Posts made in April 2020

Springtime temperatures in Florida can get hot, so summertime temps in Florida are nothing short of scorching. While that warm weather is welcome for heat-lovers, all that sun and humid air can have negative effects on things, too. Did you know that the warm sunny climate is also a problem for your car? Fortunately, there are ways to protect your vehicle to minimize heat damage. Check out this guide for protecting your vehicle now and all year long.

Interior Protection: Surely, you’ve opened your car door after it’s been sitting in the hot sun and it felt like a sauna. Your dashboard, leather, carpet, and other surfaces absorb the sunlight and trap the heat in the car. The solution is to park in the shade when available, purchase shades for the front window, or install window tinting.

Top Off The Fluids: Just like you, your car is thirsty when it’s hot. It uses plenty of oil, coolant, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and brake fluid, and is working hard and burning even more fluid to keep it cool. During the summer or before long road trips, make sure all of the fluids are properly topped off and check them more frequently than in cold-weather months.

Tire Troubles: Under-inflated tires are more likely to overheat and cause a blowout than properly inflated tires, and the problem is only made worse by hot roads. The solution is to make sure your tires are inflated to the pressure recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

For assistance preparing your car for summer or ahead of a long road trip, visit Millikan Battery and Electric Inc. for replacement auto parts in Apopka.

As the saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers,” and while we look forward to the blooming of flowers and new leaves on the trees, all that rain can cause trouble driving. Springtime downpours mean driving conditions often include mud, muck, slush, and standing water.

Spring weather conditions present their own driving challenges, including a high number of accidents due to wet pavement. To help keep you safe on the roads in the coming weeks, here are a few spring driving safety tips to follow.

Navigating Heavy Rain
Before you go out in spring driving conditions, make sure that your windshield wipers are new and that you have plenty of windshield wiper fluid. You’ll also want to make sure your tires are in good condition with proper air pressure and with enough tread. If you find either is overly worn or broken, replace them with auto parts in Apopka.

Beware of Standing Water
During or immediately after heavy rainstorms, pools of standing water can form on the road. If you can, avoid the puddles altogether. If there’s no way to switch lanes safely, try to drive through it very slowly, so you don’t slide. Hydroplaning is another major danger with standing water. This occurs when your tires are riding on top of the puddle, rather than gripping the road. Your main defense is to go slow.

Be Cautious of Mud
Steer and brake very carefully when there’s mud on the road to avoid sliding. If you do start to slide, treat it as you would an ice slide and turn your car in the direction of the slide, slowly pumping your brakes.