SUMMER is finally here, but nothing ruins a trip to the beach faster than watching your bonnet spew steam on the side of the M25 while the breakdown truck ka-chings its way to your wallet.
A simple breakdown recovery can easily set you back £200 or more before a mechanic even touches your car.
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Sign up for RAC breakdown cover from £5.29
Right now, motorists can snag up to RAC roadside cover from £5.29 a month, keeping your hard-earned cash in your pocket.
The RAC provides cover for vehicles of any age and also includes electric, hybrid and classic car models.
You can also add plenty of optional extras to your cover, including European rescue across 48 different countries, onward travel using a hire car and key and tyre cover.
If you’re planning your next big summer road trip, ensure you do your homework and compare breakdown cover before taking the plunge.
The good news? You don’t need to be a grease monkey to protect your pride and joy.
Here are five dead-easy, five-minute summer car checks that will keep your engine humming and save your hard-earned cash
Five summer car checks
1. The ’20p’ tyre tread test
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Summer heat makes tarmac piping hot, which puts huge pressure on your rubber. If your tyres are bald or cracking, a high-speed blowout is waiting to happen.
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- The fix: Pop a standard 20p coin into the main grooves of your tyre. If the outer band of the coin disappears, your tread is above the legal limit (1.6mm).
If you can see that outer band, your tyres are illegal and unsafe, and will fail an MOT faster than you can say “penalty points”.
- Top tip: Don’t forget to check tyre pressures when they’re cold, under-inflated tyres burn way more fuel.
2. Coolant top-up (stop the meltdown)
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Engine overheating is the number one cause of summer breakdowns. Stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a scorching Friday afternoon? Your cooling system is working overtime.
- The fix: Look under the bonnet at the clear plastic coolant tank (only when the engine is completely cold). The liquid level should sit firmly between the ‘MIN’ and ‘MAX’ lines.
- Top tip: If it’s low, don’t just dump plain tap water in. Use proper engine coolant/antifreeze mix to stop internal corrosion.
3. Screenwash & wiper rescue
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Summer driving means a constant barrage of squashed bugs, pollen, and sticky dust on your windscreen.
Blinding glare from the sun combined with a smeared windscreen is a direct route to a crash.
- The fix: Top up your screen wash reservoir with proper summer washer fluid (it dissolves dead bugs way better than plain water).
- Top tip: Give your wiper blades a quick wipe with a damp cloth to clear off grime.
4. Battery health check
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Driving in a scorching 30°C cabin isn’t just uncomfortable, it causes driver fatigue and slows your reaction times.
If your air-con is blowing lukewarm air or smelling like an old gym bag, the system is struggling and could be heading for an expensive mechanical seize-up (setting you back up to £600 to replace).
- The fix: Turn your engine on, set the air-con to the coldest setting, and crank the fan up to full. Within 30 to 60 seconds, the air coming out of the vents should feel icy cold.
- Top tip: If it takes minutes to cool down or only blows lukewarm air, your system is probably low on refrigerant gas.
Getting a simple AC regas (around £50–£80) early stops the compressor pump from running dry and burning itself out.
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5. The oil check
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Instead of getting your hands dirty with a rag, modern engines rely on an internal sensor that feeds directly to your dashboard or infotainment screen.
- The fix: Park on flat ground and warm up the engine to normal operating temperature (most electronic sensors won’t give an accurate reading when cold).
Turn off the engine, switch the ignition back on, and scroll through your dashboard menu to “Vehicle Status”, “Service”, or “Engine Oil Level”.
- Top tip: Don’t overfill! Electronic sensors are sensitive, and putting in too much oil can trigger an error light or damage your catalytic converter.