Taking care of your car in the heat

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Without proper care, heat can take a toll on our bodies, but the same goes for our cars too.

“The heat can be more dangerous for that battery than the cold can be. A lot of times when we see batteries die, it’s the heat that really challenges them, and ultimately kills them,” AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson, Morgan Dean said.

Batteries aren’t the only part of the car the heat can harm.

Tires sitting on hot pavement can cause them to be underinflated which will create more car troubles and potential dangers on the roadways.

“That can lead to blowouts,” Dean said. “Blowouts are very dangerous when you’re driving, trying to control a vehicle after something like that happens.”

If your car does begin to overheat, AAA says its best to stop as soon as possible before more damage is done.

“If you do start to see your car is overheating that’s a good point to pull off into a safe spot, pull up the hood of the vehicle, turn the vehicle off, let it cool down it may take as long as 45 minutes,” Dean said.

AAA said because people have not driven as much the past two years due to the COVID pandemic, along with new electronics now put in cars, battery life isn’t lasting as long as it used to.

Factor in the damage the heat can cause batteries and those 3-5 year warranties are now barely lasting past three years, according to AAA.

“All the onboard electronics, the security systems, everything else on there that’s a much bigger drain on a battery than vehicles just even a couple of years ago,” Dean said.

AAA said to have a safety kit in your car in case something does happen. Dean said it’s important that this kit differs from your winter kit.

They recommend having plenty of water and snacks in case you get stuck on the side of the road while your car cools down or you wait for help.