Keep Your Car Cool This Summer

Keep Your Car Cool This Summer

When the dog days of summer are fast approaching, and you’re likely feeling the heat in just about every way imaginable, one of the places you don’t want to feel like a pressure cooker is inside your vehicle. Here are six summer tips for keeping you and your vehicle cool.

1. (Don’t) Feel the heat. There’s nothing worse than hopping in to your vehicle on a sweltering day only to be met with the burn of a leather seat or metal buckle that’s been baking in the sun. While many GM models now come equipped with ventilated seats to help cool down leather seats quickly once the engine is running, a spare towel is a great, inexpensive way to keep your interior cool. Having a towel around to put between you and your leather seats and protect you from touching hot seat buckles makes getting situated more comfortable.
   
   Want something a little more permanent, or don’t like the look of a towel over your seat? Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac all offer removable cloth seat covers for maximum comfort without sacrificing style.
2. It’s getting hot in here. You aren’t the only thing sweating when the temperature spikes; your engine is, too. To help your car run smoothly all summer long, it’s a good idea to check your oil and coolant levels.
   
   If you’ve made the switch to an electric vehicle, you’ve said goodbye to regular oil changes, but you’ll still need to be mindful of coolant levels, and extreme heat can affect charging speed and battery life. The good news is GM EVs come with a thermal management system that helps keep the battery at just the right temperature for steady performance.
   
   Remember to look up your nearest GM dealership's availability before braving the heat, or be proactive and schedule regular maintenance with your dealership’s Certified Service experts.
3. Kick the tires. The blazing summer heat can wreak havoc on your tires. When the temp goes up, your tire pressure can go down. Make sure your tires are properly inflated, and your tread is at a safe depth before driving off into the sunset.
4. Made in the shade. Sunshades aren’t just for being stylish by the pool. If you haven’t bought a sunshade for your windshield, no more excuses — get one. Sunshades don’t just keep your car interior cooler while it awaits your return; they also help prevent against sun fading and damage to your steering wheel, dashboard and other exposed parts of your interior.
5. Stay ahead of the sizzle. Don’t get hit by a heat wave when you open your car doors. Many new GM models come equipped with advanced technology like the remote start feature that allows you to start the engine and blast the air conditioning, or roll down all powered windows, simply by using your key fob or vehicle mobile app.
6. Need help? Emergencies happen. If your car does overheat or you get stuck in a severe summer storm, having backup isn’t a bad idea. OnStar® offers Roadside Assistance, Crisis Assist and Emergency Services. If available on your vehicle, push the OnStar button in your vehicle to learn more or to get set up. Or if you’re on the go, you can access OnStar through the mobile app.
   
   NOTE: Pets and kids can overheat very quickly. Remember to never leave them in a car.

Now you’re ready to beat the heat and keep your car maintained through the summer. For more hot tips, read how to get your vehicle ready for a summer road trip.

By Taylor Provost, GM Financial

Taylor Provost loves puzzles of any kind, and that includes decoding complex ideas and concepts so she can share them with others in simpler terms. A true word nerd, you’ll often find her solving a crossword puzzle at home when she’s not road-tripping to a national park with her family.