Summer Maintenance Tips for Your Toyota

We all know that Toyotas are built to last. However, proper vehicle maintenance is an important part of maximizing your Toyota’s longevity.

While the summer heat can bring with it new adventures and places to take your Toyota, it also comes with different maintenance needs than the winter, fall, or spring seasons.

We cover the most important summer maintenance tips for your Toyota.

Check Your Coolant

First and foremost, you need to check your coolant levels. You’ll want to add the appropriate mixture recommended by Toyota, which we can help you determine when you bring it into Toyota of West County. Not having enough coolant, or having the wrong coolant, can result in damage to your thermostat, cooling fan, radiator, and even the water pump.

Damage to any of these areas, unfortunately, can cause your engine to rapidly overheat, leading to expensive problems like a blown head gasket.

Inflate Your Toyota’s Tires to Beat the Heat

One thing that’s often overlooked during summer maintenance is the amount of air in a tire. This is because most people only worry about their tires during the winter due to snow and ice. While you should look after your tires in the winter, inspecting your Toyota’s tires in the summer is a great summer maintenance tip that can prevent blowouts.

You want to make sure there’s enough air in your Toyota’s tires according to the manufacturer’s specifications, which is something we can help you find at Toyota of West County. Checking your tire pressure at home is also possible with a tire pressure gauge; these can be found at your local auto store and many gas stations.

Many modern Toyotas also have tire pressure sensors built in, so you can see what tires may need more or less air.

Replace Your Windshield Wipers

It’s always a good idea to replace your windshield wipers right before a hot summer. Replacing your Toyota’s windshield wipers in the summer is important because the summer can bring hail, thunderstorms, extreme wind that throws debris, and other serious weather problems.

In order to be ready for anything, you need windshield wiper blades that can handle any situation. We also recommend stocking up on windshield washer fluid to remove any debris, dust, or pollen from your windshield.

Check Your Air Conditioner

Does your Toyota have an air conditioner? If so, make sure you check it sooner rather than later. After all, the last thing you want is to end up stuck on a 90+ degree day without a functional air conditioner. To check your air conditioner you can turn it on before it gets too hot and see if your Toyota is blowing cold air.

If your air conditioner isn’t working, it might need to be replaced or recharged. We recommend starting with a recharge, which consists of adding Freon to the system.

Any DIYer can do this maintenance work at home, but we can also help you get squared away at Toyota of West County.