As temperatures begin climbing toward summer peaks, preventative maintenance becomes the difference between profitable routes and costly roadside breakdowns for you or your business.
Your local TLG Peterbilt service department is here to keep your semi-trucks on uptime, all the time. Whether you’re a fleet operator or an independent driver, you can avoid costly emergency repairs and minimize your downtime by taking these tips into consideration for the warmer months, and scheduling a service appointment with your local TLG Peterbilt today.
Check Your Cooling System
The cooling system serves as your engine's first line of defense against heat-related damage. A failed cooling system can destroy an engine in minutes. A thorough inspection should include:
- Checking coolant levels
- Testing the radiator for leaks or blockages
- Examining hoses for cracks or wear
- Verifying that the thermostat opens properly at operating temperature
- This preventative maintenance procedure helps catch minor leaks, worn hoses, or degraded coolant before things get worse.
Check Your Air Conditioning System
A broken AC unit forces drivers into dangerous situations where heat exhaustion compromises their ability to operate safely.
Make sure your air conditioning system gets the attention it needs to ensure driver comfort and safety during long hauls in extreme heat.
This means inspecting:
- Refrigerant levels
- Cleaning condenser coils
- Checking belt tension
- Testing compressor function before the mercury rises
Fleet managers who schedule these critical checks ahead of time avoid lost revenue from trucks sitting idle during the industry's busiest period. Additionally, it’s important to take the time to check or replace the cabin filter and engine air filter.
Check Your Wipers
Truck drivers should prioritize inspecting their windshield wipers before summer arrives to ensure safe visibility during the season's unpredictable weather conditions. While many drivers focus on preparing winter driving, summer presents its own unique challenges that demand properly functioning wipers.
Key reasons to check your wipers before summer:
- Sudden thunderstorms and downpours - Summer weather can shift rapidly from clear skies to torrential rain, requiring wipers that can effectively clear water without streaking or skipping across the windshield
- Increased UV damage from intense sunlight - Extended exposure to harsh summer sun causes rubber wiper blades to crack, harden, and deteriorate faster than during other seasons, reducing their effectiveness when you need them most
- Heavy pollen and debris buildup - Summer brings elevated pollen levels, dust, and organic matter that can accumulate on windshields, requiring wipers to be in peak condition to maintain clear sightlines without smearing contaminants across the glass
Check Your Tire Pressure
As asphalt temperatures climb, tire pressure increases and weak spots become failure points. Heat-stressed tires are prime candidates for blowouts, especially when carrying heavy loads.
Check pressure when tires are cold, inspect tread depth across the entire surface, and look for sidewall damage, bulges, or embedded debris.
Check Your Engine Belts
Engine belts expand and contract with temperature changes, and winter cold can create small cracks that become major failures once heat sets in. Serpentine belts, alternator belts, and other drive belts all deserve close inspection. Look for fraying, glazing, or any visible cracks.
Check Your Brake System
Heat accelerates brake component wear exponentially. Pads and shoes that seemed fine in winter conditions can deteriorate rapidly once temperatures rise, and you're running heavier loads. Beyond visual inspection, listen for grinding, squealing, or unusual noises during braking.
Check brake fluid levels and look for signs of moisture contamination that can cause brake fade in extreme heat.
Check Your Battery
Batteries are deceptive – they might have limped through winter's cold starts only to fail spectacularly when summer heat accelerates internal corrosion. Clean terminals, check fluid levels in serviceable batteries, and test charging system performance. Heat increases the chemical activity inside batteries, which means a marginal battery can become a dead battery very quickly.
Taking ten minutes to ensure your unit is operating in top condition before summer's challenges intensify can prevent issues and costly roadside emergencies during peak driving season.
Our TLG Peterbilt locations are here to ensure your trucks are operating in top condition and keep an extensive inventory of parts so your trucks stay can stay out on the road.
Schedule Service or Shop the Online Parts Counter.