When the weather gets hot, some of the components of your vehicle are pushed to the limit.  Here are a few things to watch out for as the mercury climbs higher:

• Your vehicle’s air conditioning (A/C) system.  You might notice it’s blowing only hot air, even though when you last had it on in the fall, it was working fine.  All sorts of things can fail in an air conditioning system, from the blower motor to the condenser, a worn compressor, or simply a refrigerant leak.  A/C diagnosis and repair require a trained technician.
• Tires.  Heat is hard on tires.  Rubber breaks down in sunlight and hot weather.  Tire pressure climbs as the temperature climbs. A trained technician will check your pressure, tread depth, cupping, and other uneven wear, and track down the cause. It may be time for some new ones.
• Cooling system.  It only makes sense that summer breakdowns are often caused by vehicle overheating.  Have us check your cooling system components, the coolant levels, and the condition of your hoses, belts, and radiator.
• Battery.  You probably thought cold weather was tough on your vehicle’s battery.  Heat is harder on it and will shorten the life of a battery more quickly than cold weather.  Make sure to have your NAPA AutoCare Center can test your battery with their specialized equipment and see how much life it has left.  Depending on your climate, batteries typically last three to six years.  A regular battery test will help avoid being stranded by a dead one.

Brakes.  Your safety depends on your brakes’ stopping power, and during hot weather, they get even hotter than in other seasons.  Have your brakes inspected periodically to make sure they’re providing the stopping power they should?

One more thing.  Engine oil is really taxed during hot weather.  Your service advisor can make sure you have the right kind and amount of oil to keep your engine’s components working in harmony throughout the blistering hot weather.  The heat may be on, but you can be on top of it.