As the temperature soars in the city, it is not only living creatures that are feeling the heat but motor vehicles as well. It has become a common sight to see commuters stranded in the middle of the road with the hood of their car open, looking helplessly as steam billows from an over heated engine.
These breakdowns end up causing traffic jams as an entire lane gets blocked and vehicles start honking incessantly leaving the owner sweating it out in the hot sun.
Sanjay Mehta, a businessman, who was taking his family to a mall on Sunday, learnt the importance of regular service checks the hard way as he was stranded in the sweltering heat when his car broke down on a flyover on NH 8.
Sanjay’s experience is an example to show how important it is to keep your vehicle serviced as the extreme heat can take a toll on the most modern cars as well.
Technology has advanced so much says Rajendra Singh, who runs a car repair shop near INA market, that owners are not required to open the bonnet of the car at all but in the extreme heat with the temperature in the open hovering between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius in the afternoon, it is important to have the coolant levels, oil, tires, air conditioning and battery checked before taking your car out to avoid breakdowns. “In the past week most of the cars coming to my garage have had their engine stalled due to overheating and this is because people do not maintain their car well,” says Singh
Govind Dhar, who runs an auto accessories shop in Prithviraj Market, says with the ban on tinted windows, the hottest selling item in his shop is detachable visors for windows and car wax that protects the paint on the outside and also the interiors. These simple accessories do not cost much but can provide the much needed protection to have a pleasant ride. Govind also warns that leaving any inflammable items like perfumes and lighters in a car can cause damage as they can explode.
To get the best performance from your car air conditioner, it is best to find a parking in the shade and one must open the doors and windows to let the hot air that is trapped inside the car out before switching on the air conditioner as the temperature inside can be 10-15 degrees higher that outside when parked in the sun, advises Govind.
Alok Verma, who is a service advisor for a German car company, says the easiest way to ensure your car is safe is to not ignore calls from service advisors offering summer discount offers.
“People slam the phone down as they feel we are trying to get the car into the workshop to make money not realising that the car needs extra protection to deal with extreme weather conditions,” says Alok.
FOR A SMOOTH RIDE
1.Check oil levels, coolant, radiator and battery
2 Get the tire pressure checked
3 Have the air conditioning checked
4. Replace air filters if necessary
5. Park only in the shade
6. Leave a little bit of the window open to let air in
7. Do not leave inflammable object inside the car
