You can help your car beat the heat

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I made a rookie mistake my first summer in Las Vegas. When temperatures sailed past 110 degrees, I left an unopened can of Sprite on my car seat while ducking into a restaurant for lunch. It didn’t seem like a big deal.

Upon returning to the car, the can was open. Was the car not locked? Granted reporters don’t make enough money to own a valuable car or anything of value to place in their car. But who would break into a car to open a can of soda and just leave it?

Using my CSI skills, I noted the sticky substance on the windshield and quickly wrapped up the case. Heat causes aluminum cans to explode. Duh.

When AAA issues advice on how to save you and your vehicle during extreme heat, the suggestions seem comical because they are obvious yet challenging. With that and the mini-Sprite explosion in mind, I realized that perhaps some of these tips generated by the insurance company would be helpful to pass along during the dog days. The auto club advises:

1. Park in the shade.

Right. Like in the huge shadow created by those wispy little desert trees? That should keep the paint on the bumper, maybe even the hood, from fading over time. A skinny palm tree? Seriously, not much shade in a Las Vegas parking lot.

OK, they do get it, sort of, because they go on to say if there is no shade it’s best to park so that the back window faces the sun. That way the steering wheel, seats and dashboard won’t be glowing orange upon your return.

2. Cover the steering wheel with fabric cover to save your hands from burning.

If you don’t, take it from someone who owns a black car with black leather seats, what flesh makes contact with the car seat, stays on the car seat. (My apologies for the overused cliche.) The company says if motorists place a light-covered fabric over the seats, they will only have to run their car for 15 minutes rather than a half-hour before it is safe to enter.

3. Check the car seat before buckling your child into the car.

Refer back to the melting flesh comment above. The surface of a car seat can reach 150 degrees, according to AAA. This is the temperature of freshly brewed coffee. Unlike the bozos who sue McDonald’s because their cup of joe is too hot, we all know this is obviously very hot.

4. Use a reflective sunshade in the windshield.

Yes. I had a San Francisco Giants shade and, despite high hopes, the logo had shockingly faded away by late June. The insurance folks say these shades, particularly the simple reflective sun visors with no patterns, can cool the temperature inside the vehicle by an average of 43 degrees.

Most of the advice relates to saving your skin, but how do we save car parts that seem to cost us annually?

You can take steps to save your tires during this weather as well. According to Sean over at Discount Tire on Eastern Avenue, tires generate more heat when they are underinflated. We all know that underinflated tires lower your gas mileage significantly; it can also damage them in the summer heat.

If they are severely low, the tire can blow. Otherwise, it can simply shorten the life span of your tire. Remember to check your pressure in the morning when it’s cool. The pressure raises about a pound per 10 degrees.

Here’s the one that sends me over the edge. Batteries aren’t cheap and it seems like you’ve hit the jackpot if the car battery lasts more than one year. It used to be that you could add water to your battery to keep it going, but those types are essentially obsolete.

So, is there anything we can do to help our batteries chug along just a little bit longer? We went to Enrique at the 10th Street Garage downtown. His answer was quick and to the point, if not a little disappointing.

“Nope,” Enrique said.

With that said, follow the advice of these folks and at the very least you can save your skin. And unless you are up for a sticky shower, leave the soda at home.

The Road Warrior will be on vacation this week. If you have a question, tip or tirade, send an e-mail to roadwarrior@review
journal.com or call Adrienne Packer at 702-387-2904. Include your phone number.