Maintaining your vehicle during Nepal lockdown

We hope that this article finds you well and in good health. We also hope that you have been following government instructions on keeping you and your family safe. But are you taking similar measures to ensure the safety of your vehicle? As the nationwide lockdown has been extended for the second time, the vehicles in your homes have entered a hibernation phase. You need to take some measures to ensure your vehicle’s safety. Here are some tips.

Parking

Make sure your vehicle is parked in a safe covered area. If you do not have covered parking, then keep your car or motorcycle covered. This will protect it from bird droppings or excessive sunlight that could damage the paint. If you do not have a cover that was supplied by your carmaker, simply use thick bedsheets or clothing for the job.

Do not keep your wipers stuck to the windshield for three weeks even if you clean it regularly. Try to put a wrap under wiper blades to avoid marks on the screen.

Avoid engaging the parking brake/handbrake when you leave the car idle for long as it could get jammed. It’s always better to leave the car in gear or parking mode if your car has that feature. For additional safety, you could also go old school and use wheel chocks, like using a big piece of wood or brick to keep the car from rolling.

If your two-wheeler has a center stand, it will be wise to make use of it when parking. It keeps the fluids in the vehicle at a balanced level and it’s much safer, as you minimize the chances of the vehicle falling and getting damaged.

It is also wise to take some security measures when storing your two-wheelers for a long time. If you have a spoke lock handy, make use of it. Also, don’t leave your vehicle documents, in the vehicle.

Fuel

While you may not be taking your car out daily, keep the fuel tank sufficiently filled for any emergency. This is to avoid a situation whereby you are left high and dry on the road during a lockdown. If there is less fuel, then overtime the air above the fuel could condense, which is not good for your vehicle either. In the long run, it could even cause rusting.

In case you do not have your tanks filled up, no need to go out now. Make sure your fuel tank is checked and cleaned when you head out after the lockdown ends. In addition to keeping the tank full on your motorcycle, also ensure that the chain, springs and cables are lubricated. Check if they need lubrication at least once a week.

Battery

If you try to start your car after a long layover, chances are that the battery will die down. Disconnect your car battery if it is not in use for long. If you don’t know how, you can start the car once every 3-4 days and let it idle for some time, which too will keep your battery from depleting. Just turn on the car, the AC and any other features that run on your car battery to make sure everything is fine. Do check the battery indicator for any hint that your battery needs attention.

Tires

The worst damage you could do to your car during this period is by not moving it enough. The tires could potentially deflate and develop cracks under constant pressure of your vehicle if you leave it in the same position for weeks.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated and are at the correct pressure. When kept idle for a long time the tires could lose air pressure and keeping them inflated help prevent cracking of the sidewalls and flat spots. One option is to move your car a bit every alternate day to ease pressure on the tires.

If you have a driveway at your home, try moving the car on it for a few minutes to give the tires the much-needed roll to stay in shape. Either way, do keep an eye on tire pressure every week. Also, don’t forget to check the spare tire once a while.

Interiors

Lastly, make sure that you thoroughly clean the cabin. Do not leave any junk items in the car that might leave a bad stench and even attract rodents. This will not only help keep your car free of coronavirus but also ready for the first trip you plan when the lockdown is finally over.