Arizona’s extreme conditions may cause problems that require immediate attention. Recognizing these hot weather warning signs can prevent minor issues from becoming major failures.
Please don’t hesitate to call if your car displays any of these warning signs. We’ve got a state of the art service facility with the tools and technologies to help every car drive its best.
6 Ways Heat Impacts the Phoenix Car Ownership Experience
Our desert temperatures provide a cool and inviting fall and winter. But as spring turns into summer, we’ve got to beat the desert heat or have it beat us!
That’s why it is critical to keep to your Honda maintenance schedule. Regular visits to your Arizona Honda dealership can prevent small problems from turning into big ones.
Here are the six problems you don’t want to ignore when our temperatures are soaring.
1. A Temperature Gauge Change During Phoenix Summer
Temperature gauge changes, even subtle ones, require immediate investigation in Arizona heat. Any increase in operating temperature could indicate developing problems with thermostats, water pumps, or coolant circulation.
Your Hyundai’s cooling system operates near capacity during summer months, leaving little margin for error. If you add stressors, such as a heavy payload or towing, you will push its limits even harder.
At every oil change and any other maintenance visit, ask our staff about your coolant system and the other components that keep your system from overheating. Our technicians will keep their eye on these aspects of your system and help you avoid a breakdown on a hot summer day.
2. The Dangers of a Tire Pressure Light
Tire pressure warning lights require immediate response due to Arizona’s daily temperature swings. Tire pressure can fluctuate 5-10 PSI between morning and afternoon temperatures. Consistently low pressure in Arizona heat can lead to rapid tire failure on hot pavement.
To avoid a blowout, ask your Honda service advisor what the best PSI is for each of your tires. Get answers about maintaining the right air pressure during summer heat.
Never ignore a tire pressure warning. Check your tires with a gauge to see for yourself what the PSI is. Then bring your car to Earnhardt Honda for expert help with tire assistance. Our team can handle everything: tire repair, balancing, alignment, and replacement.
3. The Challenges of Arizona Battery Performance
Battery performance changes—slow cranking, dim lights, or electrical issues—become critical during summer months when electrical demands peak. If your battery dies, it may be due to age, but it may also be due to a poor starter or alternator.
Each component relies on the other. Thus if one is strained, the others will be strained as well. To avoid a domino effect of failing components, you want to get your battery tested regularly.
Arizona’s heat provides no recovery time for weakening batteries, making early replacement essential. Your battery light is often the last warning rather than the first. So keep up with your maintenance schedule and plan your battery replacement with the help of your Honda service advisor.
4. Thickening Lubricants in Desert Heat
As cars age, lubricants get thicker and move with more difficulty through the system. That’s why replacement is recommended at certain intervals for engine oil. Those intervals are much longer for transmission fluid and brake fluid, but you still need to adhere to the maintenance schedule.
Phoenix summer heat adds stress on vital lubricants. Plus our dust storms add contaminants that slip in at microscopic levels and thicken these fluids.
Unusual engine noises in extreme heat often indicate accelerated wear or developing failures. Heat amplifies minor issues, turning small problems into major failures quickly. If your car is making any new noises during Phoenix summer heat, these signs warrant immediate professional assessment.
5. Air Conditioning Problems Are a Nonstarter
Arizona summers don’t provide the luxury of gradual A/C failure—you need immediate cooling capacity. A/C performance issues demand immediate attention. Reduced cooling efficiency, unusual noises, or weak airflow should trigger same-day service appointments.
Don’t get too stressed out about potential costs. There are numerous reasons that AC can go out. It may be the electric fan, a lack of coolant or some other simple fix.
To make sure that you don’t lose air conditioning at the height of summer, you should ask for an AC maintenance check. That way you can get ahead of problems before they leave you hot and bothered!
6. Dash Lights Should Never Be Ignored
When dash lights come on, indicating a problem, many car owners try to ignore them. That’s a bad strategy — especially in the summer. For all the reasons already discussed and more, automotive systems get stressed by heat, and the only solution is to act quickly to stop the problem from spreading.
Instead of resisting the urge to get help, consider what it would be like to break down in our summer heat. Isn’t it best to act quickly to avoid that situation!?
Our team can help your vehicle make it through our long hot summer! Get help now for your automotive investment. Schedule a service appointment.
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