Photo: How to avoid problems with dampness in a car (Getty Images) Author: Konstantin Shirokun
The off-season is neither winter nor summer, and this period is characterized, among other things, by damp weather. Which in many cases becomes the cause of strange and incomprehensible phenomena in the car.
Read about how to prevent water from damaging your car in the RBC-Ukraine article.
For people, damp weather is cold and disgusting, but for such complex equipment as a car, humidified air can be fatal, especially when the car has several hundred thousand kilometers of mileage behind it. What can you do to prevent your car from getting “damp”?
Why does a car not like dampness?
Equipment does not like humid air because it easily delivers such unwanted water to any corner, to systems and units. Yes, there is very little of it in the air, but for some unpleasant surprises you don't need much.
It would be useful for car owners to know the places where dampness is most likely to occur. Moreover, some of these weak links in reliability can be preventively eliminated if desired.
Salon. The interior always has conditions for moisture accumulation, and if it gets into the salon, the driver and passengers will soon see unsightly mold on the upholstery, steering wheel and plastic parts. If the cabin humidification becomes chronic, look for the source of moisture getting into the closed car. At a minimum, do not keep unnecessary clothes, umbrellas, wet shoes and brooms in the salon and trunk. Try to ventilate the interior of the car more often;
Electrical wiring . Over time, the rubber seals on the wiring plugs deteriorate, and the metal contacts hidden inside become vulnerable to moisture: they can oxidize. Which in turn causes certain electrical problems, often mysterious, so-called wandering ones. Ideally, on an older car, these rubber seals should be replaced or lubricated with a rubber restorer. But in reality, you only have to eliminate the consequences of moistening the wires: dry the plug pads with universal aerosol preparations and clean them from oxides;
Spark plug wires for petrol engines. These rather capricious cables are not present on all cars now, but where they are, they should not be old and clean. Otherwise, moisture significantly worsens the insulation of the upper plastic layer, the spark “goes to ground” and the engine malfunctions;
Electric switches. Along with mold, small troubles settle in a damp interior, which damage buttons and various switches. Their worn contacts oxidize from dampness and do not provide proper current flow. One of the variants of this problem is a painful reaction of the security system, which gives false alarms. Often, it is possible to bring the switch back to life using the same liquid lubricant in an aerosol can;
Electronic modules . Another type of electrical problems in wet weather is a violation of contact and insulation inside electronic units that have damage to the housing or connectors at the input. Because of this, even the engine and transmission can malfunction, not to mention small systems. To prevent the car from stopping in the middle of the road, owners of older cars should inquire which electronic units are considered the most problematic, and order certain preventive maintenance from a professional electrician;
Brake system. It's not that humid air specifically disables brakes, but dampness brings this unpleasant prospect closer. The brake fluid is to blame, which absorbs moisture from the air, so the high moisture content reduces the boiling point of the fluid. Therefore, after several intensive decelerations, the car may suddenly be left without brakes. To prevent this from happening, the brake fluid should be replaced periodically according to the instructions in the factory manual. Usually, it is about every three to five years of operation;
Corrosion . The older the car is, the more damage its anti-corrosion coatings have. And it is in such “bare” places that the metal waits for moisture to arrive to start corrosion. In short, in a humid atmosphere the body rusts at a double rate, so it is necessary to maintain the car in such a condition that there is no damage to the anti-corrosion coatings and no foci of corrosion in it.
Short
It should be noted that excessive moisture in some areas of the car is a very alarming symptom. As a rule, each model has characteristic weak points through which moist air or pure water gets into the cabin, trunk or under the hood. With the help of professional servicemen, these places must be identified and eliminated, otherwise the car's problems will actively progress.
In preparing this article, materials from AutoBild and Autocentre were used.
Let us recall that RBC-Ukraine recently reported on what you shouldn’t do in a car with an automatic transmission.