Tip Tuesday: Hot Car in the Summer

Imagine this, you walk outside your house to get into your car. It’s been parked outside in the sun for several hours. The weather outside is not too hot, it is about 77 degrees. Then once you open your door you get that puff of super hot air. Of course this is not a pleasant thing to encounter. If the temperature outside is 77, your car sitting in the sun can increase 30-50 degrees. Which makes the temperature inside your car 107-127 degrees, that is super hot. 

That being said, here are some ways to help keep your car, and yourself, a little cooler while using your vehicle this Summer. 

1. If you wear shorts or a dress and have a leather interior, there’s nothing worse than sitting on your seat and burning yourself. For this you could use some sort of cloth covering. You can keep a towel on your seat or even use cloth seat covers. Yes, these will still feel warm to the touch, but won’t burn you like the leather will. 
2. To help not get too much sun coming in your car, you can use a sunshade for your windshield. This will help reflect the sun off and not have it beating in. 
3. If you have a black interior, your car is most likely going to be super hot. There are dash mat covers you can put on your dashboard to help keep more heat out.
4. If it is a clear day with no rain in sight, you can crack your windows when you park your vehicle. This will let some of that steam out and allow fresh cooler breezes to come in and cool off your car as well. 

Summer is almost on its way out as we quickly approach August. Hopefully these tips and tricks will give you some relief while using your car in hotter months! We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope you have a safe and happy Summer season! 

How should I care for my spare?

Being inside for the last few months has definitely warranted a vacation right? Well, a popular travel method this Summer is packing the kids in the car and taking a road trip. If you are planning to hit the road, it is a pretty good idea to make sure your car is ready for that trip. A very important and sort of overlooked item to check is your spare tire. 

Most vehicles come with spare tires and they can be hidden in various locations. Some are underneath your vehicle, some are in the trunk, and some may even be on the rear door like a Jeep Wrangler. If you happen to get a flat tire during your travels and your spare tire is flat, that will cause you to have some problems. 

Here are a few tips to make sure that your spare tire is ready to hit the road with you.

1. The tire pressure should be up to par. Each vehicle has a different recommended tire pressure and you can find that in your manual.
2. If you have a vehicle with a full sized spare, this should be involved with your recommended tire rotation schedule. Doing this will ensure that your tires wear evenly. 
3. If your full sized spare tire tread measures 3/32nds or less, your spare should be replaced.                                                               

Luckily for vehicles that come with temporary spares or a donut, you really only need to worry about tire pressure. Since a donut is smaller than a regular tire, it’s pressure will be different  than the tires on your vehicle. You can find all this information in your owner's manual. 

Be sure to take care of your spare before going on that road trip. All of us here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope that you have a safe and happy Summer! Happy motoring!     

Can salty air damage my car?

Most of us know that salt can be damaging to our vehicles during the Winter months, but have you ever thought of salty air or sea air? If you live by the shore or travel there often, your vehicle might have damage from the salty air. The air at the shore, especially when it is humid, holds a lot of salty moisture. The metal on your vehicle can corrode 10 times faster in those conditions instead of being in a dryer air. 

The damaging sea air starts to cause problems with the exterior of your vehicle, but it can also affect surfaces in the engine compartment. Having the hot sun beating on your paint isn’t the best either. Luckily there are some things you can do to help fight against the salty air. 

If you can park your vehicle underneath some sort of covering, whether it be a garage at your house/beach house or a parking garage. This will not only protect you from the air but the sun's rays as well. 

If you see any chips in your paint, cover them with touch up paint. This will ensure that you prevent any rust underneath. 

Once you return home from a beach vacation or if you live by the shore, it is recommended you clean your vehicle often. Washing your car will get rid of the salt and other residue that sticks to your vehicle. Giving it some wax is another added measure that will coat your paint and protect it from salt and other debris sticking. 

We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope you have a safe and fun vacation and Summer Season! Hope these tips help you protect your vehicle from sea air and other debris.  

How hot can my car get inside?

