San Antonio cars are suffering in the Texas heat, according to a Pep Boys report that shows Alamo City vehicles need more service than those in other cities.
The automotive aftermarket service chain released its first-ever ranking of U.S. metro areas where heat-impacted vehicle service demand is as high as summer temperatures. High temperatures can easily decimate batteries and wear out cooling systems, particularly in Texas.
“Heat affects vehicle systems in very specific ways,” Scott Elliott, Pep Boys manager of technical training, said. “It degrades battery capacity, overworks A/C systems and stresses cooling systems faster than most drivers realize.”
San Antonio ranked third among cities where drivers experience the highest rates of services commonly associated with summer conditions, according to the Pep Boys study, which used data collected across U.S. markets between May 1 and Aug. 31 of last year.
Texas dominated the list of 15 cities, with metros in the Lone Star State accounting for more than 30% of the list.
Las Vegas with its triple-digit temperatures led the list. Drivers there typically need to seek air conditioner repairs for their vehicles during the summer three times more than Pep Boys’ national average. Orlando, Fla. came in at second place.
Besides San Antonio, two other Texas cities — Lubbock and El Paso — rounded out the top five spots on the list.
Lubbock, at No. 4, had the highest combined rate of services associated with heat and summer weather, reflecting the West Texas City’s minimal shade and open roads. El Paso, with its desert conditions and intensely hot summers, ranked fifth.
Other Texas cities on the Pep Boys list were Austin, at seventh place, and Houston, which ranked 14th.
While Pep Boys’ internal service data shows that car failures are concentrated in areas with high temperatures, it is something Texas drivers can deal with by making sure their vehicles are summer-ready, the company said.
Summer-related car troubles are “largely preventable with the right maintenance ahead of the summer season,” Elliot said.
