As many of us are driving less frequently due to current COVID-19 restrictions, it is important that you regularly check and maintain the condition of your car. By carrying out three simple checks on a regular basis, you can ensure that our car is running smoothly, if you need to make an essential journey such as collecting food or delivering shopping to an elderly relative that is cocooning.
Check your car’s battery
As you may be using your car less frequently it is important to prevent the battery from going flat. You can prevent the battery from going flat by starting the engine on a daily basis, if it is safe to do so, and letting the engine run for approximately twenty minutes. You should not do this if your car is inside a garage or in a restricted space, as it may result in fumes building up. If your car is outside in open air, start it up and leave it running for a few minutes while you are in the driver’s seat. Once you have completed this, ensure that all of the lights are switched off, along with any other electrics such as the sound system. If you drive an electric or plug-in hybrid car, check that the battery is topped up and charge it if necessary.
Check your car’s tyre pressures
Most cars will have their tyre pressures listed in a printed panel that will be stuck somewhere on the car – the most obvious place for these is in the door jambs; when you open the front doors, you should see these tyre pressure charts on the area of the car’s body that has been exposed now the door is open. We have heard of some tyre pressure charts being displayed underneath the fuel filler cap, so if you’re struggling to find your chart in the doors, look there instead. Failing that, the tyre pressures of your car will be printed in the owner’s manual and will be clearly signalled in the manual’s content pages under ‘Tyres’. Refer to your car’s handbook to check the correct tyre pressures and check that they are correct, using the air pumps at your local fuel station. These are simply compressors that can pump air back into your tyres, but they can also check the current pressures of your tyres, displaying them on a small digital screen.
Check your car’s fluids
It is also good practice to check your car’s vital fluids. Go around and make sure the engine oil is topped up, the windscreen washer fluid is full to the brim and with some actual washer fluid in it, not just tap water. You can check your car’s oil level using the dipstick, which will have a recommended guideline mark for the level of oil needed. Clean the dipstick and dip it back into the tank. When you remove the dipstick you will be able to see your car’s current oil level.