Monsoon Season: Prepare Your Car

As the rainy season of monsoon approaches this week, your car needs some maintenance checks and a little preparation. There are several things you should take into account before beginning the maintenance work.

These are some useful tips for getting your car prepared for pouring rains and harsh monsoon weather.

New Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers usually need replacement before any other part of your vehicle. The wiper blades get destroyed inevitably because of the dry weather. Proper inspection of the rubber and wiper blades is important if you need a clear view of the road from your windshield.

While inspecting windshield wipers, do not forget to check the rear window wiper.

Check Tire Treads

When the monsoon season begins, checking your vehicle’s tires is crucial. Tires majorly affect the traction, handling and performance of your vehicle. A small pressure test can tell you the condition of your tires. You can also improve your car’s mileage by keeping the correct pressure.

Another way to check your tires is the penny test, this test shows the condition of tread and the grip of your tires. Place a penny into tread grooves of the tire, if Lincoln’s head is visible – your tire is worn out and needs replacement. If Lincoln’s head is covered by the tread, your tread grooves are deep and good for the drive.

The treads in your tires help in improving the road grip of your vehicle. Modern tires have tread-wear indicators which make it easier to check when the tires need replacement.

Battery and Wiring

During heavy rainfalls, your car comes in contact with water very often. So, it is important that you patiently check the battery and the wiring of your car. You should check all the wiring and make sure there are no exposed wires with insulation peeled off.

If you have any ‘aftermarket’ equipment installed in your car, make sure, it is properly connected and the wires are covered. A short circuit can lead to battery damage and it could be a serious safety hazard.

The monsoon usually requires more battery usage: use of the wipers and lights. So, it is important to ensure that your battery works perfectly and is good for the rainy season.

Visible and Properly Working Lights

While making your car monsoon-ready, you should always check its headlights, brake lights, taillights, and the indicator lights. Turn on the ignition, switch both the lights on. Make sure the headlights are aimed properly and are not dim. Check the tail lights and brake lights.

To check properly, turn on your headlights and see if the taillights are turned on simultaneously. If the headlights and taillights are turned on simultaneously, there is no need to worry about it.

It is good if you check the lights at different beams: High, Medium and, Low. Make sure your lights are not flickering or fluctuating, this could be an indication of a weak battery.

After checking the taillights, make sure your brake lights are working properly. Brake lights can be tested by simply tapping the brake. If the brake lights are not brighter than the taillights, you need to replace the bulbs. Clean your headlamps and tail lamps for maximum visibility.

Check Rubbers

Checking the rubber seals around your vehicle’s doors and windows is a good practice. During heavy rains, the rubber seals often begin to leak. Make sure you have properly checked the rubbers around panels, doors, windows, sunroof etc. Make sure your car doesn’t have space for water to accumulate. Moisture is harmful to vehicles as it causes rusting.