(Lockdown Car Care Tips) Vehicle Maintenance and Covid-19

Vehicle maintenance and Covid-19, The world of traveling has plunged into darkness with the global spread of Covid-19. While undoubtedly your ability to enjoy a vacation on a sunny beach in Turkey has been compromised, the number of trips you take within your own home town have also been severely cut short.

That drive to the grocery store, driving around the town with your friends, or even driving to and from work no longer seems to be regular occurrences with Covid-19 guidelines and safety. While you may work from home and have your groceries delivered to your doorstep, your car may be enjoying a lengthy vacation, quietly in the garage or on the side of the street.

You may think that a dormant vehicle doesn’t need any oil changes, battery care and other maintenance checkups. However, in reality, your car being out of use doesn’t mean it is immune to rusty brake discs, low fluid levels, faulty tire pressures that time brings about.

Generally, a machine that is meant to be running often doesn’t fare well if it is being put into lengthy periods of hibernation. It is advisable to take your car out for a drive at least once a week to charge your battery and keep other components in motion. Nevertheless, similar to how going for a walk doesn’t mean you can skip your doctor’s appointment, driving your idle car once a week doesn’t address all requirements.

Lockdown Car Care Tips

Skipping your car’s maintenance schedule increases the likelihood of negative and far more expensive consequences when you finally hit the road again.

Things you need to know when your car is left sitting for an extended period of time

Here are a few things you need to look out for, even when your car is left sitting for an extended period of time:

Changing oil 

Regardless of how little you drive your car, you still need to change your oil at regular intervals. Temperature fluctuations may cause the oil to lose its ability to cool and lubricate properly. Functional, fresh oil at the correct levels is essential to protect your engine against wear and tear, and to avoid engine failure. It is recommended to have an experienced mechanic see your engine oil quality and quantity before you take your car back onto the roads.

 Check your brakes

Your brake disks will begin to rust if your car is left idle for a considerable amount of time. Corrosion can render the brake calipers ineffective. If your car remains dormant for long enough, your brake and handbrake may need to be replaced. It is of utmost importance to have fully functional brakes for your own safety as well as the safety of others on the road.

 Check your battery

When left parked for too long, your car batteries will lose their charge. Leaving your engine running for a few minutes every week, or investing in a low power battery maintainer should save your battery from being discharged completely. It is still recommended to seek the help of an expert to check whether the cables and the battery are in good condition after being dormant for a period of time.

Check your fluids

There are a number of fluids your car relies on to operate normally, such as; transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid, coolants, etc. Over a period of time, these fluids start to deteriorate, which in turn, keeps your car from functioning properly. You should routinely check and replace these fluids to keep your car running.

Check your tires

Leaving your car idle in a corner can potentially accelerate the rate at which your tires degrade.

While having correct air pressure is quite straightforward and common knowledge, there are other ways faulty tires can ruin your day. Having good tires is essential to remain safe on the roads.

The quality of tires deteriorate faster than most other components of the car with age. You may spot any damage caused by dry rotting by inspecting the tires closely for visible marks or uneven wear. However, damaged and degraded tires cannot always be identified by mere visual inspection. It is recommended to have your tires checked before you consider driving on the road.

 Air filter check

Cabin air filters and engine air filters need to be replaced every 15000 to 30000 miles. An idle car will require lesser attention to be paid towards the filters, but dust build up can occur over time regardless of how little you use your car.

Taking care of your car

Respecting the Covid-19 guidelines and social distancing may have limited the number of trips we take in our car, but we are still required to perform regular checkups and replace components and fluids that degrade over time if we plan on avoiding high repair costs later on.

Additionally, attention should also be paid to the conditions and environment your vehicle is left in, since humidity build ups, rodent infestations and other nightmares could wreak havoc on the wellbeing of your car.

Tower Service Station

It is equally significant to choose your automotive repair shop wisely to ensure that your car is in safe hands. Tower Service Station provides high quality, unparalleled repair services to all customers through their team of skilled, humble experts.

You could rest easy knowing that the life force of your vehicle has been revived and is as good as new after you let Tower Service Station have a look at it.

Lockdown Car Care Tips, Vehicle Maintenance during Covid-19