Handy monsoon driving and maintenance tips for your ride

Driving in India is a challenge at the best of times. Throw the monsoon into the equation and you’re suddenly dealing with many more elements – bad (or worse) roads, poor visibility, oil slicks, floods and such. A lot of people are caught unawares in conditions like these, but a little caution and some information are really all that are needed to make it through safely. Let’s get right to it.

Tyres

Your tyres literally hold your car up and keep it connected to the road, so it’s crucial that you make sure they’re in optimum shape. Pay attention to their treads, which help to repel water and maintain grip. Most tyres have tread wear indicators, which are ribs in the longitudinal grooves. If the tyre surface becomes level with these, it's time to change your tyres. Tyres with worn – or no – treads will not be able to repel water and will skim across the water surface, which is dangerous. Punctures are possible as well, or they could even burst.

Brakes

You really want to be able to stop your car efficiently in the rain, so make sure they are in good shape. Poor brakes will mean greater stopping distances in wet conditions, which is not something you want. After driving through puddles, or in heavy rain, it helps to dry your brakes by tapping the brake pedal every now and then. Modern cars have ABS technology, which aid with braking, but it’s still a good idea to have your brakes checked.

Lights

Rain can drastically reduce visibility on the road, and it’s quite common for pile-ups to occur because people just couldn’t see what was ahead of them. It makes sense to ensure your lights are in working order, and to drive with your headlights and fog lights on in heavy rain, so that other road users can see you better. Do not, however, do the Indian thing of driving with your hazard lights on; these lights are only meant to be used when your car is at rest in a dangerous set of conditions. If you do put your hazards on while driving and are going slowly, someone could mistakenly think your car is stationary.

Wipers

It’s absolutely essential that your wipers work properly, for obvious reasons. The blades must wipe water off your windscreen cleanly, without leaving streaks that will actually hamper visibility, apart from causing distortions in oncoming headlights at night. Also ensure that your wiper washer fluid container is topped up.

Keep your distance

Braking distances increase on wet roads, so make sure you maintain an adequate distance from the vehicles ahead of you; also drive slower than you normally would in dry conditions. If you need to stop suddenly, a lower speed and greater distance between you and the obstacle in front of you will greatly help.

Battery

It goes without saying that without a fully working battery, you’re up the creek without a paddle, at any time of year. In the rains, your wiper and lights usage will go up, putting more of a load on your car’s battery. Have its charge checked before the monsoon sets in, preferably, and replace it if needed.

Wiring

You don’t want rain water to come in contact with any exposed wires and cause short circuits, so an inspection of your wiring circuits is a good idea. If you’re fitting aftermarket electrical elements, the cabling has to be of the highest possible quality.

Seals

Your sunroof, windows and windshields have rubber seals around them, and if they leak – well, you’re in for an early bath. Make sure they’re in good shape by looking for signs of moisture around them.

Rust

Identify areas in your car that show signs of rust and have them treated before the monsoon, failing which the rust will get worse and you’ll have leaks – and your car’s body’s structural integrity will be affected.

Underbody

People tend to not pay attention to their car’s underbody, since it’s out of sight. Don’t make this mistake – inspect it regularly and have it cleaned, so that dirt and grime are washed off. You can also have your car polished, which adds a layer of protection to the body.

Waterlogged conditions

It happens every monsoon, right? You’re heading home from work, there’s a sudden thundershower and before you know it, you’re having to negotiate a waterlogged road or three. The best way to deal with this is of course to avoid it if possible, but if there’s no way out, here are a few tips. Check how deep the water is by looking at other cars wading through the water; it doesn’t hurt to wait it out.

Then, in first gear, move quickly through the water and keep the engine’s revs up, so that water doesn’t get into your exhaust pipe and cause engine damage. If this does happen, do not start your car under any circumstances – it’ll have to be towed to a workshop. Once you do get through the waterlogged area, dry out your brakes by dabbing them a few times.

Escaping from a stranded car

If you do get stuck inside your car in a badly waterlogged area, you need to know how to get out of it if your doors get jammed. Did you know that in some cars, you can open the boot via a mechanism that you can access through the folding rear seat? In any case, it’s useful to have a few tools in your car that can help if you’re stuck – a seatbelt cutter and a hammer at the minimum, so you can free yourself and break a window to get out.

Other useful things to keep in mind

Keep your car tanked up with fuel as far as possible – you never know when you’ll get stuck for hours in a rain-caused traffic jam. Put a spare set of clothes and footwear, a raincoat and umbrella, a first aid kit, a towel, a battery pack for your phone, some water and some snacks in the car, because you never know when these will come in handy.

Look at the other cars to gauge how much water there is on the roads. If it seems like you can wade through, drive in first gear, keeping the engine revs up. Else, wait it out. When you can, dab the brakes a few times to dry them out. (Image: News18)