WEBVTT - How Can You Keep Your Car in Shape During Shelter-in-Place

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff production of iHeart Radio. Hey brain Stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>Lauren Volga bam here. If you've been sheltering at home

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<v Speaker 1>and happen to own a motor vehicle, it may have

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<v Speaker 1>been weeks since you've driven it. Nobody really knows how

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<v Speaker 1>long it will be until we get back to normal,

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<v Speaker 1>or what normal will even look like. But we do

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<v Speaker 1>know one thing. Your car still needs attention while you

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<v Speaker 1>shelter in place. So even though you might not be

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<v Speaker 1>driving to and from work, or taking the kids to

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<v Speaker 1>their activities, or running as many errands as usual, that

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't mean you should neglect one of your biggest investments.

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<v Speaker 1>Here's what you need to do to make sure your

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<v Speaker 1>car stays in tip top shape. First, you need to

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<v Speaker 1>get out and drive. Consumer Reports recommends driving your car

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<v Speaker 1>at least once a week for twenty minutes or more.

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<v Speaker 1>Don't joy ride more than necessary. This is a great

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<v Speaker 1>excuse to support local businesses if you can, or to

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<v Speaker 1>plan a drive by socially distant visit to friends and family,

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<v Speaker 1>but joy riding can increase the risk of accidents. Simple

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<v Speaker 1>twenty minutes a week will help keep the battery in

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<v Speaker 1>good shape, prevent rust from building up. On the brakes

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<v Speaker 1>and prevent the calipers from seizing up and gets gasoline, oil,

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<v Speaker 1>and other fluids flowing. Speaking of gas, it can go

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<v Speaker 1>bad if it sits too long, usually around thirty days

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<v Speaker 1>or more. At that point, gummy deposits can form and

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<v Speaker 1>the ethanol in the blend starts to draw water from

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<v Speaker 1>the atmosphere into your tank. Fuel stabilizers can prevent this,

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<v Speaker 1>but they're designed to be poured into your tank before.

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<v Speaker 1>Your car isn't going to be driven for long periods

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<v Speaker 1>of time, so assuming you didn't add a fuel stabilizer

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<v Speaker 1>to your gasoline before all of this started, you need

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<v Speaker 1>to drive your car to burn off some of the gas,

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<v Speaker 1>then top off your tank with fresh fuel. It's at

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<v Speaker 1>record low prices, so that's a plus. Just don't forget

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<v Speaker 1>to wash your hands before you leave the house and

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<v Speaker 1>after you get home. While your car is parked and

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<v Speaker 1>the engine is cold, it would be good to check

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<v Speaker 1>the oil to see if it's low or dirty. Your

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<v Speaker 1>owner's manual will help you locate the dipstick and identify

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<v Speaker 1>the markings to determine the correct oil level. It's fine

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<v Speaker 1>postpone oil changes somewhat, but if you do need a change,

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<v Speaker 1>you can still have it done safely, as it's considered

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<v Speaker 1>an essential service in most states. Some shops will even

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<v Speaker 1>let you remain in the car during the oil change.

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<v Speaker 1>Call ahead to find a shop that offers this. You

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<v Speaker 1>should also be checking your tires on a regular basis anyway,

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<v Speaker 1>and even more so if you're not driving your car much,

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<v Speaker 1>if at all. That's because the tires could lose pressure

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<v Speaker 1>or end up with flat spots from sitting too long,

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<v Speaker 1>or even with dry rot. If your tires must be replaced,

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<v Speaker 1>find a shop that's maintaining social distancing procedures, or even better,

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<v Speaker 1>a tire installer who will come to you if you

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<v Speaker 1>do run into major engine problems. Cannics are also considered

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<v Speaker 1>essential services in most states, so you can have your

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<v Speaker 1>car repaired. Just be sure to wipe down your cars interior,

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<v Speaker 1>your surfaces once you pick it up the way you

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<v Speaker 1>would groceries or anything else you're coming into new contact with.

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<v Speaker 1>And according to consumer reports, Triple A is still providing

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<v Speaker 1>roadside assistance in the case of an emergency and implemented

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<v Speaker 1>social distancing protocols for such events. If you've let your

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<v Speaker 1>car care slip in the wake of all of this confusion,

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<v Speaker 1>It's probably fine. It takes more than a few weeks

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<v Speaker 1>or even a couple of months of casual neglect to

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<v Speaker 1>seriously damage and otherwise well maintained car. However, a little

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<v Speaker 1>attention now will go a long way to regaining your

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<v Speaker 1>mobility once self isolation comes to an end. Today's episode

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<v Speaker 1>was written by Sheryes three Wit and produced by Tyler Clang.

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<v Speaker 1>For more on this and lots of other topics because

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<v Speaker 1>at how stuffworks dot com. Brain Stuff is production of

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<v Speaker 1>i heart Radio. For more podcasts. For my heart Radio

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