Basic Vehicle Maintenance during the MCO

Cars need basic vehicle maintenance even if they’re not being driven

Many drivers haven’t moved their cars in days since the MCO began over two weeks ago. Great for saving on fuel but not so beneficial for your car. Any car, no matter how little they’re driven, still need basic maintenance to ensure they remain in good running condition to be safe on the road.

Here are four tips to ensure your car will still be fit once the MCO is over:

1. Charged Up
Start the car from time to time to keep the battery in good condition. The recommended frequency is once a week for at least 10 minutes for the alternator charge the battery. Switch off the air-conditioning and radio while you do this because these will drain the battery faster than the alternator can charge it, defeating the purpose of charging process. Ideally, drive the car around: it’s better for the tyres, our next tip below.

2. Under pressure
Check tyre pressure once every two weeks to ensure they’re at the recommended pressure. If they’re under-inflated, refill them at the nearest fuel station.

Also, if the car is parked in the same spot for several days, the tyres could develop flat spots. The uneven shape reduce the overall grip of the tyres. They can also cause vibrations that travel up the steering wheel and make the car feel bumpy even on a smooth road. It’s recommended that you move the vehicle when you’re charging the battery.

3. Sanitising
Your car is filled with germs. Now with Covid-19, it is especially important to practice sanitising your hands and the surfaces in your vehicle. After every journey, wipe down surfaces like the steering wheel, door handle, window switches, audio system and gear lever with disinfectant.

If your audio system has a touchscreen, wipe it down with a soft cloth with disinfectant but make sure the cloth isn’t too wet or the moisture could damage the surface.

4. Wipers
If your vehicle is parked in the sun, lift up the wipers. The heat transferred from contact with the windscreen and UV exposure will cause the wiper blades to harden faster.

Follow these four easy steps and your car will stay in good running condition and be ready to go once the MCO is lifted.

These basic vehicle maintenance tips were provided courtesy ofProton