Summer Maintenance for your Ram Truck

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Summer Maintenance for your Ram Truck

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Summer is the perfect time of year for road trips, boating, and, unfortunately, car troubles. This is because extreme heat can put a strain on some of your car’s most essential parts. If your summer months are filled with activities that you plan to use your Ram truck for, we’re here to help you make sure it's in great shape to take on the summer heat. Continue reading below as we give you some tips on how to best care for your Ram truck this summer!

Get an Oil Change

No matter what season it is, it’s important to get regular oil changes in your Ram truck. However, the summer heat makes oil changes even more important. This is because engine oil thickens more quickly in high heat, and thick oil can lead to sludge if not removed. When old oil is being circulated through the engine, it will not provide the proper amount of lubrication for the engine to prevent overheating. Furthermore, this added strain on your engine will force your engine to work harder, thus, using more fuel. Oil changes should be performed roughly every 7,500 miles. However, you should check your owner's manual as this mileage can vary. Also, if you use your truck for towing or off-roading, your oil changes should take place more frequently, approximately every 5,000 miles.

Test your Air Conditioning

During the summer months, it can be difficult to beat the heat. One way to do this is to make sure your car’s air conditioning is working properly. The service experts in the service center here at Chrysler of Culpeper will gladly test your A/C system to make sure cold air comes through your vents this summer. If you’ve noticed your A/C isn’t blowing out as cold, our service technicians have the ability to recharge your system or make the necessary repairs to keep you comfortable all summer long.

Top Off Fluids Under the Hood

As the season's change, so does the weather, and weather changes often cause lower engine fluid levels as they can become thin and even evaporate in hot temperatures. When the summer heat rolls around, you’ll want to check and top off the fluids under the hood, including power steering fluid, transmission fluid, windshield washer fluid, and coolant. As you might have guessed, the coolant is the most critical fluid during the summer months. This is because it keeps the engine’s operating temperature in check. If you’re not comfortable with topping off your own fluids, our service center will gladly take care of it for you.

Test the Battery

Car batteries are sometimes overlooked. However, without your battery, you’re not going anywhere. The technicians in our service department recommend having your battery tested twice a year to ensure it’s supplying the power needed to turn the engine over every time. A car battery’s power is measured in cold cranking amps (CCA). Each vehicle has a specific CCA required to turn the engine over. If the CCA is lower than necessary, it can take longer for the engine to turn over and, in some cases, fail to turn over at all. If you notice that it’s taking longer than usual for the engine to start, don’t wait to bring your truck to our service center to have it tested.

Take Care of your Tires

It is also important to take care of your tires year-round, especially in the summertime. The most important tire service is tire rotations. This helps extend the life of your tires by preventing two tires from wearing faster than the others. Due to the extra weight of the engine and transmission on the front axle, the front tires tend to wear faster than the rears. That’s why you should swap the front and rear tires each time you get an oil change. Another important tire service is monitoring the tire pressure. Over or underinflation can make the tire’s more prone to premature wear and blowouts. Additionally, having properly inflated tires can help improve your fuel economy by reducing rolling resistance.

Service your Ram Truck at Chrysler of Culpeper!

Summertime should be an enjoyable, carefree time to relax and enjoy the weather. To make sure you can enjoy your summer without interruptions with car troubles, bring your Ram truck to the experts in the service center here at Chrysler of Culpeper! From routine services like oil changes and tire rotations to repairs on your A/C system, you can count on our service technicians to get the job done right and in a timely manner. Schedule your next service appointment by calling our service center or using our online scheduling tool right here on our website. We look forward to serving you!