Summer Tips for Commercial Vehicles

As the summer approaches, high temperatures take a toll on everyone, including your truck. It becomes important to take a little extra care of your vehicle so that the heat does not beat down your well-serving truck. Extreme heat can cause severe damage to your vehicle, thus, regular maintenance during the summer months plays a significant role in avoiding any mishaps on the road. Besides this, it also helps you avoid incur an expensive servicing cost which might arise due to severe damage brought on by the heat.

We have listed a few tips which will help your truck get through the summer easily –

• Tires –

  During summers, you must keep a check on the tires as extremely hot temperatures can cause them to burst. Scan your tires for cracks as ignoring this detail can be extremely risky because they are in immediate contact with the road. Make sure that your tire pressure is at an optimum level given that extremely low tire pressure in high temperatures can lead to a blowout.

• Brakes –

  One of the most important things to take care of, is the brakes. Brake pads are directly affected by extreme temperatures which reduces their effectiveness and efficiency. Trucks are equipped with air brake systems, which must be examined periodically. Any minor air leakage from this system can lead to a brake failure. You cannot risk driving your truck with the chance of a brake failure, so pay attention to any squeaking sounds. Also, keep checking your air reservoirs as sometimes condensed water can collect in the air lines, resulting in inefficiency of the air brake system.

• Batteries –

  Summers are extremely hard on your truck’s batteries as high temperatures can lead to battery corrosion. Not only corrosion, but evaporation of the internal fluids is also very common during the summer months. You can prevent the batteries from draining by following simple tips like parking your truck under a tree and avoid parking in a place where sunlight directly falls on the engine. Also, before you leave your vehicle, make sure all the electronics are turned off.  Electronics are a major reason for the draining of batteries.

• Oil –

  An important part of regular truck maintenance includes changing the oil at regular intervals. The efficiency of the oil tends reduce during the summer as high temperatures can increase the speed of thermal breakdown in oil. Changing oil and filter frequently will help you protect your vehicle from corrosion. Also, if your truck carries heavy loads through dust-filled roads, then it is even more important for you to keep a check on the oil as long hours of travel through dusty terrain can contaminate the oil with dirt particles.

• Air Conditioning –

  During the summer season, it can be very difficult for you to endure a long journey without some cool air. So, before you begin your journey, make sure that the air conditioning is working fine. The levels of antifreeze in your truck must be above normal for effective cooling in your vehicle. Also, check the blowers, fans, and condensers so that your cooling system works perfectly.

Little ignorance today, can cause troubles in the future that can be avoided in the first place. So, it is better to prepare in advance for a safe drive ahead. The Customer Support division of Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles has the widest service network in India across all commercial vehicle manufacturers. So, feel free to contact us as we are at your service, wherever you are!