A latest video exhibiting a number of automobiles damaged down on a well-liked expressway highlighted the necessity for educating automobile house owners on caring for their automobiles in such eventualities
An extended weekend is normally the preferred time to plan holidays, particularly street journeys. While it’s normally thought-about a time to unwind and break away from the each day routine, it’s extremely probably that you just aren’t the one one planning a visit for that actual weekend. Most of the time, such eventualities result in heavy site visitors on the expressways out of metro cities. An everyday witness to this drawback is the Mumbai-Pune expressway. Over the three-day Christmas 2023 weekend, there have been many stories exhibiting cars stopping on the aspect as a result of breakdowns resulting in a reportedly 12 kilometre-long site visitors jam.
Such site visitors nightmares may cause unbelievable stress on numerous elements of the automobile. But it will get extra tense because of the lengthy stretches of inclined surfaces as this expressway snakes by way of the ghats, which is probably going why most of the breakdowns noticed had been as a result of overheating and clutch harm. To make you don’t end up caught or stranded in an analogous scenario, listed here are some ideas to bear in mind to forestall your automobile from breaking down:
Engine Temperatures
No matter the kind of instrument cluster, you’ll all the time get a gauge that signifies the engine temperature (search for letters C and H). Better geared up automobiles can even present the temperature figures on the MID or the digital driver’s show. If the gauge will get actually near ‘H’ or goes over 100 diploma Celsius mark, you see an engine temperature warning gentle, it is best to instantly cease your automobile on the aspect and switch off the engine to forestall severe harm. The reason behind overheating might be a malfunctioning radiator, coolant pump, or thermostat.
Kill The Engine Power
Keeping the engine operating for lengthy durations in heavy site visitors eventualities can even trigger the engine to malfunction. So it’s important to change off the engine when you suppose you might be prone to get caught in a congestion for lengthy intervals of time. This is the place the idle cease/begin function additionally turns out to be useful that may reasonable the length for which the engine stays on whereas the automobile is halted in site visitors. We would additionally recommend that you just hold a watch out for the engine warning verify gentle which might point out numerous points corresponding to engine misfiring and gas system failures.
Roll Those Windows Down
One vital factor to recollect at such instances is to show off the automobile’s AC and roll down the home windows. When going uphill or by way of dense vehicular patches, this consolation provides extra pressure to the system which isn’t a problem below regular circumstances, however may cause points in extended site visitors jams. It may be a contributing issue to engine overheating. In sizzling climate, you possibly can reasonable using the AC as an alternative of getting it switched on for lengthy intervals whereas caught in site visitors. This can even assist in additional bettering the gas financial system of your automobile on the expressways.
Time To Shift Gears
A significant motive for automobiles to interrupt down or for his or her engines to overheat at such instances has occurred because of the heavy clutch utilization when shifting in bumper-to-bumper site visitors or on steep patches of tarmac. The fixed engagement of the clutch plate to keep away from stalling or rolling again ends in placing pointless load on the clutch plates and even burning them out.
Irrespective of which transmission automobile you personal, guide or automated, it is suggested to shift to impartial and interact the handbrake every time your automobile is stationary to keep away from the aforementioned situation.
Take It Slow, Keep Distance
In lengthy site visitors snarls, it’s advisable to observe a secure distance from the car in entrance of you in case it rolls again on inclines or brakes sharply in an unlucky occasion. It’s extra vital to observe this fundamental rule in case there’s a heavy car forward which prevents a transparent view up entrance.
Also Read: These 7 Cars Under Rs 30 Lakh Got ADAS In 2023
A Quick Pre-check Of The Car
In case you might be anticipating lengthy stretches of site visitors in your journey, you possibly can try to be proactive about taking care of your automobile. Before heading out for a visit, it’s all the time higher to get your automobile checked or serviced to make sure all of the elements are functioning correctly. This consists of components corresponding to engine oil, numerous fluids, battery well being, tyre pressures, and brakes.
Patience Is The Key
In such instances, a very powerful factor to bear in mind is to be affected person and to remain calm. You don’t must try to lower between lanes of slow-moving site visitors, or transfer your automobile to keep up your inch-perfect distance from the automobile in entrance. Not solely will it assist in environment friendly driving but in addition to deal in probably the most applicable method in case any undesirable scenario does come up.
In conclusion, we urge our readers to observe these fundamental tips when enterprise a traffic-logged lengthy street journey to make sure that not simply you however your automobile doesn’t face any tense situations. That mentioned, we want you the most effective of reminiscences and glad travels.