Car Care For The 21-Day Lockdown

The Indian government has imposed a 21-day lockdown throughout the country to stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. We aren’t allowed to get out there and drive, but that doesn’t mean our cars should rot with disuse until it is safe to go to work. Has working from home allowed you an extra hour or two in your day? If so, the following maintenance tips will ensure that your car keeps running well:

Clean it, inside and out

If you haven’t done it already, do it now. This isn’t for the coronavirus, but to remove the bacteria and dust that your interior collects, as well as the dirt and impurities which can fade your paintwork. For the interior, clean the seats, dashboard, centre console, and all other surfaces. Use a brush and dish soap if you don’t have specialised tools. Give your car a wash and a wax and put it under a cover unless you’ve got essential travelling to do.

Pay one visit to the petrol station

Get some fresh fuel in your tank and fill up your tyres to the recommended tyre pressure. If your tyres are old, it might help to move the car a few inches forward and backwards every week. Try to park your car with the front tyres pointing straight ahead.

Check your fluids

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Check for the level and state of your car’s engine oil. If it’s running low, fill it up, but check the oil a few days later to make sure there is no leak. If your oil is old and sticky, try not to use the car until after the lockdown when you can get an oil change. Check the coolant level in the reservoir and the radiator. Brake fluid and power steering fluid will usually not be a problem on a well-maintained car. Check these anyway for their colour and level.

Start your engine

Starting the engine every 5-6 days will make sure the moving parts placed higher up in your engine stay lubricated. Don’t crank the car until you’ve had a look under the bonnet for oil and coolant levels. Crank the car and let it settle into idle. If you do this regularly, your tachometer will behave consistently each time. Keep the car running for a few minutes to charge the battery a bit.

Long-term storage

If you’ve got a car which you will not use even after the quarantine is lifted (a second car or a prized weekend car), it might help to go a little further. Take more time to clean it, wax the exterior, and give it a few days to bake in. If you live in a dusty area, let the wax sit for about four hours and then place the car under a cover. Put the car up on jack stands in a safe parking space or garage.

Let off the parking brake

Most parking brakes apply to the rear wheels, and most cars in India have drum brakes in the rear. Drum brakes are neither good at expelling brake dust nor at sealing the brake assembly from moisture. If the brake shoe remains pressed against bare metal for long periods of time, the wheel could lock in place. So put your car in gear when you park it for long periods.

In addition to maintaining your car, you can also learn to tinker with or find solutions to its problems. So dust off your spanner set, break out the wrenches and utilise the extra time to gap your spark plugs or clean the throttle body.