If your unused car sits in the garage, do you ever wonder what could go wrong? The state it may be in when you decide to finally drive it? Life changes may force us to stop using our treasured vehicles. Whether it is because of a new car, financial strains, or other reasons, letting it sit for a long period may cause us more financial strains. However, there are ways one can minimize the damage.
What happens when a car sits unused for long?
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Pests infestation in your unused car
Pests are always looking for a new home and a car just sitting is a great home to them. It is therefore a good idea to drive it frequently to avoid it becoming a home for pests that end up destroying it. Cover it up in the parts where it will be easy to access the car.
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Battery could die
By driving your car, you are charging the battery through the alternator. Letting sit idle for long periods of time means the battery has nothing to charge with. That causes the battery to slowly die.
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Rusty brakes
If left unused for a long time, brakes can rust. This is not a good thing because it may be potentially unsafe should you decide to drive the car again one day. To check, apply them and listen if there is some unsettling squeaking sounds.
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In an unused car, the fuel pump may break
If your car sits for months on end not being used, it is important to first see a mechanic. Unleaded fuel starts to go bad from 3-6 months and diesel 6-12 months. If the fuel becomes sticky, it can be a problem for the car’s fuel pump.
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Tires could go flat
When a car sits unused, the tires become deformed and deflated. Bubbles may even appear in the tire and could cause a blowout while driving at high speeds.
How to remedy these problems?
If you can plan ahead and know that you’re not going to be driving your vehicle very often it’s important to be prepared.
- Take it for a short drive every two weeks going beyond the speed of 50 mph to get the internal parts working.
- Fill up the gas tank and get an oil change, especially if you plan on storing the car for over a month.
- Find the right place to store it. It must be covered to avoid exterior damage and infestation.
Take the car for service so you can determine if it is still roadworthy. Our experts in car servicing will give detailed information on what you need to look out for.
