Tips to Follow When Leaving your car Idle These Lockdown Days

This lockdown may have confined us to our homes, but it’s the only way to stop the coronavirus from spreading. Since the lockdown has been enforced across the entire country, it’s necessary that along with our health, we must take care of our cars. Though we won’t be using our cars unless there is some urgency, it’s better to follow a few steps when leaving that car idle these days. These tips will help you ensure your vehicle won’t give you any problem and stay in a good condition during its hibernation mode.

Park Safely

Parking your car safely during this lockdown period is important. But only few can manage to own a garage, while others have to park it in front of the house or on the street. If you are one of those, then put a cover on the vehicle. This will protect the vehicle from dust and won’t fade its paint due to the harsh sunlight. If the vehicle is lying in an open parking, remove bird droppings, flowers, leaves, and clean the dust since they will attract bacteria. If there is no water scarcity in your area, then wash the vehicle regularly.

Full the fuel tank

As the car will be lying idle these days, it’s better to keep the fuel tank full to its capacity. If the tank is half or not up to its brim, the empty space or the gap between the fuel and the top of the tank will catch moisture. This could cause rust and corrode the fuel tank forcing you to go for a replacement.

Handbrake

If the parking area is not at a level, we tend to use the handbrake. And when it is engaged for a long time, it will put extra pressure on the brake pads causing them to get fixed to the drums and discs. This will give you a lot of trouble when you try to use the vehicle again. To keep your car stable and stop it from rolling, use wooden blocks or stones instead. You can also let the car be in the first gear.

Spark Plug

If the car is lying idle for a long period, it’s better to keep the spark plugs clean and the plug sockets lubricated. Remove the spark plugs, spray a little oil and place them back into the socket. This will ensure that the cylinder-head will not catch any moisture or rust from the inside. If you’re comfortable in using fuel additives for further protection of your car’s engine coating from the inside, go ahead. Or else, take help of a professional car service provider like Motormechs Autozone, Pune.

Take care of the interiors

Though you will be doing so without saying, we still need to make it obvious. Some people have the habit of leaving biscuits and chocolate wrappers inside the car, along with plastic water bottles, newspapers, and many other things. These things will rot after some time and cause bad smell. And if the worst thing is to happen, they will even attract rats and rodents that could damage the electrical wiring, floor mats, and seat covers. So clean the car and sprinkle a little freshener. Also, sit inside the care for ten minutes daily keeping the doors open so that fresh air circulate through the interior.

Ensure Proper Tyre Pressure

We all know that the tyres are the one that bear the entire weight of the car. And when the car is at an idle state, its weight adds extra pressure on them and causes the air pressure to drop. So it’s better to keep checking the air pressure and prevent the tyres from getting cracks and flat.

 Battery

If the car is not in use for a long time, it’s better to disconnect the battery. This will save it from going totally dry. Ensure that the battery is totally charged and the water level is at its desired level. Apply grease or petroleum jelly to the battery terminals as well as the wire ends so that they don’t catch rust.

While staying at home is the only way to protect ourselves and our family members from the novel coronavirus, it’s also important to take care of your car. With these tips, you can ensure that the vehicle is in a smooth condition even when lying idle.