How extreme heat could have negative impacts on your car

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — With temperatures feeling like the triple digits, it’s no shock it can have a negative impact on your car.

Greg Roberts is the Service Director at G.T. Automotive in Metairie. He services around 300 cars a month, but as temperatures increase, that number could go up.

“The heat will definitely create a problem,” said Roberts.

The heat can cause the inside of a car to be upward of 120 degrees. So naturally, the first thing many do is crank up the air conditioning.

“We are turning it on every time we get in, it’s usually high and cold,” said Evan Bertaut, a local to the area.

But, Roberts recommends a different technique.

“Put it on low or medium, it will get much colder coming out the vents,” said Roberts.

The hotter it is, the harder your air conditioning has to work. Putting it on high can create a strain which could cause it to go out.

“We’d be sweating the entire time, it’d be unbearable, to be honest,” said Bertaut.

The heat can also take a costly toll on your battery.

“It could make the battery explode, the acid will come from it and get all inside the engine compartment and that’s not good,” said Roberts.

Be sure to check out your tire pressure too, high temperatures can actually inflate them.

“If the tire has a weak point, it could cost the tire to blow out,” said Roberts.

He recommends getting your car serviced as needed.