidents, you should always have a tool-kit at hand, including cables, tyre puncture kit, a flashlight with a reverse battery, reflective warning triangle device or a vertical warning lamp, some hand tools and a first-aid kit.
This is a standard car tool-kit
Making sure that your phone is fully charged or carrying a spare battery during your journey. Admit it, you can barely live without our your phone. And to be realistic, you need a phone with GPS system to guide you through the way. Another essential tip for surviving a long summer drive is to prepare some cash in your wallet in case some shops or services do not accept credit card.
You should add fuel to the tank when the fuel is about to be running out. Do not wait until the low fuel light turns on.
You should also check fuel level
The cooling water in the radiator needs to be replaced periodically. You need to check the amount of liquid in the plastic container under the hood, which directly connects to the cooling system. The side of the container will have two lines marking the high and low coolant level, the ideal liquid level is between the two lines. Moreover, you should check the radiator cooling water level below the radiator cap. Also, remember that you should only check after shutting down the engine. If you open the radiator cap when the engine is still hot, the pressure in the coolant tank suddenly changes, causing hot water to erupt and you can get burned. Besides, you need to remember to add water if you find that the water level is low.
You need to remember to add water if you find that the water level is low
Long distance driving under hot weather affects not only the cooling system but also the engine components. You should check engine oil lever, gear oil, steering system oil so as to make sure that they all are at a proper level.
Read more: How to change oil on your own
It is a way to check the level of engine oil
If the air conditioner has been inactive, it must be brought to the maintenance station. Furthermore, if the air filter in the car is not replaced within 6 months, it needs to be replaced before your departure. Driving a long distance with a broken air conditioner is such an undesirable situation, hence, checking the A/C carefully before taking a long driving is considered as a must for drivers.
Checking tire tread depth before starting your journey in hot weather is one crucial preparing step. The under-inflated tire is easier to handle because the hot temperature will make the tire pressure rise a bit. However, if the tire deflates, it will cause the tyres to lose traction and slip. Therefore, you should equip the necessary tools to change tires and you'll need a tire-changing toolkit.
Read more: All you need to know about car tyre maintenance
There are three levels of car tread depth
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How To Protect Your Vehicle During a Heat Wave | Extreme Weather Driving Tips | Ford
Hope these above instructions will help you save money and stay safe and enjoy your journey to the fullest!
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