Here’s how you can prevent Arizona heat from wreaking havoc on your car

PHOENIX — A little preventative maintenance at this time of the year can keep Arizona drivers on the road, rather than standing in the sun waiting for a wrecker.

Matt Allen, the co-host of Bumper to Bumper Radio on KTAR News 92.3 FM on Saturdays, suggests checking your tires for wear.

“We want to make sure we have good tread life,” Allen said.

“We can use a quarter — for example — to measure the tread depth of the tire. If it’s lower than Washington’s head, your tires are too thin and you’d want to consider replacement,” he added.

Besides tire life, Allen said the intense heat can do a number on batteries and cooling systems in cars and trucks.

“We want to make sure we have a good battery so that the car stays reliable,” Allen said.

“We see high battery failure rate this time of year. And then of course your radiator and your cooling system just need to be regularly checked and maintained.”

Allen said there are warning signs if your car is overheating.

“If you start to smell an odd smell, steam or smoke, it’s really time to pull over. It’s not worth going that extra mile if you can avoid it to get to the shop,” Allen said.

But there is one thing Allen said drivers should always abide by: Never, ever open a hot radiator. Doing so can severely injure you as steam, scalding water and fluids escape.

If the car is overheating, Allen suggests pulling over and calling for road service — doing so can help you avoid a costly repair bill.

For monsoon season, Allen suggests drivers have good windshield wipers and properly working headlights, tail lights and brake lights.

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