Heat waves huh? We’re never ready for them when they arrive! But sunburn and dehydration aren’t the only considerations when the summer is a scorcher. Extremes of heat can play havoc with your car. In fact, the RAC reckon that a hot summer leads to more call out than an icy winter.

The good news is that there is lots you can do to protect your car on hot days, so we thought we’d break it down for you, forewarned is forearmed;

• Tyres. Needless to say, tyres can wear down quicker in very hot weather and driving on hot tarmac. So keep them pumped and try to avoid taking sharp turns and obstacles at high speeds, or extreme braking to avoid blowouts.
• Battery. The water in your battery evaporates more quickly during summer obviously and this can lead to exposed plates. When winter rolls around again, your battery may flatten and fail to start. Make sure you have a regular service, try to avoid letting your engine too hot and do sensible things like parking in the shade when possible.
• Essential liquids.  Water, oil, radiator, brake, transmission and power steering fluid all need to be kept topped up in summer, or your engine can overheat and mechanisms are worn down more quickly.
• Stress cracks. No doubt you are familiar with the usual cause of cracked or chipped windscreens (stones and debris flicking up from the road) but during high temperature another type of crack can happen when the glass expands and contracts in extreme temperature fluctuations. The best way to avoid this is by trying to prevent your car overheating in the first place (see some tips above) but also by being mindful of cooling your car down. So open windows to let really hot air out first, then increase the A/C more slowly to avoid stress cracks.

Remember, Strathclyde Windscreens are here to repair or replace your windscreens whatever the weather.

Call us: 01698 286428 | 24 hours a day / 365 days a year or email: info@strathclydewindscreens.com