44 | APRIL 2020
Motoring
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
VEHICLE SAFETY WARNING AMID LOCK DOWN
Motorists have been
warned to ensure their cars
and vans stay roadworthy
after a lengthy period of
non-use.
Motoring experts from
LeaseVan.co.uk have told
drivers to park their ve-
hicles under the cover of
a garage wherever possi-
ble, or to invest in a car
cover and put their vehicles
under wraps during the ex-
pected period of inactivity.
They also warned motor-
ists to ensure tyre pressures
and fluids are maintained
at the correct levels while
their vehicles are out of
action.
Cars and vans can
become unroadworthy
if left idle on the street
for lengthy spells, so the
experts said it was essential
to maintain and check them
again before use to ensure
they are safe to drive.
1. Park indoors or
use a car cover
5. Inflate the tyres
If your car is going to
be sitting for a longer
period of time than usual,
tyres might slowly lose
a significant amount of
pressure. For this reason,
it’s a good idea to inflate
your tyres to the recom-
mended air pressure, but
do not exceed the max-
imum. Then repeat this
process the next time you
use the vehicle.
Where possible, you
should leave your car in a
garage as it’ll be safer and
cleaner. If you don’t have
this option – which most
drivers won’t – instead in-
vest in a quality cover. Make
sure you buy one that’s been
designed for your car model
or type. However, avoid us-
ing a cover if you’re parking
the car in a garage, as this
will ensure any moisture
that is left inside the vehicle
will evaporate faster.
6. Top off fluids
2. Clean the interiors
People tend to leave vari-
ous types of rubbish in their
cars – wrappers, old water
bottles and so on. If left for
long periods, it could attract
rodents that can damage
floor mats, seat covers and
even wiring. So, clean the
interior thoroughly and
spray a little air freshener.
‘
vans can
become
unroadworthy
if left idle on
the street
’
3. Fill up on fuel 4. Protect paint job
One of the biggest
problems of leaving a car
unused is rusting on the
inside of the fuel tank. The
best way to avoid this is to
fill the car to the brim with
quality petrol. A car’s paintwork can
be damaged if a vehicle is
parked outdoors, even with a
car cover protecting it, due to
the dust, grim and moisture.
To prevent damage, clean the
exterior thoroughly.
Before you leave your
car dormant for an ex-
tended period of time,
top off your vehicle’s
fluids – brake fluid, engine
coolant, power steering
fluid, transmission fluid,
antifreeze and windshield
wiper fluid. Then, go for
a quick, short drive, as
this will help circulate the
fluids, including the fuel
stabiliser.
THREE TIPS TO PREVENT
RUST ON YOUR VEHICLE
Weather-beaten British 1. Wash your vehicle
regularly
drivers have been offered advice
on how to protect their vehicles
from rust and water damage.
Rust can affect iron and its alloys,
including steel, and as well as
looking unattractive, if untreated,
rust can completely decimate an
entire structure.
Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.
co.uk said: “Rust causes met-
al to expand, which can place
great stress on the structure as a
whole, weakening the metal and
making it brittle and flaky.
Unfortunately, prolonged
exposure to outdoor conditions
will always increase the risk of
rust, especially if its rainy or
humid – but there are ways you
can prevent it from happen-
ing.” If you want to stop rust from
starting or spreading, then you
have to make a habit of washing
your vehicle on a regular basis
– however, you should always
thoroughly dry all moist or wet
areas afterwards as any mois-
ture left on metallic surfaces can
cause rusting.
Dirt and dust cannot directly
cause corrosion, but they can rub
against the protective paint on
your car and with constant friction,
the paint can wear off, inviting the
development of corrosion.
Similarly, bird droppings may
seem like benign organic matter,
but the compounds present in
these animal wastes can also
cause a chemical reaction on the
clear coat of the car. The same
is true with automotive liquids
like brake fluid and fuel. If any
of these fluids spill onto metal
parts of the car, then there’s a
chance that corrosion can take
place, so washing your car or van
regularly will prevent this from
happening.
2. Apply anti-rust products
All modern vehicles undergo
extensive application of rust-pro-
tection technologies before they
roll out of the assembly, and
some manufacturers apply sev-
eral layers of corrosion-resistant
automotive paints on the car’s
body – however, exposure to the
elements can still eat away at the
paint. These same compounds
can interact with the anti-rust
treatment, so it’s advisable to ap-
ply a rust prevention spray.
Before applying this product to
your vehicle, make sure to clean,
wash and dry it off first. It makes
no sense to apply rust proofing
car protection on surfaces that
are covered in dirt or dust!
3. Address early signs
If you spot any sign of corro-
sion on your car, you must treat
it straight away, as leaving it will
just allow it to get worse. There
are rust repair kits available on
the market, but these only work
on minor rust.
If you don’t want to use these
kits or if the rust is more severe,
then you can use sandpaper.
Start with a 180-grit sandpaper,
then 320-grit, before finishing it
off with 400-grit. This will help
remove the ruse from the surface
while smoothing it out.