The ultimate monsoon car care and safe driving guide
Monsoon is not an exciting time for daily commuters. While car owners are better off compared to two-wheeler riders, the rainy season brings with it a whole of lot of woes even for car owners. DidYouKnow – Auto accidents increase by over 200% during rains! Maintaining your car during monsoon is wearisome and driving through water clogged roads or driving during a heavy downpour is not without its hazards. In this blog post we’ve put together an all-compassing list of car maintenance and safe driving tips that will come in handy during monsoon. Monsoons are pleasant! But they also call for extra attention to your car and your safety.
MONSOON CAR CARE
1.
The Tyres
Ensure that the tyres you are driving on are in good condition •
The treads must be of good depth (more than 2 mm) or they are likely
to skid on wet roads •
Tyres with good tread help in gaining traction on wet roads
•
Good treads also help in prevention of aquaplaning (though not to a
large extent). Aquaplaning or hydroplaning occurs when the tyres lose contact with the road due to excess water. This causes the car to glide over the water. We’ll cover aquaplaning in detail shortly. •
Maintain optimum tyre pressure as recommended by the manufacturer
•
Ensure that your spare tyre is in an usable condition
•
Look out for the tyre wear indicators on the tyres. When these marks
are equal to the tread, you must change the tyres. Its best to get these checked by trained mechanics or car service centers 2.
Brakes
They are one of the most crucial parts when it comes to driver and car safety.
•
Keep your brakes dirt free with regular inspection
•
Brake pads can wear out with constant use. You may not be able to
inspect the condition of the brake pad on all cars. It’s best to have the brakes checked at your nearest service center. •
Dry out the brakes by gently applying brakes after passing through a
water clogged road. •
Get the brake pads cleaned bi-weekly during monsoon
3.
Wipers and washer fluid
A lot of car owners do not pay much attention to the wiper blades. Worn out rubber on your wiper blades will not only fail to clear the windshield during rain but will also leave permanent scratches on your windshield. •
Ensure that the wiper is working fine on all the speeds.
•
Inspect the blades every 6 months for wear/cracking
•
Clean the blades with a cloth soaked in a mild detergent. You will see
the dirt that is removed from the blades •
Ensure your windshield is also washed after your clean your wiper
blades •
Check the washer fluid level and have it refilled if needed
4.
Car Body Care
•
Protect the body from rain by applying a good wax polish. This will
protect the paint and will also sheet the water off quickly when it raining •
If there are exposed metal parts due to scratches or dents have them
fixed/touched-up by your service center to prevent rust formation •
Prevent rusting on scratches or exposed metal parts with a rust-
preventing/corrosion-protection spray
•
Wash the car immediately (or the next day) after wading through water
clogged roads or slush to avoid rusting and scratches. A high-pressure hose spray is strongly recommended 5.
Lights
H ave your headlights, taillights and indicator lights checked and ensure they are working fine since the visibility is low during heavy rains. 5.
Car Doors – Check the beading (in all the doors, boot and bonnet) and
have it replaced in case of damage to prevent water seeping in. 6.
Interiors – In case of water seepage inside the cabin, use some old mats
to dry out the floor. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean dried slush/mud that get in via our footwear.
TIPS FOR SAFE DRIVING DURING RAINS
1.
As much as it looks like fun, do not speed on flooded roads. If
possible, completely avoid roads that are heavily water clogged 2.
Watch out for large vehicles and speeding cars that can spray your
windshield and reduce visibility 3.
Use headlights so that other cars can see you and also help you clearly
see the road ahead 4.
Double the distance you would normally (remember the 3 second
distance) maintain from the car ahead of you. 5.
Ensure you rev the engine while driving through a water-clogged road.
This ensures that the water doesn’t get into the exhaust pipe 6.
Beware of aquaplaning
(image source: www.tred.com)
•
During heavy or persistent rains, a layer of water builds between the
surface of the road and your wheels. •
This causes the tyres to lose traction and the vehicle will not respond to
the controls. You may suddenly feel that your vehicle is loose. •
This can sometimes be avoided with well-maintained tyres
•
To get out of this situation you need to first remain calm though the
experience might be terrifying •
Keep the steering wheel steady and take your foot of the accelerator
and the brakes! •
Be prepared to take control of the car as you may feel a sudden jerk
once the tyres gain traction •
Speeding during heavy rains can also cause aquaplaning
•
Never use cruise control during heavy rains
7.
If you engine stalls after driving through water, do not attempt to
restart! This may cause severe damage to the engine. It’s best to call for assistance and have the car examined. 8.
Take slow turns when approaching a corner to avoid skidding
9.
If the visibility is near zero due to heavy rains, it’s always better to
pullover 10.
IF driving in the rain at night, take extra caution because two-wheelers
and dark coloured vehicles are hard to spot 11.
Turn on the defroster as soon as you see the windshield fogging on the
inside. Turn the air conditioner for a while and the mist will disappear 12.
It’s always best to stay off roads during torrential rains
Bonus tips for safety 1.
Carry a flashlight. That light from your smartphone may not be
sufficient if your vehicle is stuck on dark or poorly lit road
2.
Carry a small shovel to help remove the sludge from your tyres. This
can be very handy! 3.
Ensure you have an emergency medical kit in your car
4.
Keep lists of phone numbers of car towing services/traffic helpline on
your phone. Usually your car dealer or car service center provides you one. Here’s a list of car towing services in Bangalore – http://www.justdial.com/Bangalore/Car-Towing-Services/ct-1020730632 or call us at +91 9972204561 for car breakdown service 5.
Carry some snacks and water in case you are stuck in long traffic jams
_____________________________________________________________
CarServo is the smartest way to connect to car service centers in Bangalore for all your car maintenance needs. You can book a service with a Maruti Service Center, Hyundai Service Center or choose a service center of your choice based on the brand of your car. Our network also includes authorized service centers for Renault, Honda, Chevrolet, Nissan, Datsun, Volkswagen and more.