Rain Check: Preparing Your Car This Rainy Season

It's the rainy season once again, a time which makes driving in the Metro even more challenging. But what's even worse is having a car break down in the middle of a torrential downpour. To prevent such a nerve-wracking situation from happening, here's a list of vehicle checks and maintenance tips that almost anyone can do. The good news is that doing these doesn't involve costly vehicle modifications. Although most of us are accustomed to driving in the rain, learning how to prepare and maintain your vehicle for the rainy season is also important to make driving safer. Rest assured that doing these precautionary and maintenance checks can make driving in the rain a lot easier and safer. So before driving out in the pouring rain, here are some checks and tips to make your vehicle rain ready.

Tire Check

One of the most critical features of a tire is the tread. The grooves and channels on the tread provide grip on the road by channeling water and debris away from the contact patch. As the tire wears out, so does the tire tread which could cause it to easily lose grip on wet surfaces. Regularly have your tires rotated. As a safety tip, all modern tires have a safety hump located in between the tread. If it is flush with the tread, it's time to have them replaced.

Clean Wiper Blades

We only recognize the importance of these strips of rubber when the rainy season begins. Clean or have them cleaned with car shampoo whenever you have your car washed. You'd be surprised to find how much dirt it can accumulate. It's also a good idea to apply some rubber protectant or silicone spray on the blade after washing to prevent the rubber from being brittle and hard. But once you notice cracks or tears along the blade itself then it's time to have them replaced. Don't forget to top up your windshield washer reservoir.

Light Bulbs

Staying visible to other drivers during heavy rainfall is essential, so make sure that the headlight bulbs and other bulbs like the park light bulb, plate light, signal light, brake light and so on as are in proper working condition. Check and replace them immediately especially if there are visible black spots on the glass.

Safety Tip: don't turn on your hazard lights when driving under a heavy downpour, simply turn on your park lights to make your cars visible to other motorists.

Regular Car Wash

Some might think it's foolish to have a car wash during the rainy season. But regular trips to the local car wash will do wonders in protecting your car's exterior paint from contaminants that can damage the paint. To further protect your car's paint, have your car regularly waxed to remove light scratches and harmful contaminants such as sticky bits of asphalt that sticks on the rocker panels. Doing so also provides a protective layer as well.

Battery Check

Did you know that heavy rainfall and increased humidity can put an extra strain on your battery? As such, it is vital to have it regularly checked for proper charging, loose terminals, and corrosion around the terminals. Frequent use of headlights, A/C, and the windshield wipers also use up much of the battery. If you notice your car struggling to start (or won't start at all) this time of year, it could be a dead battery.

Brake Check

The ability to brake optimally under wet road conditions is crucial. Have your brakes checked for proper operation and worn brake pads replaced immediately. This should include a thorough cleaning of the entire brake components by using brake cleaner to remove all traces of accumulated brake dust and grime.

Fuel Check

It's a normal phenomenon that heavy traffic builds up faster whenever there's a downpour in the Metro. As such, it will take you longer to get where you need to go. So gas up before heading out, to make sure you have plenty of gas, just in case you get stuck in unexpected traffic.

Drive Safely

Having a well-maintained car is very important, but also keep in mind how you drive it. Remember to slow down, turn on your headlights, give the driver in front of you some extra space, be cautious when passing cars or entering an intersection, and if possible, avoid driving through pooled water.

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