Hot wheels: make sure your vehicle is heatwave ready

An amber weather warning for extreme heat has been put in place until Thursday 25^th June by the Met Office, with forecasts predicting that temperatures may reach 38 degrees (100F) in parts of England and Wales later this week.

With temperatures about to soar for a sustained period of time, motoring experts at Go.Compare car insurance are urging drivers to carry out some simple checks to avoid breaking down in the heat.

Tom Banks, the car insurance expert at Go.Compare says, “Many of us will be welcoming the warmer weather, but with warnings of extreme heat across large parts of the UK, temperatures like these can put pressure on both people and their vehicles.

“While regular maintenance and servicing of your vehicle are always important, it’s especially vital to take extra care when there’s a heatwave as hot weather increases the chance of breakdowns, particularly if tyres, batteries and cooling systems aren’t in good condition.”

Here are some tips from Go.Compare car insurance to help motorists stay road-ready this summer:

• Check your aircon is in good working order – broken air conditioning is not what you need on a hot day so make sure you’re keeping up with checks.
• Check oil levels and top up your coolant before you take to the road – keeping these both topped up will help keep your engine cool and prevent it overheating.
• Be extra shady – if you can choose shaded areas to park and use sunshades, it will reduce temperatures inside the car.
• Inspect your tyres – high temperatures can intensify existing tyre wear so check tread depth (the legal minimum is 1.6mm) and replace any damaged tyres.
• Test your battery – hot weather can stress your car’s battery, especially if you’re running your air conditioning a lot more than usual.
• Never leave children or pets in the car – even with the window open, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise rapidly and become life-threatening.
• If you’re planning a long journey, stay hydrated and take plenty of breaks to stay sharp behind the wheel and make sure you have breakdown cover in place.

Tom adds, “just a few quick checks before setting off can help you avoid the inconvenience and expense of a breakdown or emergency repair. In the longer term, regular vehicle maintenance is the best defence against breakdowns and is also a requirement of many car insurance providers.”

For more hot-weather driving tips, visit Go.Compare’s summer driving guide.

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