8 extremely useful things when leaving your car unused for a long time

1. Clean the car

Cleaning the car will help remove dirt stuck on the body of the car, if left for a long time can damage the car's paint.

In addition to the car body, when cleaning, you also need to pay attention to the undercarriage, fenders of the car, and areas that may be covered with mud because these substances, when stuck to metal for a long time, combined with moisture in the air, will cause rust on the parts...

2. Find a parking space

Normally, the garage is a suitable place for the car to "rest" because it has stable temperature and humidity.

If you don't have a garage and have to park your car outdoors, find a cool place; use a rainproof and heat-insulating tarpaulin to ensure the best possible vehicle storage conditions.

3. Change engine oil

Skip this step if you're only going to be sitting your car for a few weeks. But if you're going to be sitting for months or more, it's important to change your engine oil. This is because some of the harmful compounds in used engine oil can damage your engine if you sit for long periods of time.

4. Fill the gas tank and coolant

Many people often drain all the gas before storing their car to avoid leaks and fires. However, if the gas tank is empty, it can expose the inside of the tank to moisture in the air, causing surface rust; you may even have to replace the gas tank...

The cooling system also needs to be checked and water added to prevent rusting of system parts. According to the manufacturer's recommendations, when storing the vehicle, the coolant solution should be mixed with water in a ratio of 50/50.

5. Tighten the fuel tank cap

Even if the car is new and the tank cap is well sealed, gasoline vapor can still leak out if it is not tightened. In some cases, gasoline vapor can be a detonator, the fuel tank is a giant explosive that is very dangerous... The pipes need to be checked to limit gasoline vapor leakage.

If you do not drive your vehicle for several months, to prevent fuel decomposition, add a stabilizer to the tank before filling it up.

6. Battery system

When the car is not in use for a long time, the battery system will gradually lose its ability to recharge... Therefore, after 2 weeks, start the car and let the engine run for about 15 minutes. Doing this periodically will maintain the "life" of the battery and increase the durability of the engine.

You can use a battery maintenance charger - this device will supply electricity in cycles to avoid the battery being completely discharged. When using this method, you need to carefully study the manufacturer's parameters to avoid the case that this device can damage your battery.

7. Release the handbrake

Normally, when parking, you have to use the handbrake to fix the car, but you should not do that if you park for a long time. The reason is that the pressure from the brake pads on the brake disc will continuously cause this area to concave, leading to a rough disc surface, the brake system will not work properly later.

In case the car has to be parked on an inclined surface, use a few pieces of wood to block the wheels.

8. Pay attention to the wipers

Underneath the wiper blades there is a layer of rubber. If this rubber layer is left for a long time, it will degrade, causing it to melt and stick to the glass. When using the car again, the wiper blades will have to be replaced... Therefore, to be safe, remove the rubber blades under the wipers and store them in a cool, dry place.