Monsoon Car Care Guide

Rains bring joy to a million hearts  - that is, if you are not driving. Because if you are behind the wheel, your visibility is hampered, the grip is compromised, usable roads become narrower and hence the traffic starts to pile up. And if you have been naughty with your car care, it will decide that this is the perfect time to teach you a lesson and will shut down right in the middle of the water-clogged road.

Ok, rains aren't that bad. But to ensure that the above scenario does not involve you, follow these simple steps and enjoy the monsoon.

1. Prepare your car for the monsoon

Preparing your car for the monsoons is a start. And though it sounds like a mammoth task, it takes just a couple of minutes to check and a possible visit to your nearest service centre if necessary. Luckily, most cars manufacturers organise free car check-up camps which you can take advantage of. Things to check include tyre treads, pressures, wiper conditions, washer fluids and mud flaps. Details

2. Essential things to keep in your car during monsoons

Being ready inside your cars means peace of mind. Heavy rains can cause water-logging or traffic jams, both of which can cause hunger. So, for starters, keep some chocolate bars or biscuits in the glovebox of the car. Essential also include an umbrella (with a plastic cover), a microfiber cloth for the windshield, tissue box and old newspapers for a variety of purposes. Details

3. Protect your car from the rain

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Water, paint and scratches is not the threesome you want in your life. This will lead to corrosion and further paint damage. Not just that, muck and water will further cause problems in parts with some relative motion. The solution is simple: Get it fixed before the rains start, use a car cover whenever possible and get the underbody of the car pressure washed to get rid of the muck at regular intervals. Details

4. Avoid skidding and aquaplaning

While this might not be inevitable, taking measures to avoid the said situation will help you get home safely. A large part here is played by the tyre treads as they are the key component in pushing water away and maintaining a contact patch. But still, there could be situations where you lose friction and start to go sideways. Here what to in those situations. Details

5. Preventing windscreen and window fogging

Most cars on the road face the issue of fogging windscreens. Although cars nowadays do feature defoggers, they are reserved mostly for the higher variants. Nevertheless, here is how to avoid it and deal with it, if and when it happens. Details

6. Driving through puddles and waterlogged roads

Even a pothole can be life-threatening. We're sure you caught the viral video from Mumbai. This is just a small example of how a nasty pothole can cause a mishap for you or others around you. There is a way to navigate your way through, though. Details

While all of these will help you be safer on the road and be more comfortable inside your car, there are some small hacks which will help keep the insides of the car nice, clean, dry and cosy.

• If you don't have an umbrella cover, cut a 1-litre water bottle at the 3/4th length and keep it in the door bottle holder. Simply fold and put the umbrella in the bottle and dispose of the drained out water when convenient.

• Keep shower caps in the car. If your feet end up in a pothole or get covered in muck, simply cover it with the shower cap before entering the vehicle.

• Newspapers are lifesavers. You can use them to clean glass areas, use as floor mats in the wet, wrap around umbrellas, clear fogging and much more. If you have spare newspapers lying around in the house, do keep a set in the trunk of your car. You never know when and how you will need them.

• Wet wipes/tissue box and hand sanitiser are must haves in cars in rains. They can help you quickly clean up before you arrive for a date or an appointment.