Locked down in your house? Well do not forget that your car also is locked down during this time and therefore it requires some special care so that it is ready to run perfectly when the time comes. Not taking good care of your vehicle when it is immobile could result in a visit to the nearest service centre and you could end up paying huge service bills. As the second wave of COVID-19 injects fresh uncertainties, Tata Motors has rolled out an awareness campaign on easy car care steps during lockdown. The idea is to keep customers safe and well-informed amidst the pandemic. Below are some easy-to-follow, car care guidelines, which should have vehicles covered till the end of this lockdown.
PARKING
The car should ideally be parked in a safe spot in the house or your building premises. A covered parking spot always works better for a vehicle when it comes to wear and tear. Moreover, it is also important to preserve the functionality of the car’s internal components. The car should also be shielded from changing weather by using a cover.This will protect the vehicle from getting affected by external factors and will also avoid the layering of dust on the exterior of the vehicle. It will also ensure in protecting the paint job and chrome elements on the car.The wiper arms should also be in an uplifted position.
TYRE CARE
The tyres are very critical to ensure smooth functioning of your car. The idea should always be to avoid flat spots on them and maintain the right pressure. As far as possible one should move the car forwards and backwards to keep it from remaining immobile for too long and avoiding flat spots on tyres.Periodic checks of tyre pressure are imperative to prevent cracking of the rubber and the side spots. Many portable electric air pumps can help you maintain the right tyre pressure using the 12V charging socket in your car. Another integral check that needs to be done is that of the air valves which will ensure that once the car needs to go out the tyres are in perfect condition.
IGNITION
During the lockdown when the car is not being driven it is still extremely essential to leave its ignition on periodically. You can do this once every week for around 20 mins. This will help in keeping the battery of the car always charged and it will not exhaust itself. In electric cars like the Nexon EV, this can be done by starting AC remotely as well. You can also remove the negative terminal of Aux Battery andkeep the state of charge (SOC) between 40% to 60%.To restart the electric vehicle after long storage, refit the negative terminaland charge the vehicle up to 100% SOC on slow charger before using the vehicle on road. In many modern-daycars, you also start the engine remotely by using the connectivity applications. In case of any emergency assistance or if the car is not starting due to prolonged parking/battery discharge, you always can contact 24X7 assistance team of your respective brands.
HANDBRAKE AND FUEL TANK
Keep the handbrake dis-engaged is also a wise thing to do when the car is parked for a long time. Instead of applying the handbrake keep the car parked in reverse gear if parked on a downhill slope, or on neutral on a flat surface and in first gear if it is on an uphill slope.It is important to provide wheel support through the medium of chocks/ bricks available at home. This is an absolute must in case of a vehicle that has an Automatic transmission. When it comes to protecting the fuel tank, the aim is to reduce the effect of changing weather on the vehicle. For this the fuel tank of the car should be kept full to avoid moisture from settling in.
CABIN CLEANING
Regular sanitization and periodic checks of the interior and car parts such as the steering wheel is important to maintain regular hygiene and ensure that the components are functioning well.Interiors can be kept clean by vacuuming the carpets and mats as well as wiping car parts such as door handles with regular cleaning solution or disinfectant. It is recommended that one maintains the cleaning solution -mixture of car shampoo/soap and water in 30:70 ratio. While using a shampoo solution, apply it on the specified surface using microfiber cloth. Avoid spraying the solution directly. This becomes critical on components such as the infotainment system.
The writer is Senior Editor at carandbike.com