Being idle for a long time means that your car requires more care than usual.
I have a Ciaz petrol that’s driven only once a month at most (barring weekly battery refresh 10-minute drives). I want to maximise engine life and longevity. Currently, I’m using 10W 20 from Shell, but the climate here is about 2-degC in the winter and 45-degC in the summer. So these are my queries: how frequently should I change my air filter, what coolant and engine oil should I use, and should I disconnect my battery?
Ranbir Nadda, Agra
Autocar India says: It is important to take precautionary measures to ensure the proper and reliable functioning of a low-mileage car. A part of such preventive maintenance would involve sticking to the engine oil grade as specified by the vehicle manufacturer.
In case of the Ciaz (MY2018 and above), equipped with Suzuki’s 1.5-litre K-Series petrol engine, it would be ideal to use the manufacturer-recommended 0W16 grade of fully synthetic engine oil for optimal fuel efficiency as well as cold-start performance. Despite the low running, it would also be critical to replace the coolant and brake fluid every two years or 20,000km, and change the spark plugs every fourth year or 40,000km.
The air filter must be cleaned every 5,000km, and replaced every two years. Since the K15 mill is also equipped with the integrated starter generator (ISG), which is a belt-driven system, it is important to replace the water pump belt every three years. We would also recommend covering the car and parking it in a shaded and secured area for minimising the impact of natural elements such as dust, rain and bird droppings on the paint surface.
Moreover, it would be advisable to inflate the tyres to a slightly higher-than-recommended pressure and rotate them every six months to prevent any deformation. A routine rat repellent spray inside the engine bay would prevent unforeseen instances of damage to the wiring harnesses, and a trickle charger can be used to keep the main battery optimally charged.
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