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<\/p>\nWith people self-isolating and staying at home during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, cars may have sat idle on the driveway or at the roadside for many weeks. Plus, with some MOTs postponed to a later date, due to the six-month extension of certificates from 30th March 2020, it is your responsibility to ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy and safe to drive before hitting the road. Here are a few areas to look out for.<\/p>\n
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If a car has been stationary for a prolonged period of time, tyre pressure can be lost. Therefore, to top it up to the recommended levels, which can be often be found on the driver’s side door frame or in the handbook, you can use a home tyre inflation kit, or if it is safe to do so, you can visit a nearby petrol station forecourt that has an air machine. As well as running at the right pressures, tyres must also have the correct tread depth (i.e. 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre), and be free of any defects, bulges and cracking.<\/p>\n
If you haven\u2019t used your car for a while, the battery may have gone flat, with the same fate applying to plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles (EVs). If you don\u2019t have the option of jump starting the car, and don\u2019t have vehicle recovery at your home address on your breakdown policy, it is still possible to pay for it, or alternatively portable battery chargers and boosters to recharge the battery can be purchased. Once you have started the car, it is recommended that you go out for a 20 to 30 minute drive to allow the battery to charge up again.<\/p>\n
If the battery has lost charge, it may also be worth checking the date on it, as batteries over five years old will generally be more susceptible to failing and might be worth replacing.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s good practice with routine maintenance to check that all the vital fluids are topped up, such as oil and screenwash. For the oil, the level should sit between the two marks on the dipstick, whilst the latter should be equal to the \u201cmax\u201d or \u201cmaximum\u201d line.<\/p>\n If you have been self-isolating during the past few months, and declared your car as \u201cSORN\u201d, i.e. off road, you will need to visit the GOV.UK \u201cTax your vehicle<\/a>\u201d website to re-tax your vehicle according to the current bands. If you drive a SORN car, other than to go to a pre-booked MOT, you can be fined \u00a380, with a maximum penalty of \u00a31,000 if the case were to end up in court.<\/p>\nKeep it fluid <\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Tax it or risk a fine<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n