How to protect your vehicle in extreme heat

The summer months of Las Vegas bring endless sun and extreme heat, and often cars bear the brunt of it.

Below are some tips from AutoZone and State Farm to protect your vehicle from the heat.

Try to avoid sunlight from hitting the inside of your car as much as possible, either by parking in the shade, using a windshield sunshade or using a full car cover as the sun can damage paint, tires and fabric. Protect leather seats with a conditioner.

Test your car battery. Heat can put batteries under extra stress and can cause them to fail prematurely. If there are some signs it’s slowing down, it might be best to get it replaced.

Check your tires. Air pressure in tires can rise with temperatures, which can affect the handling of a car.

Apply a coat of wax. Because most paint on cars can be affected or damaged by too much direct sunlight, a coat of wax can prevent paint from chipping or getting damaged.

Also wash and dry your vehicle often. Sun and heat can fade and crack the paint.

Install a remote engine starter, so your vehicle can start start cooling down before you get in. This can also help with heating in the winter.

It’s also important to not leave children or pets unattended in a parked car because the heat inside a parked car can rise by about 20 degrees within 10 minutes, meaning a vehicle parked while it’s 115 degrees can easily reach 135 degrees.

The Clark County Fire Department issued these tips to help make sure a pet or child isn’t left in a car.

* Place something vital in the backseat of your car so you have to check the area before you lock your vehicle.

* Or put a stuffed animal in the front seat as a reminder you’re not alone in the car.

* Take extra precautions in the heat to double check your vehicle and schedule so you don’t feel the need to leave a child or pet in a parked car.

Contact Sean Hemmersmeier at shemmersmeier@reviewjournal.com. Follow @seanhemmers34 on X.