LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — According to AAA, the heat kills more car batteries than the cold does— and both extremes can even impact the roads we drive on.
At Coleman and Son Automotive in Little Rock, there's been an increase in cars that have gone in for air conditioning service, which is just one example of how heat can wear down your car.
"Coolant leaks, they spring about during this type of weather," Coleman and Son owner, Dee Coleman said.
Coleman has been staying busy fixing the cars impacted by extreme heat.
"There are all types of heat-related problems that come with this type of temperature," he explained.
He said the most common problems involve A/C and overheating.
"Normally you get overheating temperatures on older model cars, cars that are about four or five years older, they will have leaks and they will cause overheating issues. Those are some of the things that you want to keep an eye on," he added.
When it comes to batteries, they typically are made to last 3 to 4 years, but Coleman said that's not always the case during heat like this.
"These extreme conditions can prematurely kill that battery," he said.
If you start to notice any kind of unusual smell or your car is driving differently, he recommends you take it to a professional.
When it comes to the roads we drive on, the heat can also mess up the pavement.
Drivers in Texas have been dealing with road buckling this week because of the high temperatures, but Ellen Coulter with ARDOT said we haven't had a lot of that in Arkansas.
"It hasn't really been an issue. But it certainly can happen," Ellen Coulter with ARDOT said.
She explained that crews prepare for the extreme heat and cold ahead of time to try and prevent road buckling and rutting.
"We have measures in place on putting expansion material in concrete to help it expand and contract a little bit better to prevent that buckling. And we also have different types of oil that we can actually put in the asphalt to help prevent the rutting," Coulter described.
Extreme heat or not, she encourages you to report any road concerns to ARDOT so crews can start fixing them.