Guide to...car maintenance in summers

A few timely checks can avoid greater inconvenience later.

1 - Top it up - Check all fluids, including the brake fluid. The heat reduces the viscosity of the brake fluid which translates into reduced braking force. It's a good idea to keep it topped up at all times. Same goes for the engine oil, which is consumed

2 - Cover it up - Find a tree near your parking spot and park your car somewhere under a shade, if you can. The warm sun rays aren't very kind for your car's paint shade. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can leave the paint discolored on some panels. Its also a good idea to cover your car up keeping

3 - Avoid leather - Does your car have leather seat covers? Yes, then it's a good idea to remove them till atleast the summer is over. Leather seats tend to pick up a lot more heat over cotton ones making them uncomfortable. Secondly, sweat from the passenger's bodies can get into leather emitting an obnoxious smell inside the cabin. This is even worse in fake leather seat covers. If you do not wish to remove the covers then get a white cotton cover on them.

4 - Handy spares - You might not be able to keep all the engine fluids inside the boot but it always pays to keep a bottle full of water handy inside the boot. You never know when a hose pipe might leak leaking all the coolant or when you. Carrying a spare tube is also a clever idea, even though your car may have tubeless tyres. Summers mean that warmer temperatures automatically push the tyre pressures up so punctures are sudden.

5 - Battery - If your battery is the type that needs to be topped off, check it regularly, especially in hot weather. Add distilled water when necessary. Keep the top of the battery clean. Dirt becomes a conductor, which drains battery power. Further, as corrosion accumulates on battery terminals it becomes an insulator, inhibiting current flow.

6 - Cooling system - In some cars, the pressure cap on the radiator starts to malfunction after a year or so due to poor manufacturing quality. In such cases, the coolant evaporates through the defective pressure cap when it reaches high temperature, instead of flowing into the coolant reservoir. So get this cap checked and replaced if need be. This defective harmless looking pressure cap can harm your engine if not taken care of in time. Also check all connecting hoses. Any hose that is cracked, leaking feels hard or spongy when squeezed should be replaced immediately.