6 tips to safely start your car after it's been parked during lockdown

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Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement easing the nationwide lockdown in response to the Covid-19 outbreak in South Africa, a third of the workforce are preparing to head back to work under alert lockdown level four, beginning on Friday, May 1st, 2020. “Unfortunately, getting behind the wheel, turning the key and driving off with a vehicle that’s been parked for a long period is not always that simple,” says Shannon Drake, National Franchise Manager at Midas. Vehicle engines are made to run, and when a vehicle is stationary for long periods, this can cause harm to your vehicle.

Image: Pexels

In preparation for your next drive, start your vehicle ahead of the time to ensure it starts quickly and runs as it should. “If your vehicle does not start immediately after the lockdown period, don’t panic. Breath take a step back, and carry out a few checks. Unless there is a serious mechanical fault, it should start easily,” says Drake.

Midas offers 6 tips to safely start your car after it’s been parked during lockdown:

1. Make sure your car is free of debris, rubbish and uninvited visitors. Your car may have become an inviting and warm shelter for insects and other pests while it was safely parked in your garage during the lockdown. Make sure to check the undercarriage, wheels and under the bonnet for any small animals before heading off. Take a deep breath and remove any nests, webs, or other debris. With no air having circulated through your vehicle for some time, your car may also have developed an unpleasant smell. Remove old sweet wrappers, fast-food packaging, or an old packet of crisps, then use a vehicle air freshener to give your vehicle a fresh and welcoming smell.

2. Keep your car breathing well. You need clean air to breathe and so does your car, and a vehicles air filters make that possible. Make sure you have the engine and cabin filters inspected and changed regularly to ensure vehicle longevity and interior comfort. When you replace your cabin filter you will immediately notice a difference in your driving efficiency of your defrosting, heating and cooling system. A new cabin filter will also keep the interior clean and remove any odour from your vehicle.

3. Spot the signs of a flat or failing battery. The last thing you need is to try to start your vehicle and it won’t budge because of a dead battery. It is always handy to have jumper cable on hand just in case. There are some tell-tale signs that a battery is running flat or failing so check these before heading out in a rush:

Dim headlights – Are the headlights dim at idle, but then brighten when you rev the engine?
Struggling starter motor – Does the engine struggle to start when you switch on the engine?
Change in sound at idle – When you first turn the ignition and switch on an electrical component, does the cars idling sound change?

4. Check your oil level. The fluids in your car are essential for the running of your engine – but one of the most important types of fluid to monitor is your oil level. Checking your oil level after your car has been stationery for a while is something we should all do to make sure it’s safe to drive, prevent unexpected breakdowns as well as to improve your cars performance.

If your oil level is either too high or too low, this can spell trouble. To check your oil levels, do the following:

Park your car on a level surface and wait for the engine to cool down.
Locate your dipstick, which should be on top of your oil tank. Typically, your dipstick is a bright yellow ring.
Pull your dipstick all the way out and wipe it off with a rag or cloth.
Insert the dipstick all the way in and pull it out.

Wiping the dipstick is important because during the use of the car, oil can splash onto the car, making your reading inaccurate. Your dipstick reading should range from L to F. L being low, and F being full. It’s best to fill your engine close or at to the F mark, but be careful not to overfill it.

5. Check your other fluids. Check your vehicle’s engine coolant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid. Make sure these fluids are filled to the minimum level so it is safe to travel and then changing them or top them up at a later stage. Due to moisture, these fluid levels tend to reduce even while your car hasn’t been used. Fluid levels can also decrease due to leaks and they expire so it is important to make sure to replace all fluids or top them up to ensure your vehicles optimum performance.

6. Tyre pressure and maintenance. Don’t be surprised if one, or all your tyres have lost tyre pressure. Even while parked in a garage, the heavy weight of the vehicle and the cold floor on which the vehicle is parked tends to reduce tyre pressure. Check for minor cracks in the tyres.