As more states implement shelter-in-place orders, and more businesses encourage employees to work from home, you may find your vehicles being driven less often. The staff at Sheeler Auto Repair have some helpful advice for issues that might come up in the coming months.
If you know your vehicle won’t be driven much or taken off the road, they suggest watching out for common trouble spots.
Look at your tires. The biggest concern with tires is flat spotting, which is when the weight of the vehicle sitting on one spot flattens out a portion of the rubber on the tire. While flat spotting isn’t likely to happen in two weeks, if conditions are right, a month of being stationary might be enough to cause problems. They recommend checking your tire pressure and inflating them to factory specification.
Brakes. When left unused, brake rotors can begin to develop rust on the surface of the rotors. If you leave your parking brake engaged for a long period of time, it can actually cause the brake pads to bind to the rotors. While this shouldn’t be a concern over a few weeks, if you know your car will be parked for a month or more the Sheeler Auto Repair staff recommend leaving the parking brake off. Always put safety first and only do so on a flat surface.
Battery – Over time, your car’s battery can discharge and leave you needing to jump-start your car. You can plug your vehicle into a battery tender if you have one. Or if you know your car will be sitting for a long time, you can always disconnect the battery.
Fluids – Fluids are a major issue for long-term storage. Fuel can separate, and water vapor can accumulate in your gas tank. Gaskets and hoses that aren’t kept lubricated can dry out and become brittle.
There’s a simple solution to almost all of the troubles facing your car as it languishes in its parking spot, and that is to drive it. The staff at Sheeler Auto Repair recommend driving your car for at least 20 minutes once every two weeks. That’s enough time to warm up your tires and protect from flat spots, return some charge to your battery, wear surface rust off your brake disks, and keep the fluids in your car moving and everything properly lubricated.
If you’re faced with maintenance issues or a breakdown, know the staff at Sheeler Auto Repair is available during regular business hours.
There are some issues that time on the road can’t fix. Your car may come due for maintenance during the COVID-19 pandemic, or it may break down or have a check engine light come on. Even in states with shelter-in-place orders, repair shops have been deemed necessary services.
Sheeler Auto Repair encourages you to call ahead. It’s important to set an appointment rather than just walking in. It will help to cut down on the time you’ll need to spend checking your vehicle in. There’s also a chance that if you need scheduled maintenance, it may be worth postponing until after social-distancing measures are no longer necessary.
Sheeler Auto Repair’s facility is a 6,000 square foot shop that is filled with updated, state-of-the-art equipment to make sure the job is done right. In today’s age of ever-changing technology, they know the importance of keeping up with the changes to better serve their customers. All work is warranted for one year and with unlimited mileage, whereas most repair shops will offer 90 days labor and six months on parts.
Sheeler Auto Repair offers some of the fairest pricing in the area, warrants their service, and maintains a history of all customers’ vehicles.
Be sure to call ahead for service hours and to schedule an appointment at 407-880-5784.
Sheeler Auto Repair is conveniently located at 1908 S. Orange Blossom Trail in Apopka, just a short distance past the Super Wal-Mart. They are on the same side of Highway 441 as Wal-Mart and are located directly behind Trans Express.
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