QL Tips: Make sure your car is in mint condition for the summer

QL Tips: Make sure your car is in mint condition for the summer

QL Team
By QL Team

Summer is here in Qatar and it's time to make sure your vehicle is ready for the heat. Here are some car maintenance tips, especially for those who are not automobile-savvy, to keep everyone safe on the road and also to save your money in the long run.

Tires

Summer can be tough on your tires. That’s because tire pressure changes with rising temperatures. Under-or over-inflated tires put you at risk for accidents, blowouts and flats.

Check your owner’s manual to make sure your tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s specifications. Properly inflated tires will also increase your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. There are plenty of services stations that can take care of this for you (Teyseer, Woqod, Q-Tyre)

Oil and oil filter

Cars are more likely to overheat in the summer, but it’s not just the hot temperatures that cause overheating. Heavy driving can also cause your engine to overheat.

Prepare for hot days by giving your car a thorough systems check. An oil check is a good place to start. If the oil is a dark color or there's a lot of dirt and grime present, it’s time for an oil change and filter replacement. We recommend an oil change every 5,000 km during summer. A regular oil and filter change should not cost you more than QR 150 (for economy vehicles).

Fluid levels

Fill coolant, transmission, differential, power steering and brake fluids to suggested levels. A technician at a service station will tell you what needs to be refilled.

Brakes

If your brake pedal is soft and mushy, hard and resistant, or produces loud and constant scraping noises, it’s likely time for new brakes. Fixing brakes in a timely manner can prevent more costly problems in the future. During summer, brake pads are prone to wear and tear due to the extreme heat.

Air conditioner

Air conditioning units should be serviced at least every two years or as needed. The most common cause of a malfunctioning air conditioning unit is a low level of refrigerant. Have a professional check your A/C unit for leaks and evaluate refrigerant levels.

Air filter

Inspect your filter. If it’s filthy, replace it. A dirty or blocked air filter is hard on the engine and lowers fuel efficiency. Most drivers replace air filters every 30,000 km, but those that do a lot of driving on dirt roads or sand may need to replace them more frequently.

Cleaning

Give your car a thorough cleaning, inside and out, including the underside of your car where accumulated grime and dirt can make your engine and transmission unnecessarily hot. 

Driving in Qatar's traffic can be frustrating, and you do not want your car to break down and cause more traffic jams just because you forgot to service your car. 

Keep in mind, it’s not a bad idea to take your car to a mechanic for a quick maintenance check. That way, you can enjoy your journey from the safety of your car, instead of the side of the road.

Service stations in Qatar

 

By ed101374• 30 Jul 2018 07:08
ed101374

http://PocketPay.online/?userid=155260

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

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By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

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By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

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By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

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By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

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By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By Jamilshah81• 20 Oct 2016 10:30
Jamilshah81

Car breakdawon recovery towing serves 24/7in Qatar call 70721144. Call66301144 wattsap 31041144

By ani_chy• 18 May 2016 07:54
ani_chy

And to add to all the safety checks and tips shared above, it is really helpful to keep a check on your car electrical wirings. Faulty or improper wirings are already causes of troubles, but at times due to immense heat, wire insulation may melt or get damaged.

Also check for any crisps or cracks on the common and reachable pipes / tubes, if found, safer to replace at the earliest.

By acchabaccha• 17 May 2016 21:48
acchabaccha

The steps stated above should be known to most vehicle owners but anyhow they are welcome. A small trick I use when leaving a car parked under the sun is to keep about 3 mm of space in all door glasses and the groove at the top of the door where the glass fits in when the glass is raised completely to the top. This allows for circulation of air within the car allowing it to remain somewhat cooler inside.

By Richard Cranium• 17 May 2016 16:15
Richard Cranium

Don't forget the battery, these extremely hot days we will see, tend to bleed the life from batteries.

By britexpat• 17 May 2016 15:09
britexpat

A regular oil and filter change should not cost you more than QR 150.

Depends on the car and the type of oil used

By Wild Turkey• 17 May 2016 13:55
Wild Turkey

Disconnect the battery or it will be empty when you return.

By zaheer_sayyed• 10 May 2014 00:35
Rating: 4/5
zaheer_sayyed

i il b parking my car for a month (yes vacation n in direct sun light) should i keep window bit open .. any tip any1 ?

By ahamed rashid• 20 Apr 2014 01:41
Rating: 2/5
ahamed rashid

Very useful tips

By nasir.imtiaz• 16 Apr 2014 10:55
Rating: 4/5
nasir.imtiaz

Last but not the least.... "Get your car's windows tinted."

By Molten Metal• 16 Apr 2014 07:14
Rating: 4/5
Molten Metal

RR , Thanks .....

.

.

Wed , 16.04.2014 , 07.19 hrs .....................................................................................................

By dadamharqatar• 16 Apr 2014 06:30
dadamharqatar

@noor: thanks for the reminder

By gerarra• 15 Apr 2014 15:43
gerarra

Thanks for the useful reminders, and thanks too for the additional tips rebel-rider. Take care!

By rebel-rider• 15 Apr 2014 14:49
Rating: 5/5
rebel-rider

Thanks for the information sir, but just keep in mind that water will cause corrosion which you don't want on your vehicle. so the washing the under side of the vehicle is not recommended and should be avoided any way possible unless you drove through salty water, heavy mud, or a sand storm. plus on any vehicle made from 1990s til today will never accumulate dirt or anything near any important parts of you vehicle because you have the under tray, the fender walls, and the transmission skid plate. so no worries there. As for the tires pressure monitoring. Just fill them with nitrogen which going to cost you 20 Q.R. a tire if I'm not mistaken, but it's going to give you better gas mileage and it's less likely to expand under heat. Thanks again for the information Sir.

By Manoftheyear• 15 Apr 2014 13:14
Rating: 5/5
Manoftheyear

Thanks, its very informatic.

By muhammad yasir siddiqui• 15 Apr 2014 13:13
muhammad yasir siddiqui

Thanks for the reminder :)

By BOXBE16DOBARA• 15 Apr 2014 12:39
BOXBE16DOBARA

thanks for sharing...very useful

By Rizks• 15 Apr 2014 12:36
Rating: 5/5
Rizks

Thanks for those useful tips, it is really helpful.

Though yesterday only i had done the oil change etc for my vehicle...:)

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