Greenhouses are specifically designed to absorb and hold heat. As sunlight pours in through the glass or plastic it heats everything up inside. Your vehicle does the same. Heat radiates from all the components on the inside of your vehicle and can not circulate out if the windows are shut. This is why car manufacturers make vehicle AC units powerful. 

The fastest rise of temperature in your car occurs as soon as you turn off your AC. If your vehicle is parked in the sun, after about an hour, the temperature inside could rise 43 degrees higher than the outdoor air. After the 90 minute mark it could rise to 48 degrees higher. So if it is 90 degrees outside in a matter of 90 minutes the inside temperature of your car could reach 138 degrees. Imagine leaving groceries in that? Knowing this, keeping a freezer bag or a cooler in your car for your groceries is a good idea. 

A lot of stores in NJ are open now, it is important to keep this in mind when shopping. We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope you are continuing to stay well. Have a great Summer!

Tip Tuesday: Dog vehicle safety during the Summer

Summer is here and it is heating up. Now that we are sort of getting back to “normal” we might be traveling with our pets in the vehicle. There are very important ways to handle having your pet out in the Summer heat. Here are some tips to make sure your dog is safe in your vehicle this Summer. 

First things first, you should never leave your pet alone in your vehicle no matter the circumstances as they can potentially hurt themselves. If you were to leave your dog inside your vehicle, in the heat, there can be many health risks involved. When you turn your vehicle off, the temperature inside can increase 30-50 degrees. So imagine it is 75 degrees outside, it can get to be over 100 degrees inside your vehicle during Summer and hot days. A human should definitely not be left inside let alone an animal. A lot of pet owners believe they can leave their dog inside the vehicle as long as the window is cracked, this is not true. Your dog could suffer from many health issues for being in the hot vehicle for just a few minutes. 

The best practise it to take your dog with you. If you cannot, make sure you have someone with you who can stay in the vehicle with your dog as your vehicle is running. Safe temperatures for leaving your dog inside your vehicle are, above freezing and below 70 degrees. I personally feel more comfortable bringing my dog with me as they are a little anxious and would be afraid if I left them in the car alone. Please refer to the chart below for more information regarding safe temperatures.

All in all, just be responsible when handling your dog in the heat. You are there to protect them and keep them safe at any time of the year. The best practice is to never leave them in any extreme temperature or heat. Care for them as you would want them to care for you. We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope you have a happy and safe Summer with your family and pets! 

How do I defog my windshield in the Summer?

During the Summer months, we typically blast the air conditioning in our vehicles to keep us cool. It’s only on those super nice days we will roll the windows down. Well just because it is Summer time does not mean we are free from fog on our windshields. Fog can accumulate on our windows and windshields with any extreme temperature, too hot, too cold. 

In the Summer the outside temperature is usually hot and the temperature inside our vehicles is cooler. This can cause fog and condensation on your windshield, but it is on the outside. Having fog on the outside of the windshield is an easy fix. If you are using your air conditioning on the coldest temp setting; try switching to a higher temperature setting (in the AC mode) and the fog should dissipate. It is a good idea to move the vents from hitting the windows and windshield directly.. And since the fog is on the outside of the windshield, using your wiper blades can get rid of it as you work on regulating the temperatures inside. 

We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope these tips help you this Summer when battling fog. Have a safe and happy Summer season! 

Will the sun damage the paint on my car?

As we know, the sun can be harmful to human skin, so we use sunscreen or wear a hat to protect ourselves. The sun’s rays can also be harmful to your vehicle’s paint. Over time, the paint will fade or oxidize from the sun beating on it. Since we protect our skin, we should also protect our vehicle’s paint. 

If it is possible, an easy and simple way to protect your vehicle from sun damage is to park it in the garage. If you do not have a garage, you can try to park your vehicle in an area that is mostly shade on your driveway. Other ways you can protect your vehicle’s paint is by washing it regularly and using wax. By washing your vehicle often you are cleaning off any harmful contaminants like bird poop, salt, and grime. Having a dirty vehicle accelerates sun damage. Applying wax on your vehicle helps stop pollutants from adhering to your paint, thus aiding in sun protection. 

We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope this information helps as you protect your vehicle this Summer!