How hot weather affects your car: What to check
From thunderstorms to extreme heatwaves, the weather during the spring and summer months can often be hard to predict.
This time of year is great for getting outside and enjoying some fresh air. However, rising temperatures can have an impact on your car’s main components. Heat can accelerate wear in key systems such as batteries, especially by speeding up internal chemical reactions and fluid loss.
Make sure your vehicle survives (and supports you) this summer by checking these 3 key areas:
1. Car Batteries
High temperatures are a silent car battery killer as rising heat speeds up chemical reactions within the battery, leading to a faster rate of discharge.
When outside temperatures rise above 25°C your battery can begin to warp, increasing the risk of internal corrosion and reducing its service life.
Common signs of battery issues include:
- Dull headlights.
- Flickering dashboard lights.
- Slow cranking speed when starting the engine.
These symptoms can all indicate corrosion, damage, or overall reduced battery performance.
Even when the temperatures aren’t soaring, your battery faces extra strain during the spring and summer months. This is because you’re more likely to use:
- Air conditioning.
- Internal fans.
- Plug-in devices, like cool boxes and satnavs, during holidays and road trips.
Battery protection tips
- Stay in the shade by parking under trees or in covered car parks.
- Keep your battery clean by checking under the bonnet for any dirt or grime as this can cause unwanted insulation.
- Avoid short trips on extra-hot days, as journeys under 30 minutes may not fully recharge the battery.
- Top up your electrolyte fluid if you have an unsealed lead-acid battery using a high-quality battery fluid such as the Halfords Battery Top-Up Water 1L.
- Get your battery checked by a professional by booking a Free Battery Health Check at your local Halfords garage.
2. Wiper Blades
Wiper blades can degrade in hot weather, even when not in use. Constant heating and cooling under strong UV rays can easily warp windscreen wipers out of shape, leaving you with streaky, ineffective wiping when summer rain arrives.
To keep your wiper blades in tip-top form:
- Park in a garage or under a carport where possible.
- Use a car cover to protect your blades from direct sunlight if no shade is available.
To keep your blades running smoothly during the summer when the roads are dry and dusty, try investing in a quality screen wash such as the Halfords Berry Screenwash 5L, to help keep the road ahead clear.
3. Bulbs
Your car headlights are an essential safety feature on your vehicle and should be regularly checked for damage.
UV damage to headlights can appear as a hazy or yellow finish. This compromises road visibility and weakens the structure of the headlight, which can affect the bulbs underneath and even cause you to fail your next MOT.
To protect your headlights and bulbs:
- Clean your headlights with a good cleaning kit like the Autoglym Headlight Restoration Complete Kit.
- Use car headlight cleaning products specifically designed to combat yellowing from sun damage and protect against future UV rays.
- Check for visible damage such as splits or cracks while cleaning.
Halfords Motoring Club
By joining the Halfords Motoring Club today, you’ll get access to a range of amazing benefits and discounts that are designed to keep you moving, keep you safe, and keep you saving.
Free Halfords Motoring Club Membership includes:
- Money off your MOT.
- A free 10-point car health check.
- A welcome voucher that can be spent on any Halfords product or service, including our range of windscreen wipers.
Or upgrade to our Premium membership (£5.49 monthly/£54 yearly) to unlock:
- An included MOT.
- 5% off all motoring services and products online and across our stores, garages, and Halfords Mobile Expert.
- 2 x 10-point car safety checks, worth £15 each.
- Even more exclusive member bargains and benefits.
