Despite the overwhelming evidence for Global Warming it doesn’t seem that we in Britain are getting our fair share of the benefits – lots of “rainiest month since records began”, and not so much “repeat of the 1976 heatwave”. I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a heatwave, and I don’t count the pleasant but unmemorable summer of last year, 2013.
However during periods of hot weather our breakdown services experience a 20% increase in call-outs UK-wide, and as high as 30% in coastal areas. Sadly many of these translate into at least one summer’s day ruined for the driver concerned, if not a whole holiday.
Checking your vehicle thoroughly before setting off on a summer journey is the simplest way to make sure your trip doesn’t terminate on the hard shoulder rather than the beach, campsite or boutique hotel you were heading for. The following tips are of course in addition to all the sensible checks you should make to your car regularly (tyre pressures, wiper blades, screenwash, lights etc.) and especially before a long journey:
- If you have a convertible car, check the roof goes down and back up again before you head off. If it hasn’t been used all winter then it could have jammed, fused or otherwise given up the ghost, and it’s better to find out while it’s still on your drive in Brentwood than in the middle of the Cornish countryside.
- Check coolant levels and top up if necessary. If the level is low, top it up then check by peering under the car that no water is dripping out – if it is (and it’s not just spillage from your ham-fisted topping up efforts!) then you’ve got a leak that needs to be repaired before you go anywhere. I’ve been in an overheating car on a Welsh mountainside at midnight and it’s no fun.
- Check you can actually open the bonnet – if you’ve checked the coolant as above then you’ll already know, but it’s surprising how many RAC callouts are to fix bonnet release catches that have jammed closed.
- Check you can open the fuel filler cap. Hot weather seems to increase the pressure in the fuel system and make removing the filler cap more difficult. If it was tough to turn anyway, this might make it impossible, and leave you stranded at a petrol station.
- The electric cooling fan is thermostat-controlled and designed to kick in only when needed. It’s worth getting this checked to ensure it’s operating as it should, as this is what will prevent overheating when you slow down, stop at your destination, or hit traffic after a long run on the motorway. Broken fans are one reason that you often see multiple cars broken down on the hard shoulder next to traffic jams on motorways – they’re whizzing along fine until they hit traffic, the cool airflow through the radiator stops, the engine block is red hot, the fan doesn’t kick in… pssssst clouds of steam.
If you need us we’re here, otherwise have a great summer of carefree motoring!