Proton has gotten in touch with me to share with you readers out there this short article about basic car maintenance you should do to your Proton, and any other vehicle, during this Movement Control Order (MCO) period. Since the Malaysian government has decided to make this 2 week extension into a longer one by putting on another 2 weeks to the MCO, you should take a look at the tips below so that your parked car will be able to function quite properly when life goes back to normal.
The main thing would be the car battery of course. The article below starts with that and you should start your car at least once a week to keep the battery charged. The details are below and if you have the time, make the effort and do this to your car.
The COVID-19 outbreak is a global thing. Do you part by staying home and you can dream of doing your touge run or your midnight run after this MCO. But for now, keep your vehicle in an operable condition with these basic steps.
Here are some suggestions from PROTON on how to keep your vehicle in tip-top condition during the MCO.
1. How to Keep That Car Battery Charged Up During Extended Periods Off the Road
While technology has progressed since the early years of automobile production, one fact remains – a vehicle needs to be started periodically. Manufacturers recommend once every seven days in order to maintain functionality. One of the basic components a car has is the battery. The battery primarily starts the engine and provides electrical power to other parts of the vehicle so if the engine is not run frequently, the alternator is unable to charge the battery.
To avoid this, start your vehicle’s engine and keep it running for 10 minutes to allow the alternator to do its job (Ed- Personally I prefer at least 15 to 20 minutes for a better charge).
While you’re doing this, you might be tempted to blast some tunes or turn on the air-conditioning. Do not do so as turning them on will draw current from the battery and reduce the effectiveness of the charging process. And then you need at least a longer period to do so.
Don’t forget to lock your vehicle by arming the alarm once you've finished with the warm-up process.
2. Sanitise Your Car
During the MCO, it’s a perfectly good idea to practise sanitising your hands and the surfaces you’ve touched, particularly in your vehicle. After each journey, make sure you use some disinfectant to wipe surfaces like the steering wheel, door handles, window switches and gear lever.
If you have an audio system with a touchscreen, mist some disinfectant onto a soft cloth and gently wipe the surface. Take extra care not to overdo it as too much moisture could damage the vehicle’s equipment surface.
3. Check Your Tyre Pressure
Tyre pressures should be checked biweekly to ensure they are pumped to the recommended pressure. The best way to check them is to use a tyre pressure gauge or view the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System display as found in the PROTON X70. If they are underinflated, go to the nearest fuelling station and pump them back up.
Additionally, leaving your vehicle parked in the same spot for several days could result in flat spots on your tyres.
Eventually, the tyre will lose its shape which can cause vibrations to be transmitted through the steering wheel when driving, even on smooth roads. To avoid this, move your vehicle forwards or backwards when you’re charging the vehicle’s battery.
4. Keep Your Wipers in Good Condition If You Park Under the Sun
If you leave your vehicle parked in the sun, it’s good practice to lift up the windshield wipers. The heat transfer from your windscreen glass and prolonged exposure to UV rays will cause your wiper blades to harden, making them less effective.
With these easy-to-follow steps, your car should be in great shape. When the MCO period ends, your vehicle will be ready to take you back out again to go to get on with life as we know it....i.e traffic jams, running errands and only then, maybe the touge up Genting or a high speed run on the NS Highway (with the risk of a summons like usual and all).
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