Steering in the rain

Before the onset of monsoons, get a thorough servicing done on the car. Check the brakes and the liner for any leakages. Faulty or inefficient brakes can prove fatal during the rains. Also clean the air and oil filters.

Get the wheels balanced and aligned. quot;That is very important as the wear and tear of the tyres is maximum during the monsoons,quot; says Hitesh Pancha, the frontman at Autoriders India. Ajay Israni, a mechanical engineer at Sah and Sanghi, says that the tyres should be scrapped before the monsoons if the treads do not have a depth of three to four mm. quot;Keep the pressure lower than normal so that the tyres grip the road better,quot; he adds.

But Vivek Bhatt, technical correspondent at Auto India magazine, clarifies that this should be done only if you have radial tyres. Bhatt recommends adding extra hoses, radiator belts and fuses to the toolbox. And of course, a good spare tyre. quot;Also make sure the headlights, and particularly, the tail lights are visible from a distance,quot; he says. And when it rains keep the lights on, no matter what time it is. The other part of your car that bears the maximum brunt during the monsoons is the body.

The underside can be protected by rubberising it with Tinitrol or FRB treatment which forms a protective coating. Make sure that you do not wash it with strong solvents or the coat may dissolve. Fortunately, solvents like petrol and diesel on the road are too weak in concentration to do any damage.

But unfortunately, there is very little you can do to protect the upper part of the body. Here are a few tips to minimise the corrosion. Get the cracks and scratches in the paint job touched up or water may seep through them and corrode the metal body. Also do not leave your car under a tree, especially during the early rains. Water, mixed with dirt and grime, will leave ugly marks on the surface. And, contrary to popular belief, do not put a cover on your car. Water may accumulate inside and seep into the paint.

Do away with the floor carpets for the monsoon. Replace them with rubber mats. If your seats are water-absorbent, cover them with plastic sheets. Generally, the engine is not affected by the rains. But cover the distributor cap. Get all electrical points checked and the battery terminals covered with grease. Try and avoid taking the car into low-lying areas which are likely to be flooded. Water may get in through the exhaust pipe. Clean your car every morning. Dirt, when dry, can scratch your paint and windshield. Add a mild detergent to the wiper bottle to keep the windshield clean. Though there are special solutions available to make your glass slippery and non-stick, Rajendar Singh Seth, the proprietor of Popular Car Bazar, offers an alternate grandma recipe: Slice a potato and rub the fleshy insides on the glass surface. For a smoker, the remedy is even easier: Peel a cigarette and rub tobacco on the glass.

But the most important tip comes from Pancha. quot;To save yourself and the car from the monsoon, drive slow,quot; he says.