Everyone’s favourite season is just around the corner (fingers crossed), and summer 2025 is shaping up to be full of sunshine, road trips, and unforgettable family adventures. Before you fire up the grill or hit the highway, though, there’s one thing you shouldn’t overlook: making sure your vehicle is just as ready for the heat as you are.
Most drivers know that winter demands serious preparation—snow tires, emergency kits, frozen windshield wipers—but summer has its own set of hidden hazards. Blistering pavement, overheated engines, and long highway hauls can take a toll on even the most reliable car.
The good news? Getting your vehicle ready for the season doesn’t have to be a hassle. In fact, we’ve pulled together 5 unconventional but essential ways to prep the family car for a smooth, safe, and stress-free summer. Whether you’re planning a cross-country journey or quick weekend getaways, these tips will help you hit the road with confidence in 2025
Check Your Coolant
Coolant keeps your engine running smoothly by preventing it from overheating. The engine is (somewhat) important to the operation of your vehicle, and without coolant it could easily overwork and become damaged in the heat of the summer.
Inspect that the coolant is at the proper level and check that the mix is at the optimal water to ethylene glycol ratio. You can find ratio testers at any auto parts store, or take your vehicle in to have this inspected.
Change Your Windshield Wipers
Not only are your current windshield wipers most likely torn up from a solid 7 months of wiping ice and snow out of your line of vision, but windshield wipers are also usually built for certain temperature ranges.
This means you should probably throw some summer wipers on there to ensure that you have nice clear vision on those rainy days that are on their way.
Check Your Air Conditioner
This one may not have too many negative effects on the car specifically, but having no air conditioner in your vehicle in the heat of the summer can not only be uncomfortable but can be dangerous.
Cars heat up quickly under the sun and can reach temperatures that are unhealthy to the human body. Do yourself, and any passenger you may have, a favour and ensure the AC is in good working condition.
Test Your Battery
Rising temperatures can take a bit of a toll on your vehicles battery. Heat can actually cause the fluid in the battery to evaporate, weakening the battery. The weaker your battery is, the more your vehicle will overexert every time you turn the key.
Test your battery and, if necessary, replace it (it’s recommended that this gets done every 5 years) to avoid needing a boost halfway to the lake next long-weekend.
Check Your Tires
Changes in temperature can affect the PSI in your tires.
When the PSI is not at the recommended level, it can not only wreck your gas mileage (no thanks) but it can also negatively affect your vehicles handling. The rougher your vehicle handles, the more wear and tear your vehicle will experience.
By keeping track of this simple measure (it’s usually shown on the dash of new vehicles), you can save your vehicle from being unnecessarily worn down (and save a few bucks on gas – yay!).
You can find your vehicles specifically recommended tire PSI in the owner’s manual.
Enjoy Summer Worry Free
These 5 easy ways to prep your car for summer can save you from having your lovely summer season interrupted by unwanted car maintenance.
Our vehicles play a big part in our daily lives, are a large investment, and carry important cargo (friends, family… even mothers-in-law), so it is important that we take care of them and in return they will take better care of us.