SPOKANE, Wash. — Record-high temperatures have impacted the community in many different ways. An often forgotten way heat impacts us is the potential damage to our cars as well.
"An overheated engine can damage moving parts, and may even warp the engine block, causing cracks that produce oil leaks," says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde. "Just like with our own bodies, managing heat is an important aspect of keeping your vehicle in good working order."
AAA shared several tips to help you manage your car during these hot days:
- Make sure fluids levels are topped off and the hoses are in good condition. Have your cooling system inspected as well
- Keep an eye on the temperature gauge in your vehicle. Anything at 3/4 or above on the gauge could be a sign that your car may be overheating
- If you notice any steam coming out of your vehicle or hear hissing, pull over as soon as you can once it's safe to do so. Carefully raise your hood to relieve some heat. Use reflectors and or flares to alert other drivers nearby. Get to a safe area in the event your vehicle catches on fire
- Keep a gallon of water or two in your vehicle to top off your radiator, or for consumption for humans and pets. Make sure to cover the gallon water bottles to avoid starting fires in your cars due to the reflection of light off the water
- Never remove a hot radiator cap. Wait at least 20 minutes to do so
- Keep an extra towel or a blanket in your vehicle in cases where you need to remove your radiator cap. You can also use a towel/blanket to protect you from the hot asphalt if you need to change your tire or look under your vehicle
"Even vehicles that aren't experiencing major mechanical issues can overheat under extreme temperatures, especially when carrying a full load of luggage and passengers," Conde said. "If your car is struggling, it may be necessary to turn off the air conditioning and turn on the heat. It will be really uncomfortable, but it pulls heat off the engine block and could help you reach a better point of safety."
DOWNLOAD THE KREM SMARTPHONE APP
DOWNLOAD FOR IPHONE HERE | DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID HERE
HOW TO ADD THE KREM+ APP TO YOUR STREAMING DEVICE
ROKU: add the channel from the ROKU store or search for KREM in the Channel Store.
Fire TV: search for "KREM" to find the free app to add to your account. Another option for Fire TV is to have the app delivered directly to your Fire TV through Amazon.
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email webspokane@krem.com.
