Haven’t used your car since the pandemic?
Do you have a car sitting in your garage? You should know that a car is not designed for that. It was made to go on a ride outside every day.
Leaving it unused for such a long time can be harmful to your car.
If the car is not used regularly then, some parts may wear out quickly, leaving your car unfit for the next ride.
However, due to the recent lockdown, you don’t have the option to go out for a drive.
There is no way you can take it down to the road to keep it in good shape as needed.
In this article, we are going to share what could happen to your car if you leave it unused, and how to prevent that from happening.
How long can you keep a car unused?
To keep your car running, you should not leave it unused for more than two weeks. In most cases, the car won’t start after you leave it like that. But you can avoid this problem if you are careful.
Here is a list of problems you will face if you don’t drive your car for a while.
What happens when you don’t use your car for two months?
The battery is finished
Like a mobile phone or laptop, the car also runs on a battery. Even if you don’t use your car, the battery will run out in time.
Try using a trickle charger to solve this problem. It will keep the battery on charge and make sure the car has enough juice for the next ride.
Also remember to remove phone charger, cigarette lighter port, or any other power-consuming devices in the car to keep it in good condition.
Tree sap damage your car
If you left your car in the spring, then you will notice tree saps in your car. Tree saps are extremely sticky substances.
If they fall on your car, it can damage the car exterior. If the clear coating is damaged, you may need to paint the car again.
On top of that, if the tree sap remains on the car surface for long, it can damage the surface further upon weathering. As the weather gets warmer, it is harder to remove it.
In order to deal with this, you can use tree sap remover. So, you will need to check in your car from time to time and see if it needs cleaning.
Check the gas tank
Gasoline is a real problem if you leave your car for long. You see, if your tank is half full, the air above the gas builds up moisture.
It can make the gas stale. You can avoid this by filling up the tank to the brim. But if you do that and leave your car, it can still be harmful.
Gasoline can expand in a warm temperature. It will overflow from the tanks.
Hence, you can’t leave it full or half full. The best option is to add an enzyme fuel stabilizer. It will keep the gas fresh, and you don’t need to fill up the tank.
Air conditioning seals dry out
Since you are not using the air condition for long, during the hot season it can easily dry out. Of course, the colder regions are less likely to suffer from this problem.
But California already went through 100 degrees temperature, and they complained about their car condition drying out.
Eventually, the freon runs out, which leads to air conditioning problems.
To avoid this, you can try starting the car and turning the air condition on for ten minutes. It keeps the moisture in the system preventing the dry out process.
The fluidity of the car
If you leave your car without a drive, there are lots more things to worry about then just stale gas. You need to keep your car fluids fresh because they are good lubricators.
A car has brake fluids and steering fluids to maintain. If the brake fluids go stale, it would be extremely difficult to brake. Similarly, you will face problems with steering and other parts that rely on fluids as well.
Stale fluids cannot lubricate the car parts like fresh flowing fluids. When you start the car listen to the sound it makes. If you hear a troublesome tone, then you have an issue.
You can avoid this by starting the engine every two weeks for ten minutes. It will keep things fresh and running for the car.
Ants can make their home in your car
When you last went for a drive, you might have picked up snacks and they may lie here and there in your car. You may have spilled juice in some places, but you don’t remember.
But their smell won’t go away, they will attract ants and similar insects to your car. If you want it in the best shape, make sure to clean it properly to avoid this from happening.
Flat spots on the tire
Do you notice flat spots on your skin when it is under pressure during sleep?
The same thing happens with tires.
When the car is allowed to sit for long, the tires have to hold the entire car in the same position continuously. After some time, it cannot bear the load that it goes flat with pressure.
Try taking your car for a ride once a week. It can keep the tire pressure in check.
You can fill up the tire in the nearest gas station, but if you have a portable compressor at home, you can fix it yourself.
Final words
These are some problems you will face if you leave your car unused for two months.
If you try running it once a week, you can avoid a lot of trouble that could come up ahead.
However, in this situation, you can keep your car insurance papers ready. It will help you to fix the car and bring it back to shape.
Contact Manuel’s Body Shop, an auto repair shop in Culver City. We can suggest to you how to take care of your car in this situation.
Although keeping it up to the mark is not that difficult, but amid this pandemic, it will be hard to take out the car for a ride once a week.