نصائح ١٣ Sep ٢٠٢٦ قراءة في ٤ دقائق

Summer Car Care in Qatar: The ١٢ Checks That Get a Car Through ٤٥°C

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From May to September the air in Doha reaches ٤٥°C and the tarmac passes ٦٠°C. A car that ran perfectly in February can strand its owner on the Lusail Expressway in July, and the causes are always the same handful: a battery that was already weak, a tyre that was already old, a cooling system that was never flushed. This is the pre-summer checklist garages in Qatar wish every customer followed - most of it takes an hour and a few hundred riyals.

١. Battery: the number one summer failure

Heat, not cold, kills car batteries; it accelerates the chemical wear inside, so a battery that lasts five years in Europe lasts two to three in Qatar. Have it load-tested at any battery shop or Woqod station - the test is free and takes a minute. If it is over two years old and reads weak, replace it before summer rather than after the first no-start. A standard battery for a saloon costs QR 250-450 fitted; AGM batteries for cars with start-stop cost more. Clean the terminals and check the clamp is tight.

٢. Coolant and the cooling system

Check the coolant level cold, in the expansion tank, and the colour - it should be clear and coloured, not rusty or oily. Coolant should be replaced every two to three years; in Qatar do not stretch it. Have the garage pressure-test the system and look at the radiator fins for sand blockage, the hoses for softness and the fan for operation: with the engine hot and the AC on, both fans should run. A radiator flush and refill costs around QR 150-300.

٣. Tyres: pressure, age and the spare

Check pressure cold, first thing in the morning, against the placard inside the driver's door, not the maximum on the sidewall. Read the DOT date code: tyres older than five years should go regardless of tread, because heat hardens and cracks the rubber from the inside. Look for bulges and cracks in the sidewall and stones between the treads. Check the spare too - it is usually flat and forgotten. Rotate every ١٠٬٠٠٠ km.

٤. Air-conditioning

If the AC blows cool rather than cold, have the refrigerant pressure checked before summer, not during it; a leak test and regas costs QR 150-350 and a compressor that runs low on gas in July can seize, which costs QR ١٬٥٠٠ and up. Replace the cabin air filter - dust here clogs it in a year - and clean the condenser in front of the radiator. Run the AC for ten minutes a week in winter to keep the seals lubricated.

٥. Engine oil and filters

Use the oil grade the manual specifies and shorten the interval if you do a lot of short trips or idling in traffic - both count as severe service. Change the air filter every service; sand gets everywhere. A clean fuel filter matters on older cars. Check for oil leaks on the driveway: heat thins oil and finds weak gaskets.

٦. Belts, hoses and the water pump

Rubber ages fast in the heat. Look for cracks on the serpentine belt and listen for a squeal on cold start. Squeeze the top radiator hose when cold - it should be firm, not spongy. Any coolant weep at the water pump is a job for before the summer, not after.

٧. Brakes, wipers and washer fluid

Brake fluid absorbs moisture and boils sooner in heat; if it has not been changed in two years, change it. Wiper blades bake and split in a single summer; replace them before the first dust storm. Fill the washer bottle - dust on the windscreen at dawn on the highway is a real hazard.

٨. Sun protection inside

A reflective windscreen shade drops the cabin temperature by ١٠°C or more and protects the dashboard from cracking. Legal tint - a maximum of ٣٠% on private cars - cuts the heat load on the AC. Leave the windows cracked a few millimetres in shaded car parks, and never leave electronics, lighters or aerosols in the car.

٩. Fuel and fuel system

Keep the tank above a quarter in summer; a fuller tank runs the fuel pump cooler. If the car sits for weeks while you travel, a full tank and a battery tender are the difference between a car that starts in September and one that needs a tow.

١٠. Bodywork and paint

A wax or ceramic coating before summer protects clear-coat from UV and makes sand wash off easily. Clean bird droppings and tree sap immediately - in ٤٥°C they etch paint in a day. Check door and boot seals; sand in a dried seal lets dust and heat in.

١١. The emergency kit

Keep in the boot: two litres of water per person, a reflective triangle, a torch, jump leads or a jump pack, a tyre inflator, a basic tool kit and a printed emergency number list. A breakdown in the heat is a safety matter, not an inconvenience.

١٢. Book the service before June

Every workshop in Doha fills up when the first heatwave hits. Booking the pre-summer service in April or May means the garage has time, the parts are in stock and you are not waiting a week with no car in July.