Seasonal Tips to maintain car

Posted By : Bhadresh Bundela

Seasonal Tips

Winter

Winter precautions in areas where temperatures do not go below 18 to 20 degrees would be general. You would need to repeat the normal PMP programme. Specific winter requirements would be for areas where the climate reaches severe conditions.

Ensure the heater of the vehicle is in satisfactory operating condition. Check all the hose pipes connecting the heater. Replace / repair all fluid leaks. Also check movement of the airflow control flaps.

Ensure anti freeze is added to the radiator. A regular check of the same is advisable.

Ensure all tyres are within serviceable limits.

Ensure windscreen de fog equipment is in operating condition.

Ensure wipers are in operating condition.

Monsoon

The monsoons present an altogether unfriendly environment to drivers with wet and often slushy roads that are quite hazardous to drive on and heavy rains that lead to low visibility. In such conditions it is of utmost importance that you take every precaution to ensure your car is running as smooth and efficiently as possible. Here are some basic tips that can ease your experience while driving in the rains.
Check your wipers. See that the motor runs smoothly and that the wiper blades are clean and free of any dirt or grime that could have collected during the summer months. Also check that the rubber edge of the blade is not cracked or cut else the blade does not wipe the windscreen adequately often hampering your vision. Check that the washer fluid is topped up and carry newspapers as these facilitate easier and better cleaning of glass.
Check to see all your lights are working optimally including your turn signal indicators and reverse lamps. It not just helps you see clearly but also helps those around you know your location if there is a torrential downpour.
Check your tyres and see that they have sufficient tread. Worn out tread can cause your car to skid on wet roads.
Don't keep your car dirty for too long periods as the dirt that settles down can corrode body parts. If your car body has deep scratches get these areas treated as they can rust more easily.
Check all electrical components and se that your fuses are in order, that you are carrying along spare fuses and the wiring is in order. You don't want your car shorting out on a rainy day. Coat battery terminals with petroleum jelly.

Check your air conditioning system, believe it or not in cities with high humidity levels windshields can fog over and your cars cooling system is often the only thing that can help in such situations.
Check for signs of corrosion and get these checked in the early stages itself with some anti-rust treatment. Underbody silencers are the most prone to rusting.
Accessories such as mud flaps, car covers and floor mats can keep your car a bit cleaner during this season.
Drive cautiously and maintain a good distance from the vehicle ahead of you.
Drive slowly through stagnant water. A most common cause of losing control during monsoons is aquaplaning. Aquaplaning is a phenomenon that occurs when the tread of your tyre is not able to disperse water quickly enough for the tyre to provide sufficient traction. In this case the film of water layer acts like oil offering no traction whatsoever. To avoid this situation ensure the tread on your tyres is adequate, at least 2mm depth and that your tyres are at the correct air pressure.
If you do get caught in flooded areas slip the car into first gear and keep a steady foot on the throttle at high revs. This will help the exhaust gases to keep water from entering the tailpipe. After having crossed the water hazard, pump your brakes a few times to dry them out.
The monsoons are a beautiful time to drive with the clean air, greenery that sprouts from everywhere and cooler environment provided you do so with caution and loads of care.

Summer

With the onset of summer your vehicle would require to have the following checks carried out.
Have the vehicle undercarriage serviced and washed thoroughly.

Do not spray oil/brake oil or other lubricants to the under-chassis. Brake oil has a composition that would react with the paint and also will damage normal rubber bushings. Also a lubricant on the under-chassis will pickup a lot of dust and grime, which would defeat the very purpose of servicing the vehicle.

With the onset of summer your vehicle's cooling system requires attention. With ambient temperatures reaching 40degrees plus you would need to ensure that the radiator, hose pipes, drive-belts, thermostatic fans are all in good working condition and they do their job of keeping the vehicle in a motorable condition.

To get the radiator serviced once in two years would be a good idea. As the mineral content of water in different areas differs when the same gets heated up it starts to deposit salts etc. On to the sides of the radiator, and other contact areas. This reduces the space for the coolant to flow. Also the cooling area becomes less, and the thermostat valve present in the cooling system jams resulting in a failure. An entire checkup of the system prior to the onset of the summer season would help prevent any such failure.
You need to keep in mind that an overheated engine could result in an engine seizure, which would be an expensive proposition to repair.

With the basic cooling system looked at the next step would be to check the air conditioning system and to ensure all the operating equipment is in good working condition. This would be necessary for your own comfort while travelling. As most large cities have traffic jams the air conditioning has now become a requirement and not a luxury. To have the air conditioning system serviced once in two years would be a good idea to ensure that the performance of the A/C is satisfactory.

The air cleaner element would require attention on a regular basis in the summer season as due to the dry weather lot of dust would be generated and the same would be sucked in at the time when the vehicle is operational. If the air cleaner element were kept clean it would be easier for the vehicle to operate. The performance of the vehicle would be drop if the air cleaner were choked.

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