Viața după izolare – cele mai comune defecțiuni auto, pe măsură ce oamenii se pun din nou în mișcare

Odată ce milioane de mașini din Europa sunt conduse (din nou) în mod regulat după luni de inactivitate, service-urile auto trebuie să fie pregătite cu piesele corecte și sfaturi de cum să gestioneze problemele apărute.

Stările de carantină și izolare se ridică încetul cu încetul pe tot continentul European și vehiculele se pun din nou în mișcare. Conform datelor furnizate de TomTom, nivelul de trafic și-a revenit la nivel global - în Londra, spre exemplu, congestia traficului a scăzut cu 76% față de anul trecut în perioada de vârf a carantinării, fiind cu doar 24% mai scăzută la începutul lunii August. Între timp, necesitățile pentru testarea și certificarea vehiculelor, ce au fost temporar suspendate în unele țări pe timpul pandemiei COVID 19 - sunt reinstaurate. Asta înseamnă că serviceurile auto și distribuitorii se pregătesc pentru o creștere a cererii de piese auto - fiind important însă să recunoaștem faptul că cererea nu va fi aceeași peste tot. Anumite piese sau lucrări de servisare vor fi mult mai solicitate decât altele în următoarele câteva săptămâni.

Anumite piese auto sunt mai predispuse defecțiunilor datorită faptului că vehiculele nu au fost folosite pentru o perioadă mai lungă de timp. Service-urile auto ce își vor face stocuri cu piese auto cheie, vor fi pregătite pentru perioada post-carantină și vor profita de cererea crescută pentru servisările auto.

Prin notificarea clienților cu privire la problemele de mai jos, service-urile își pot genera vânzări noi, salvându-i pe șoferi de defecțiuni mult mai scumpe, exact la momentul în care toți avem nevoie ca mașinile să funcționeze optim din nou.

Scurgeri ale sistemului de aer condiționat

Particularly during a viral pandemic when the quality of ventilation is considered so important to health, having a vehicle’s air conditioning system fail could be a major concern for motorists. While air conditioning systems remain inactive, they receive no lubrication, which can cause the seals to dry out.

In many cases, simply turning on the air conditioning when the car is running will be enough to avoid serious issues. However, workshops should ensure they have stocked up on hoses, sensors, compressors and condensers for air conditioning units that have developed leaks and are in need of repair.

 

Don’t forget: DENSO is running a series of webinars on air conditioning management and replacement this summer. Check our Training Calendar to find out the date of the next one.

Ștergătoare de parbriz defecte

Since the recommended lifespan of wiper blades is around 12 months, many will be due replacement as Europe-wide lockdowns come to an end.

If ageing blades are no longer making proper contact with the windscreen, they won’t remove visual obstructions effectively. The most obvious sign of this is squeaking wipers. Customers may view this simply as an irritation but it could also be a major safety issue if visibility is affected. Offering a replacement at the first sign of poor wiper performance is considered best practice. All DENSO Wiper Blades offer truly advanced, OE specification wiping technology, providing outstanding, streak-free results. Made from robust, superior quality materials, DENSO Wiper Blades provide durability and long lifespan.

Încărcare insuficientă a bateriei

Flat batteries are the most well-known problem associated with leaving a car unused. Despite this, issues could still take owners by surprise as there are misconceptions about how alternators work and the best way to recharge a car battery.

The alternator needs time to charge the battery sufficiently when the engine is on; if the car is used exclusively for short journeys, this is likely to be ineffective in replenishing the battery. This means that after lockdown, when a car has probably only been used for essential trips, problems may arise more quickly. Drivers should be advised to run their engines for longer – especially if they have older or weaker batteries.

 

Starting the car and letting the engine run in idle for over 20 minutes is a better solution. Replacing the part is best of all.

Defecțiuni ale bujiilor cu scânteie

With the engine running idle, it is also one of the best times to detect spark plug problems. If the engine idles ‘roughly’, this may indicate that the combustion process is suffering because of spark plug failure.

Of course, there are a host of other symptoms that result from faulty spark plugs, such as engine misfiring, poor fuel economy and weak acceleration. All these signs may indicate that a customer requires spark plug replacement.

Degradarea uleiului și a combustibilului

Fuel left in a tank for a long time will oxidize, reduce in quality and – in extreme cases – lead to engine damage from the accumulation of impurities.

If there is only a small amount of stale fuel in the tank, the issue may be minor. But drivers who have left more than half a tank unused for three months should be advised to have the fuel drained before refilling.

Petrol is more prone to oxidization than diesel. However, diesel car drivers should also be urged to have their diesel particulate filter (DPF) checked, since it could easily have become clogged.

Meanwhile, engine oil levels should also be checked, as the oil could have drained into the sump during lockdown. Vehicles that do not have the right level of oil can experience ignition problems, potentially resulting in damage to rods, piston rings and cylinders. In addition, vehicles low on oil may also experience a general drop in performance. Offering a quick oil check as part of any routine servicing work can alert motorists to any potential problems.

Și nu în ultimul rând

There are a host of minor issues that car owners could experience as they drive for the first time since lockdown restrictions were imposed. Though some may be addressed by the driver individually, they can all be offered as part of an all-encompassing service – and customers can be advised that these problems could be occurring without them even noticing, so it’s best to get a full professional check to ensure they catch everything early.

• Most drivers are used to periodically checking their tyre pressure, but this is imperative before the first time a car is used after lockdown, since slow punctures can take effect over a period of weeks. Tyre walls should also be checked for cracks.
• It is important to check that brakes are working properly before cars are used for the first time in months. Brake discs may have rusted during lockdown, particularly in countries with wetter climates. Squeaking brakes could be the first signal of a potential problem.
• Finally, an issue that is one of the most noticeable for customers is cleanliness. Many cars will be dirty, on both the exterior and interior, after a period of disuse – which gives garages a chance to upsell by adding a valet service to their maintenance work, if possible. Be aware that customers will also be concerned about hygiene and shared surfaces; consider adding a safe servicing guarantee to your offering. Several garages have taken to using anti-bacterial wipes to clean vehicles following servicing and maintenance work; this is becoming increasingly common throughout Europe.