Driving Less Often? How to Maintain Your Car

If you’re suddenly driving much less frequently than usual, you may wonder what auto maintenance is more or less necessary than normal. It may seem less important to get essential services like an oil change or tune-up done when you aren’t driving much but keeping up with those services can still prevent more major car repairs down the line.

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Much of Your Regular Maintenance Still Stands

While the underlying reasons for why essential maintenance services are necessary changes when you drive less frequently, they’re still important. A change in driving habits may change how your car’s fluids and parts are affected but regular maintenance will ensure your car continues to run optimally.

Engine Oil Accumulates Contaminants Faster when Not Driven

When you drive your car, the fluids cycling through a warm engine helps burn off contaminants and prevent moisture build-up. If you aren’t driving your car frequently or only for short trips, you likely are not burning off contaminants fast enough. Likewise, if your oil level is low, you’re more likely to get a build-up of moisture. You can check your engine oil at home and top it off if necessary. However, it’s best if you make sure to keep up with regular oil changes twice a year regardless of how often or how long at a time you drive.

A Parasitic Leak Could Cause Your Battery to Die

Your car battery is able to charge while you’re driving, which is why it’s recommended you take a longer drive immediately after jumping a dead battery. When your car sits stationary for a long time, it could easily be subjected to a parasitic leak, gradually draining your battery. Taking short drives less frequently will mean your battery is also not able to fully charge when you do use your car. If you suspect your battery is nearing the end of its life, get it checked by a mechanic so you can have it replaced before you’re stranded.

Sitting Stationary Can Cause Flat Spots on Tires

Just as driving on tires with low tire pressure can cause uneven or extra wear, sitting stationary with low tire pressure can cause flat spots. Your tire pressure will also vary as temperatures rise and fall, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on tire pressure more regularly than usual.

The Sun Can Cause Your Wipers to Degrade

You may think your wipers will last longer if you aren’t driving and using them. In a way, you’re not wrong. However, just sitting in the sun and being subjected to the elements will degrade your wipers over time, so you should still keep up with changing them out for new wipers once or twice a year.

Pay Attention to a Few Car Care Extras

There are still a few ways you can keep an extra close eye on your car when it’s not in use to make sure you won’t run into issues when you do need to drive somewhere. Different problems can arise with a car sitting stationary and that means there are a few ways to minimize the likelihood of those problems happening to your car.

Try to Drive for at Least 30 Minutes at a Time

On the occasions you do drive somewhere, it will help your car if it is a longer drive. This serves two purposes: burning off contaminants within your engine oil and fully charging the battery. If you are only going on short ten-minute drives, it isn’t enough time for your car to warm up enough to burn off contaminants, which means you’ll need an oil change sooner. Likewise, your battery will not end up fully charged, so you may come out to a dead battery the next time you need to drive somewhere.

Go on Regular Short Drives

Even though longer drives are more beneficial for your car, shorter drives are better than nothing. It’s a good idea to get your car out for a short drive fairly regularly to get the fluids circulating. In this case, a little bit is better than nothing.

Keep a Full Gas Tank & Top Off Fluids

Another risk of letting your car sit unused for long periods of time is having moisture build-up inside the car’s essential systems. One way to help head this off is to top off your fluids and keep them as full as possible. If it’s going to be a few days or a few weeks, fill up the gas tank, make sure your engine oil level is adequate, and even top off the wiper fluid. When moisture is allowed to build up, it can lead to a variety of issues, from rusting parts to throwing off optimal ratios.

Trust AAMCO Boise for Your Auto Repair Needs

Whether it’s time for essential maintenance or a more serious car repair, let the expert mechanics at AAMCO Boise help. Give your nearest location a call or schedule your appointment online and we’ll make sure your car is safe and ready to go.

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