Many of those who took the car daily to go to work now have it stopped in the garage because they have chosen or have been forced to telecommute due to the coronavirus pandemic. Inactivity is one of the worst enemies of vehicles since the lack of use and running can deteriorate some basic elements for the proper functioning of the car or you can buy one from auto for trade. With these simple tips, you can avoid a high garage bill when you want to start your car again.
MORE PRESSURE THAN NORMAL ON THE WHEELS
The wheels inevitably lose air and more if the car is stationary, which can ruin the tires if we let them deflate completely and the car’s own weight ends up deforming and cracking them. Therefore, if teleworking is going to be for a long time and we do not usually take the car on weekends, his would be to inflate the tires to about 2.8 bars of pressure to prolong the loss of air as much as possible.
BATTERY DISCONNECT
Another element that especially suffers with inactivity is the battery. Even if the car is stationary, there is a phantom consumption of elementary systems that will eventually deplete its energy reserve. To avoid this, if we are going to spend a long time without driving our vehicle, it is to disconnect it by removing the terminals and leaving them in such a way that we make sure that they cannot make contact with each other or with other metal parts of the vehicle.
DO NOT LEAVE IT IN RESERVE
Gasoline evaporates over time, so if we are going to leave the car stopped for a long time because we no longer need it to go to work, it is not advisable to leave it with little gasoline or in reserve , since perhaps when we want to put it back running, we don’t have enough fuel to even start it. In vehicles with more years and if the car is really going to be idle for a long time, with this action we will prevent the tank from deteriorating.
START IT UP EVERY SO OFTEN
At the beginning we said that, although we no longer need the car to go to work, the ideal is to use it from time to time to avoid a breakdown. But if we do not have time to complete a tour, we should at least go down to the street or garage and start the car while standing at least every 10 days. To lubricate all gears and prevent components from “rusting”. If we have not disconnected the battery, starting the car every so often will also prevent it from running down.
ACTUATE THE ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS
And since we have started the car, we will take the opportunity to start the car’s electronic elements and systems, such as the air conditioning, so that it remains effective and does not accumulate dirt and humidity in the nozzles. In turn, it is good to raise and lower the windows, turn on the lights, move the exterior rear-view mirrors if they are electronic, or adjust the seats and the steering wheel if they are also automatic.
PROTECT THE BODYWORK
If we are aware that the car is going to be stopped for a long time, before leaving it we must wash the bodywork to prevent dirt such as bird droppings, or resin, from eating the paint. And since we have washed it, and to prevent it from getting dust and dirt, it is best to cover the car with a canvas or breathable cover.
FINE TUNNINGIf due to teleworking, we have had the car stopped for a long time, once we use it regularly again, it is best to take it to the workshop to check all the fluids and renew them along with their filters. In this way, we avoid that we run out of them due to possible leaks or evaporation, in addition to preventing the saturation of the filters due to accumulated dirt, which can lead to a breakdown with its consequent and expensive repair.
