Is it a big deal if the car is not driven for half a month?
2 Answers
Not driving the car for half a month will have some impact. Prolonged parking mainly affects the engine, battery, tires, etc. The fuel injectors of the engine may become clogged due to gasoline volatilization. Here are some related issues about long-term parking: 1. First, during long-term parking, the engine oil may deteriorate, leading to problems with lubrication and increased wear. 2. Not only the engine oil, but various coolants may also deteriorate. The engine can be damaged under such conditions. 3. Usually, if a car is not driven for half a month, the battery may still have some charge, but the voltage will have dropped, making it harder to start. If the vehicle is parked for more than three months, the battery may be almost completely discharged. Note that the rate of power consumption is somewhat related to the manufacturing process of the battery.
I often leave my car in the garage for two or three weeks during business trips, and it does cause some minor issues. The most obvious one is battery drain – I've returned to find I couldn't even unlock the doors and had to call for a jump start. Rubber components like tires can deform from prolonged pressure on one side; last time after leaving it for half a month, I noticed steering wheel vibration, and the mechanic later found slight tread deformation. Another time, the brake pads had rust-welded to the discs, producing a loud 'bang' when starting – the mechanic explained it was rust adhesion. Now I've learned better: before leaving, I inflate tires to 3.0 bar, disconnect the battery negative terminal, place moisture absorbers inside, and always check engine oil before starting upon return.