Having your car parked for a long time (at least for one month) can have a big impact on your vehicle’s condition. This is without a doubt the case for many British cars after a long period of Covid-19 lockdown. To make sure you and your car are safe when you start driving again, certain things should be checked on your car.
Check the battery
Are you having a hard time starting your car, or are you experiencing that it doesn’t even start at all after being parked for quite some time? The battery might be dead. You can test the battery to make sure. If the battery is indeed without power, read our article on How to charge your car battery. If despite recharging the battery, your car still doesn’t start, it might be necessary to have it replaced:
To avoid the situation from happening again, it is advised to let the engine run for 15 minutes every two weeks.
Dusty windscreen
If your car was parked inside for a long time, the risk is high that the windscreen will be covered with dust. Before driving your car and using the windshield wipers, make sure you clean the windscreen! If you don’t, you risk scratches in the windscreen.
Check your tyres
Your tyres need to be checked, as they are very important to your safety. They wear out even if you don’t use your car. The pressure might not be good anymore, even if they remain stationary, the tyres will lose pressure.
If the tyres are under-inflated, this can lead to failure as the area in contact with the road will be more larger, which causes more friction. This situation could lead to a tyre blowout.
Check the brake fluid and coolant
Check that liquids, like the brake fluid or the coolant, are at sufficient levels. If they are below the minimum mark, you can refill the liquid yourself or visit a garage to get it refilled.
The car needs airing
You might have kept your car doors closed for several weeks. Before using your car again, do not forget to air your car by opening all windows and doors, in case you were not able to leave the windows partially open when you car was parked. Indeed, that can cause condensation in you car, and the humid air can create bad smells as well as respiratory discomfort.
Braking system
Once you get into your car, you should check that your braking system works like it should. First, you can check the handbrake, then push the brake pedal. It is important that the brake pedal is not too resistant.
If you want to make sure your car is in good condition, do not hesitate to get it checked by a garage from autobutuler.co.uk.
