AAA: Your Car Still Needs A 'Workout'

Press release from AAA Northeast:

March 26 2020

Just because you’re not putting miles on your car now as you routinely do, doesn’t mean you should ignore simple maintenance during a time when many of us are working from home, says AAA Northeast.

Like most of us nowadays, your car probably isn’t moving as much; and depending upon how long your vehicle sits, things can happen: dead batteries, stale fuel, rusty brakes, even critters nesting in vehicle nooks and crannies, says Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman.

“For those of us who have time to catch up on things we’ve overlooked or ignored in the past, now is a good time to get ‘cranking’ on car maintenance,” said Mayko.

AAA Northeast offers these simple tips to keep your vehicle running properly during extended off-road periods:

• Fill your tank and add a gasoline stabilizer to help extend the life of fuel and prevent the buildup of condensation.
• Inflate the tires to manufacturer recommendation to prevent flat spots. The correct pressure is found on a placard on the driver-side door and in your owner’s manual.
• Take your vehicle for a spin for at least 30 minutes once a week to ‘exercise’ the moving parts and help maintain the battery.
• Make sure your battery terminals are clean, tight, and free of corrosion. A paste of baking soda and water on a toothbrush works wonders.
• You might hear a slight grinding noise from your brakes. This is nothing more than surface rust, accumulated from being parked for a time.

• Lubricate your door locks, hinges, even the hood and gas tank releases with a silicone spray. Skip the penetrating oil, which is only good for rusty nuts and bolts.

• Since you’re not driving as much, and depending upon where you park, your car may become a new home for mice and other critters that can chew wires. Check with your local auto repair or supply store for the appropriate product that will deter these animals.

• Don’t ignore needed maintenance such as oil and fluid changes. Service recommendations generally are based on time, not just mileage. So, if your car requires an oil change every six months or 7,000 miles, you should have the oil replaced and vital fluids checked, regardless if you’ve driven the 7,000.
• And finally, just because you’re not using your vehicle regularly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep the exterior free of acid rain and bird droppings that can damage the finish. In fact, an afternoon spent washing, vacuuming and waxing your vehicle will help maintain its value and as a bonus, burns about 1,000 calories.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with 63 offices in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing nearly 6 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services. In Connecticut, we serve a half-million members living in is Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield counties.

This press release was produced by AAA Northeast. The views expressed here are the author’s own.