Video: Driving Smart: Summerize Your Car

Here are some tips about what you or your mechanic should look for. (engine starting) With the engine off and cold, check rubber items like radiator hoses and belts for signs of cracking and degradation. Summer heat and an overtaxed cooling system can put them over the edge. (engine starting) With the engine cold, make sure the radiator and recovery tank are filled to the proper level with a clean mix of water and antifreeze. (engine starting) Replace your wiper blades. It should be done about every six months anyway. And if you've had a wiper blade stuck to a windshield over the winter and pulled it off, it's probably damaged. (engine starting) Check your air conditioning. With outside temperatures in the seventies or eighties, the air coming out of the vent should be between 35 and 45 degrees. If the system needs a refrigerant recharge, it might not die outright, but it might not keep up on the hottest days when the lines will be long at the service center. (engine starting) Wax your car. It will protect the paint from the sun's harsh rays and the bird droppings you're sure to attract by parking under a shade tree. (techno-style music)