I should have posted this advice earlier in the summer but better late than never! It’s one of the things that all transplants should know as you move into your first summer in Arizona.
The sun is a silent killer of automobile parts! That sounds so crazy but imagine that you’re heading out to a doctor’s appointment and you’re running late. You hop in your car and turn the key and nothing …. complete silence. What the hell!!! I parked it last night and it was fine.
The likely culprit is a battery that is 2 plus years old and Arizona sun/heat. It could be other things but that silent sound, faint click when you turn the key equals dead battery.
Car repair shops in Arizona will usually check your battery life with your regular car maintenance but you would be wise to keep an eye on a battery 2 plus years or older. Listen for that hesitation when you turn the key.
It was a shock when it happened to me the first time (yes, it’s happened more than once!) but the fact is the extreme temperatures just drain a battery. Not very much you can do except make sure the new battery you purchase has a warranty that will prorate based on age in the event it goes bad.
Which bring me to the other maintenance issue – not really a maintenance issue but something you need to be prepared for and that is rocks on the roadways. A good friend reminded me when I moved here to make sure I had windshield coverage in my auto insurance.
Rocks and gravel are just a fact of life here and you haven’t lived until you’re traveling down the freeway at 65 miles per hour and the truck in front of you lets loose a stone that is now traveling at 65 miles per hours towards your windshield. There is a definite sound when it hits, and you’ll see the star or bigger chip and there is almost no way to avoid it!
When you have windshield replacement included in your auto insurance, you’ll be able to call one of the replacement services and schedule a repair. In Arizona, it is illegal to drive with a cracked windshield if the crack obstructs the driver’s view. The law requires that your windshield be free of cracks that impair view which includes cracks larger that ¾ inches in diameter, cracks that extend across the windshield or cracks that are connected to other damage like chips or spidering. The fine you could receive ranges from $100 – $150. You should also know that Arizona is one of six states that has a free windshield replacement law which means that your comprehensive insurance coverage includes free windshield coverage. So, make sure you have that included in your policies!
Replacement services will usually offer to replace your windshield wipers (extra cost) because the sun wears them out too! There are probably other components in your vehicle that take a beating due to the heat, but these are the ones that I see most often and something that you can watch out for when you are,
#TRANSPLANTED