TORONTO -- As Canadians hunker down indoors and wait out the pandemic, their vehicles may be at risk of having problems down the road if they鈥檙e left sitting idle for too long.
While it may seem like a good idea to leave the car in the driveway if there鈥檚 nowhere to go and to save money on gas, experts say that could be a recipe for a malfunctioning vehicle when the time comes to take it out again.
Kristine D鈥橝rbelles, senior manager of public affairs for the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), says that people should aim to take their vehicle out for a drive at least once a week.
However, for motorists who have an older vehicle she said it may be a good idea to take it for a spin even more often than that.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l have to kind of understand in what state your vehicle is, particularly the battery, because that鈥檚 the toughest part right now and that鈥檚 the thing that could go especially in older cars,鈥� she told CTVNews.ca during a telephone interview from Ottawa on Wednesday.
D鈥橝rbelles explained that if left unused for too long, the vehicle鈥檚 battery could die.
鈥淵ou actually need to go around for a drive and drive it for 20 to 30 minutes for the battery to go back to its full charge,鈥� she said.
While the Canadian government hasn鈥檛 banned driving or publicly released any sort of guideline as to when it is acceptable to drive during the pandemic, the overriding message from top government officials has been to stay indoors and practise physical distancing.
Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt was more direct in a recent interview with CTVNews.ca, saying it鈥檚 not OK for people to leave the house for an aimless drive.
John Wilson, the general manager and lead technician for the Toronto auto repair shop McDermott Motors Tirecraft, said that because people are only supposed to leave their homes to buy groceries or visit the pharmacy, they鈥檙e likely not driving their vehicles for long enough to recharge its battery.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e doing these short journeys, it鈥檚 going to kill the battery,鈥� he said.
To avoid this, Wilson suggested that people go out and idle their vehicles in its parking spot for 15 minutes, at the very least. He also said batteries tend to last five to six years so people with vehicles that have older batteries should take extra care to make sure they are charged.
鈥淭he more you charge it, the longer it will last,鈥� he said.
While Wilson said it was OK to turn on the vehicle in its parking space to charge it, D鈥橝rbelles said that it鈥檚 better to take it for a longer drive around the neighbourhood to ensure the battery is fully charged.
鈥淚f you think about the amount of stuff in some of the modern vehicles, it's not just like a clock and a radio anymore. It鈥檚 a clock, it's the radio, it's the infotainment system, it鈥檚 every tiny little sensor that you have in your vehicle,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey all draw from the battery.鈥�
D鈥橝rbelles also explained that moving the vehicle every week will ensure the tires don鈥檛 lose air and develop flat spots if they鈥檙e left unmoved for a long time.
鈥淚f you think about how heavy a vehicle is, it鈥檚 not light at all and if it鈥檚 sitting on concrete, you鈥檝e got the full weight of the entire car and it's left in one stationary position. Your tires can become deflated, they can get flat, they can warp you can get bubbles and all that kind of stuff,鈥� she said.
For those who do notice bubbles or flat spots in their tires, D鈥橝rbelles warned against driving the vehicle and said to have it towed to a repair shop instead.
鈥淚f you are noticing any imperfections on your tires, your best bet is to have that tire replaced,鈥� she said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 drive it because you can burst your tire and that can be really dangerous.鈥�
Another way to maintain a vehicle that鈥檚 being used less is to wash it regularly, Wilson said. He said that if the vehicle is dirty, especially if there鈥檚 still leftover salt from the winter on it, drivers should make sure to clean that off to avoid rust.
Finally, D鈥橝rbelles said moving the vehicle on a regular basis may act as a deterrent to unwanted inhabitants, such as rats or squirrels, they may take up residence in the vehicle鈥檚 hood or engine if it鈥檚 left abandoned for too long.
鈥淭ake a quick peek under the hood, that tends to be the most likely place that a rodent would want to make their warm little nest, or underneath the vehicle,鈥� she advised.
Wilson said rodents can leave quite a mess because they like to chew through the coating on the wires so he suggested spraying a mouse or rat repellent around the car as an extra precaution.
With files from Jennifer Ferreira
