What Happens To Your Vehicle if it’s Not Driven Regularly?
If you haven’t been driving because of Covid, then this article is for you….
(updated Feb 2021)
We first published this article just over 10 months ago, but as Covid has continued and the snowpocalypse closed us down even more, it seemed like a good time to run it again. If you’ve been stuck in your house since March then your vehicle probably isn’t being driven much. You might worry about the pounds you’re putting on in lockdown, but does inactivity hurt your vehicle too? Unless the lockdown goes much, MUCH longer than anyone expects, your vehicle should be just fine. Still, some systems do degrade with time, and these may require a little checking just to keep them in top shape…
What IS NOT affected by inactivity?
Most systems on your vehicle will be just fine. The hard metal parts will be OK despite even years of disuse. After all, there’s not much to go wrong with a muffler, body frame, or piston from just sitting, unless it sits long enough to rust. Anything inside your passenger compartment will be warm and protected until you need it. It’s the vehicles’ ‘soft’ parts, the rubber, fluids, and even electricity, that can be at risk. But just a little attention should keep these important systems working just fine.
What IS affected by inactivity?
Electricity
Electrical components like alternators, switches, wiring, bulbs, etc., should be fine if left undisturbed for months or years. Your battery, though, is a weak point. A new, strong battery with a full charge will probably survive the pandemic just fine, but if it was beginning to weaken already then it may not have a charge if you don’t crank it until June. Components like your radio’s digital clock or your car’s computer system put constant drains on the battery even when the vehicle is ‘off’, and those drains add up.
To keep your electrical system charged and ready, drive your vehicle around the neighborhood (a couple miles or so) on a weekly basis. This will give you a chance to check the battery power and to give the alternator a chance to top off the charge.
CAUTION: There have been several deaths and injuries from people cooking inside or running cars to keep warm. Both produce carbon monoxide, a deadly gas. If you intend to run your vehicle a little to strengthen up the battery, WE RECOMMEND YOU ONLY DO IT BY DRIVING ON THE STREETS. If you feel you must do it in the garage, MAKE SURE THE OUTER DOOR IS OPEN SO YOU HAVE PROPER VENTILATION.
Tires
A car sitting unused in Grampa’s barn for years will almost certainly need new tires before it’s passed down to Junior as a starter car, but your tires should be just fine through this pandemic. Tire rubber can go for many months without attention, but the rubber will eventually crack and degrade over time from light exposure, heat, and weather. Make sure your tires are properly inflated, and an occasional application of rubber protectant can slow UV light damage.
Gaskets and hoses
These parts are mostly protected by the engine and engine compartment, so weather and environment have little effect over the short term. Soft parts in your engine can still break down, but it will take months or even years for the effects to matter. Most of the damage to soft engine parts comes from exposure to weakened or impure fluids inside them, or oil or other fluids dripping onto them. Make sure your fluids are fresh and up-to-spec, and that engine oil leaks are at a minimum.
Oil and fluids
The liquid parts of your vehicle depend on precise chemistry to work, and chemistry can change easily over time. Hydroscopic fluids (like in your braking system) absorb moisture from the air, so if there is any leak in the system they can go bad quickly. Anti-freeze and coolant must be in the correct pH range to work; if they are out-of-balance they can become acidic and eat away at soft and hard engine components. Your most critical engine fluid is probably your oil, and oil loses viscosity if it just sits in your engine. Over a period of months or years of inactivity your fluids could become a real problem. If we’re only in this for weeks or even a few months… not so much.
Be ready to do nothing
Apparently, even doing nothing requires preparation and oversight! If you aren’t sure whether your vehicle is ready to shelter in place, we can certainly tell you. In our 90-Point Inspection we check your battery strength, test coolant pH and freeze protection, check your tire pressure and wear, check for excessive oil and fluid leaks, and do about 86 other things to confirm your vehicle is in top shape. When we’re done, you’ll know it’s ready for a big road trip… or weeks alone in the driveway. On the other hand, if we find something that needs attention we’ll tell you about it, prioritize the repairs that are most important, and then work with you to do it on your schedule and in your budget.
Remember, with our current “25% Off Labor” offer, there will probably never be a less expensive time to take care of any issues your vehicle might have! (And just another reminder… this 25% offer won’t last forever . We’ll eventually lower it, so schedule NOW to be sure you get the greatest advantage!) And if you’ve been putting off a repair we’ve previously recommended, check out our Auto Amnesty offer with 30% OFF LABOR on previously recommended repairs.
