Many car owners are living in desert climates with high temperatures. In fact one day, we may also travel through a hot desert. There are some crucial things to consider that need to be included in our plan if we want to drive in a desert situation. Summer is the driving season and this could make many areas hotter than the rest of the year. In extremely dry and high temperature, often with extra exposure to dust, our car is subjected to additional wear and tear. Excessive heat can shorten battery life, other than over charging. Battery fluid will likely to evaporate and this could cause accumulated damages in the battery’s internal structure. When the voltage regulator malfunctions, the charging rate can be higher. During high temperature driving, we need to check battery more frequently. We should clean the terminals and make sure that it has sufficient fluid levels.
When operating our car in a desert situation, we should have a preventative maintenance check that could save us money in time. In this situation, we don’t have to find ourselves stuck with a dead battery in the middle of nowhere. When caring for our cars in the desert situation, we should take good care of its electrical system. We may ask mechanics to check whether the system is charging at correct rate. Roads in desert areas usually have more sand and cars can also be subjected to periodical sandstorms. After driving through a sandstorm, we should immediately check the air filter. We often find sand accumulating in it and filters are needed to keep our cars running smoothly. Filters make sure that the air that gets into our car’s engine is perfectly clean and we want to make sure that our car is “breathing” clean air.
When the filter is clogged, combustion chambers won’t get enough air due to reduced suction. This will cause the engine to run rich, meaning not enough air and too much gas fumes. The car will run more sluggishly and it will become less expensive. It is common for car owners in desert areas to check the filters more frequently.
When we are driving in desert areas, we will have more requirements for working air conditioner. It is essential to ensure more comfortable driving, although it is still possible for us drive with the windows open. We should check the pressure of the cooling system. Because it will work harder than usual, we should check hoses and belts for deterioration or wear. No one wants to drive with windows open when it is hot during sandstorm. This is the situation when air conditioning is essential, because we can’t allow sand to enter the interior.
Radiator fluids could also be depleted much faster during higher temperature and we should check it every day. We should make a list of things that need to be performed to make sure that our car is running effectively and well. Preventative maintenance should save us money, although it may take more time and commitment.
