Early Warning Signs That Not Driving is Damaging Your Vehicle

These days, most people are putting a lot less kilometres on their vehicles, and while this might be good for your mileage, it is not necessarily good for your car. The truth is that vehicles are designed to be driven and sitting idle for an extended period of time can lead to some serious maintenance issues.  

Right off the bat, a few things to look out for if you find your vehicle sitting idle for more than a couple days at a time is the engine slow to turn over when trying to start, noises or sensation in the braking system, and other noises not typically noticed.   Ignoring early warning signs can often lead to more problems down the road and are best not to be ignored.

If you have any concerns about the health of your vehicle and would like a professional opinion, we are offering a $15 discount until Feb. 28, 2021 on our Visual Mechanical inspection, performed by a factory-trained technician for only $29.95*.  We welcome vehicles of all makes and models for this service.  You can book your inspection online or by calling/texting 519-886-2625

Impact of Not Driving on Systems and Preventative Measures You Can Take

Battery Life

When you drive your car, the alternator is consistently recharging the battery, which is why you don’t have to worry about lights or the radio draining the battery’s power while on a long road trip.  When your car is parked there are still minor systems drawing power from the battery, so after a while this slow drain can cause your battery to die.  Short trip driving can also be harmful to your battery. It takes on average 15 minutes for your battery to warm up and be able to accept a charge from the alternator and after repeated short trips you may have an issue starting your vehicle. If the battery stays dead for too long you might have trouble jump starting it and it will need to be replaced.  If you are unable to drive your car very often you can purchase a trickle charger to ensure your battery is always charged and ready to go.  As part of our visual mechanical inspection we will conduct an electronic battery test on your vehicle battery and advise if a replacement is required. We also offer and in-depth charging/starting system which includes a test on your alternator, starter and battery.

We are offering a $15 discount until Feb. 28, 2021 on our Visual Mechanical inspection, performed by a factory-trained technician for only $29.95*

Brakes

Frequent use is also imperative for the performance of your brakes.  After sitting for a few days or weeks you might notice corrosion building up on your brake rotors.  If the corrosion is minor all it takes is a quick drive to dust most of that rust off and get your brakes back into shape.  However, the longer the pads and rotors are exposed to rust and corrosion the harder they are to repair.

If possible keep your car in as dry an environment as possible when not in use and try and take it out for a quick drive every couple of days.  When you book a visual mechanical inspection our factory-trained technicians will visually inspect your brake pads and brake

What About Oil Changes?

Oil change intervals include both mileage and time recommendations.  For example, most Hyundai vehicles require an oil change every 6 months or 6000 kms.  It is highly likely these days that you are not getting anywhere close to the mileage number but nothing is stopping time from ticking on. Think for a minute about all the moving components, pistons, valves and gears that work together to keep your motor running smoothly. Most of these components are designed to be covered in oil; which is why regular oil changes are so important to vehicle maintenance. Your motor is literally a well-oiled machine and when components are not regularly lubricated your engine performance is going to suffer. During our inspection we will inspect the oil level, condition and check for any oil leaks.

Just because your mileage is considerably lower than the recommendation does not mean you should skip your regularly scheduled oil change.  Even when you are not driving your oil can deteriorate and, as we just discussed, oil is the life-blood of your engine.  In this situation an ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.