As the temperature rises, so does the wear and tear on your vehicle. Heat is one of your engine's biggest enemies, and summertime brings it by the barrel. Luckily, we don't have to stress out about it. Our cars are so well designed they can function in temperatures from below zero to above 100 degrees. That is, as long as we humans can remember to maintain them.

Oil and coolant are the most important things to take car of when the season changes. Both of these fluids aid in keeping your engine cool. If either is low or out of spec, heat buildup is inevitable. Too much heat can lead to plenty of time on the side of the road, and some steep repair bills. Your summer maintenance checklist tells you to change your oil and check your coolant. But did you know that it's not enough to just check the level of your coolant? You need to check the mixture, as well. If your coolant-to-water ratio isn't right, you won't get maximum cooling power. You can easily test your coolant mixture using a simple tool from the auto parts store. It's cheap, and will give you peace of mind for those summer road trips.

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