OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Anyone who has stepped outside this week can tell you the heat is becoming extreme.
With these near triple-digit temperatures, folks need to take steps to keep themselves safe but you might not know that your car needs extra care in the heat as well.
"The main thing for sure is routine oil changes that will protect your engine. In heat like this, you want to make sure your tire pressure is appropriate. Tire pressure that isn't balanced affects gas pressure," said Brian Ortner with AAA.
There is one component in your car you should pay extra attention to both in extreme heat and extreme cold.
"One of the big misconceptions in the heat is your car's battery. We think in the wintertime that our batteries die but in the summertime, it's just as vital that your car is ready for the extreme temperatures we are seeing," said Ortner.
A battery in our area typically lasts around 54 months but in the hotter parts of the country, you can shave off more than a year of battery life.
Ortner says that thankfully they haven't seen an uptick in calls with the recent heatwave but he thinks that might be because fewer people are hitting the road.
"I talked to our fleet today. They haven't seen a large increase but as we are seeing a lot of people are staying home in the heat too. We can see that in travel numbers over the summer, the demand is still there to be out on the road driving but people aren't getting out as much," said Ortner.
Ortner says the best way to take care of your car in extremely hot weather is to think of it like a person.
If things are too hot for you, it's probably hot enough to cause problems for your car.
"You hear the advice for people working in this heat one of the big pieces of advice is to work in the shade, cool yourself off in the garage. The same thing for your car, park it in the shade or a cool garage if you can. It'll keep temps in your car down and keep your car healthy so it can keep you healthy in these temperatures," said Ortner.
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