Will Leaving a Car Unused for a Week Have Any Impact?
3 Answers
Leaving a car unused for a week has minimal impact, but prolonged inactivity can cause damage to the vehicle. Below are the potential harms of leaving a car idle for too long: 1. Battery: Most cars today use lead-acid batteries, which self-discharge when the vehicle is not in use. Normally, the battery loses less than 1% of its capacity per day due to self-discharge. However, prolonged self-discharge can lead to premature battery failure. 2. Balance: When parked for extended periods, the tires develop flat spots where they contact the ground. The longer the car remains stationary, the harder it becomes for these deformed areas to recover, altering the weight distribution of the tires. This results in uneven rolling radii and unbalanced tires. At high speeds, this imbalance can cause body vibrations, accelerated tire wear, and pose safety risks while driving.
Last week, I was on a business trip and left my car parked in the residential area for a full seven days. When I returned, I found it even struggled to start. A dead battery is the most common issue, especially for older cars where the battery tends to drain easily—parked too long, and it won’t start at all. Tires also need attention; prolonged uneven pressure can cause deformation, particularly if the tire pressure is low, making them more prone to bulging. Brake discs can rust after sitting for a week in damp weather, and the squeaking noise when driving is enough to make anyone nervous. Then there’s the issue of various fluids settling and separating—engine oil loses its lubricating effectiveness, and transmission fluid, once settled, can make gear shifts rough. Parking under trees adds another layer of trouble, with bird droppings and tree sap leaving corrosive spots on the paint. Whenever my car sits unused for more than five days, I ask a neighbor to warm it up for me—just five minutes can prevent all these problems.
My neighbor's SUV sat idle for over ten days during the pandemic, and when he drove it again, the steering wheel shook like crazy. Tire deformation is the most easily overlooked issue, especially when tire pressure is low—the sidewall rubber gets compressed and develops flat spots. Car batteries naturally discharge about 1% per day, and an older battery left unused for two weeks is basically done for. The most annoying problem is fuel system issues; the ethanol in gasoline absorbs moisture, and prolonged parking can lead to water accumulation in the fuel lines, making it hard to start. Rubber components also suffer—wiper blades stick to the windshield and crack when peeled off, and door seals deform under prolonged pressure, making doors hard to close properly. If I'm away for more than three days, I always inflate the tires to 1.2 times the standard pressure to reduce deformation risks.
