auto IQ
Heat Check
reasons why your vehicle could break down
in summer—and what to do about them
By Craig Moy
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system. “Generally speaking, it should
be fully flushed at least once every
three years,” Zylstra says. Between
flushes, your AARS technician can
check coolant levels and top them up
if necessary. The system’s rubber hoses
are also susceptible to heat-related
deterioration. A good mechanic will
inspect these components for cracking,
soft spots or other signs of poor condi-
tion as part of a regular maintenance
check on your vehicle.
Tire-pressure problems
Swings in temperature are the main
culprits of summertime tire trouble.
“If you have a cooler morning, but it
shoots up to the mid-20s in the after-
noon, that’s when you get expansion
and contraction of your tires and even
the metal of your rims,” AMA’s Lemont
says. That could result in air loss—or a
blowout due to decreased air pressure.
Debris on the road due to summer con-
struction work can also cause problems.
To lower the risk of an unexpected flat,
periodically check your tire pressure to
make sure it’s inflated to the PSI recom-
mended in your vehicle owner’s manual
or noted inside the driver’s door.
it’s easy to Be complacent about car
care in the summer. The weather’s
brighter and the roads are clearer, so
the driving’s better. And you’re prob-
ably busier; scheduling preventative
maintenance isn’t likely top-of-mind.
But the season can be tough on your
vehicle. Be aware of these summer-
breakdown risks to ensure your ride
remains road-trip ready.
A battery gone bust
We know winter is hard on car batter-
ies, but summer can mean trouble too.
“Heat speeds up the evaporation of
the chemicals inside your battery,” says
Ryan Lemont, fleet operations manager
at AMA. And evaporation can corrode
the battery’s metal terminals and
connections, which leads to degraded
performance. Simple driving can also
have a negative impact: Short trips don’t
give the battery enough time to recharge.
Problems like these are exacerbated if
your battery is at or nearing the end of
its typical three- to five-year lifespan.
Think your battery is on its last legs?
Visit ama.ab.ca/CAABatteryService
to learn how AMA can test or replace it.
Fluids folly
Vehicle fluids—like transmission, power
steering and brake fluids, and motor oil—
lubricate the movement of metal parts
and carry heat away from them. “But
fluids break down over time,” says Ted
Zylstra, owner of Braeside Auto, an
Approved Auto Repair Services (AARS)
facility in Calgary. “They can become
contaminated with water, dirt or metal
shavings from engine components.” This
reduces the fluids’ cooling effect, which
increases your chance of car trouble.
Tak e your vehicle for regular mainte-
nance at an AARS shop: Your mechanic
can ensure fluids are topped up, and can
flush out and replace them per the man-
ufacturer’s recommended schedule.
Not cool to be hot
As with fluids, it’s important to properly
maintain your engine’s overall cooling
Towing trouble
Planning to haul your camper trailer
to the mountains or take your new
boat to the lake? Before hooking it up,
make sure it doesn’t exceed your vehi-
cle’s maximum towing limit. Towing too
much weight can rapidly wear down
critical parts like your transmission and
brakes. Lemont notes it also impacts
safe steering and stopping. Spend time
confirming the compatibility of your
vehicle and trailer—to keep them in
good shape and maintain safety on
Alberta roads.
Mechanics you can trust
If your vehicle needs work this summer
or beyond, take it to an Approved Auto
Repair Services facility in Alberta for
top-notch service backed by a one-
year warranty.
AMA members get a one-year, 20,000-
km, Canada-wide warranty on most
parts and services: ama.ab.ca/AARS
AMA InsIder
summer 2018
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