Heat puts vehicle air conditioners to test – and some fail

Overheating, lack of get-up-and-go and low fluid levels – the heat doesn’t just take it out of human bodies. It takes a toll on cars, too.

Auto repair shops have been overcome in recent weeks with cars suffering from heat exhaustion.

“We’ve been doing air conditioners nonstop,” said Roger Bunch, the service manager at Bob’s Auto Center.

Instead of the two to three air conditioner repairs a week the shop does during a typical summer, Bob’s is handling six to 10 a day, Bunch said.

Then there are the dead batteries, broken radiator hoses and overheated cars.

At Coeur d’Alene Auto Repair, owner Josh Thomas is replacing many fuel pumps done in by the hot weather. Employees there have been working 14-hour days for the past week, he said.

“Some vehicles, if you use your air conditioner, it will overheat,” Thomas said, adding that he advises the customer in such cases to first turn off the air conditioner. If that doesn’t work, the last resort is to turn on the heat.

That suggestion is always met with dismay, he said.

Keep your head

So you just got into a car wreck. Now what? It can be hard to keep a clear head in such situations, so here are some tips to keep in mind.

Get down all the information you can from witnesses, drivers and passengers. That includes names, phone numbers, addresses, insurance information and license plate numbers.

“I give talks to new drivers, and when I give that talk, I end by giving them a piece of paper and pen to keep in the glove box,” said State Farm Insurance agent Jim Gyarfas.

That idea came to Gyarfas after one young client came into his office with all the information written on his arm in felt-tip pen.

Disposable cameras can be a good idea in some cases, but as soon as someone moves their vehicle out of the path of traffic it’s too late to take pictures.

“The physical damage on the car usually tells the story,” said Gyarfas.

Don’t underestimate what the damage will cost to repair, he warned.

While it might sound like a good idea to not report a crash to your insurance company, and let the driver at fault just pay to fix it, the bill could be far higher than anticipated.

And while it’s not always necessary to call the police, do so if people are injured or there is a serious dispute.

“Call the police if you are being threatened,” Gyarfas said.

Slow going

I-90

I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Many nights it will be further reduced to one lane in each direction. The Monroe/Lincoln ramps are closed, as are the westbound Browne Street on-ramp and the eastbound Maple on-ramp and eastbound Division exit. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph. No changing lanes.

North Spokane

Rutter Parkway is open this week on a gravel road with a 25 mph speed limit and single lane traffic. Flaggers will also be directing single-lane traffic most days on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. And the highway may be closed for up to 20 minutes at a time for blasting near Rutter Parkway.

Crestline Street is closed from Lincoln Road to Francis Avenue. Lincoln Road is closed from Napa Street to Crestline. Detours are in place.

West Dennison-Chattaroy Road is closed to all but local traffic between Highway 395 and Perry Road.

West Plains

Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. Only one lane of traffic is open in each direction.

South Spokane

Highway 195 construction between Rosalia and Plaza reduces traffic to one lane between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Flaggers and pilot cars will direct traffic.

Bernard Street is closed from 14th to 29th avenues. Traffic is detoured to Grand Boulevard and Lincoln Street.

Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. Several nearby streets are also closed.

Freya Street reconstruction will close traffic to all but local access from Hartson and 11th Avenue and from 18th and 37th avenues. Detours are in place.

Regal Road is under construction from 57th to the Palouse Highway. Expect delays.

The Palouse Highway is under construction between Valley Chapel Road and Dunn Road.

Spokane sweeping

Crews will sweep in the northwest from Northwest Boulevard to Courtland and from Monroe to Maple; and on the South side in the area bounded by Fourth Avenue, 29th Avenue, Rockwood Boulevard and Grand Boulevard.

Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley

Adams Road is closed from Fourth Avenue to Eighth Avenue.

Sprague Avenue is closed from Harmony Road to Hodges Road through Friday.

Montgomery is closed from Long to Riverway through Friday .

Broadway Avenue overlay work is under way between Bates Road and Sullivan Road. Expect lane restrictions.

Barker Road is closed from Boone to Euclid for road widening.

Idaho

Lakeside Avenue and First Street traffic will be detoured near the new Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce building through mid-August as crews work on relocating underground utilities.

Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter.

The Government Way bridge in Coeur d’Alene is closed to traffic.

Construction on Lancaster Road between Government Way and Strahorn may cause delays.