You would have thought that your vehicle is safe and sound being sat alone during this period of lockdown. Sadly not. There are a few things that could possibly have gone wrong with your car and they could cause unwanted repair bills further down the line. Today we’ve listed the 6 things that are most likely to go wrong with your car under lockdown and, as a treat, we’ve also included an exclusive offer from our partners MotorEasy who are providing Regit readers with extended warranties. So let’s get started...
Click here to get your 6 months FREE Warranty
Use Code: REGIT12
Tyres
If you’ve not been rotating your tyres throughout lockdown then there is a chance that your tyres have developed weak spots where they have been holding the weight of the car on a concentrated spot for a period of time. Tyre walls may have started to crack too if your tyres haven’t been kept at the ideal pressure, so keep an eye out for that.
Battery
Your battery will be the first thing to feel the strain of lockdown, assuming there were no underlying issues elsewhere on the car pre-lockdown. You’ll likely notice that your car is hesitant to turn over after being sat for more than a week or two. This can then cause a strain on your star
Starter Motor
If your cars battery levels have dropped to an all-time low then the strain on your starter motor is at an all-time high. The Starter motor relies on a fair amount of power from the battery and it takes on an unusually high load if that power isn’t forthcoming.
Handbrake
Leaving a car to sit on its handbrake can causing lasting damage. You might find that when you let go of your handbrake that the brakes are still applied to the wheels. This is because moisture can get trapped between the wheels and brake discs causing them to seize temporarily. You should be able to drive through the seizure but make sure your handbrake is working optimally when you next apply it.
Fuel
Petrol has an expiry date, who knew? So does Diesel, and running your car on expired fuel can cause poor performance and internal engine damage. Avoid this by filling your tank to the brim. The less air inside the fuel tank the slower the rate at which the fuel will age. Simple!
DPF
If you own a diesel car, chances are it will have a diesel particulate filter to take nasty fumes out of the exhaust gases. Problem is, a DPF needs to be warmed up sufficiently to perform effectively, and if it is used repeatedly without being warmed up then it will become clogged. Try and use your diesel car as infrequently as possible to make sure that you’re not in need of an expensive new DPF by the time lockdown is lifted.
All of the above issues can be avoided but for each and every car owner there is an underlying risk of ongoing vehicle faults caused by lockdown measures. So, what can you do? Aside from preventative maintenance, your best bet to swerve costly repair bills down the line is to invest in a warranty, assuming your vehicle is already outside of its manufacturer warranty.
We’ve partnered with MotorEasy to provide our readers with a car warranty deal that can’t be missed. If you purchase any of their warranty products and use the code REGIT12 at checkout, you will receive an extra 6 months warranty on top of a standard 12-month package absolutely FREE. Click here to get a quote for your vehicle today and hopefully you can save yourself a lot of money further down the line…
Click here to get your 6 months FREE Warranty
Use Code: REGIT12