4 Vehicle Maintenance Tips to Follow When You Live in the Desert

Living in a warm, dry climate has plenty of benefits, but one setback that is often overlooked is vehicle maintenance. There are many people in the country that live in a desert climate, and if there’s one thing they will agree on it’s that you really need to keep on top of your vehicle’s maintenance!

Residents of desert areas will face larger amounts of dirt, dust, and debris when driving their vehicles, making it all the more important to take care of it.

Doing so will ensure your vehicle remains as durable as ever, and you can avoid any potential hazards that come with driving in a desert climate – especially during the summer months.

Thankfully, maintaining your vehicle in these conditions is quite simple and they will save you the time, money and stress of having to get unnecessary repairs done – just be sure you follow these simple tips.

1. Check Your Battery Regularly

Deserts are excessively warm, and these high temperatures can be a death sentence for a vehicle’s battery. Heat can cause a battery failure by evaporating the fluids within, causing severe damage that will need to be repaired or replaced.

You can check the battery’s condition providing it is of the serviceable variety. This means there should be caps present on the battery that can be loosened with a screwdriver so that you can check the internal fluid.

Check for water inside the battery – if there’s none, then it is running dry and should be topped up with tap water.

2. Use the Right Kind of Oil

Oil is vitally important for a functioning vehicle, especially in dustier desert climates.  Motor oils with higher viscosity will better lubricate the engine, so the next time you are due for an oil change, ask your mechanic about the most suitable oil for your climate – they should know what works best throughout the year.

Be sure to change your oil more frequently than recommended too, even if using synthetics, as desert climates tend to result in more dirt and debris deposits.

3. Check Air Filters

Air filters require frequent changes, much like with oil, due to higher levels of dirt present in dry climates. Even if your air filter was recently changed, be sure to inspect it frequently and remove any dirt build-ups.

Clean air filters reduce dirt and debris making its way into the engine, which is something you really want to avoid to ensure the engine is performing well and in great condition.

4. Always Inspect Tires

Vehicle owners living in desert climates will have the option of all-season tires or summer tires, which should always be inspected regularly. Lookout for signs of tread wear as well as pressure levels, otherwise you could face an unexpected tire blowout.

In fact, it is recommended that you check tire pressure anytime you stop for gas, as the warmer temperatures can cause tire pressure to change much quicker. You want to ensure that your tires last as long as possible, so it’s important to be extra vigilant when staying in desert areas!

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