Check Your Belts & Hoses

Summertime is travel time! Who can resist the lure of sunny skies and open road? Summertime is also a time where routine maintenance can be overlooked. With the overwhelming urge to hit the road, many people forgo keeping their car in proper working order.

The key to summer driving is keeping the engine cool. First and foremost, you need to check your vehicle's hoses and belts. The hoses connected to the radiator help pump coolant to and from the engine block, and the belts run the fan that helps cool the system further. If the hoses crack or the belts snap, the radiator will quickly overheat, leaving you stranded.

Check hoses for cracks, leaks and loose connections. Hoses should be firm, never soft and malleable. Hoses suffer from a slow deterioration process called electrochemical degradation that eats away at rubber hose material from the inside. The most vulnerable parts of the hose are those nearest to clamps where the hose connects to the radiator or the engine.

Belts can also be visually checked for cracks and damage. Take note if the belt looks excessively slick or smooth. Remove the belt to make sure that the material hasn't started separating into different layers. Experts say the risk of belt failure rises dramatically after 36,000 miles.