Auto Storage Checklist
At Vault Motor Storage we want your vehicle to stand the test of time. Here are a few things you can do to help keep your car in great condition while in storage.
To reduce deterioration during storage we suggest...
- Give your vehicle a good wash before storage to remove road grit, acid rain residues and, in winter road salt.
- Clean out interior making sure to remove crumbs, food wrappers, etc. (You may be amazed by what you find under the seats.)
- Just before storing, run your engine fully warm to evaporate moisture from oil pan and exhaust system.
- Prevent tire flat spots by raising tire pressure to 38-40 psi.
- Disconnect battery — modern cars are prone to parasitic draw. Older cars with electric clocks will also draw batteries flat. Flat batteries tend to sulfite and die
If storing a vehicle for more than a few weeks? This may help...
- Add fuel preservative to prevent gum and varnish formation. Modern fuel formulas break down quickly.
- Fill your gas tank to minimize in-tank condensation.
- Then run engine 5-10 minutes to insure treated fuel is distributed throughout the fuel delivery system.
For longer-term storage consider the following...
- Change engine oil and filter as combustion by-products trapped in your “used” oil contain moisture and are measurably acidic.
- Flush and replace coolant to renew the antioxidants used in modern anti-freeze.
- Flush and replace brake fluid as it is highly hydroscopic and contaminated fluid can cause costly corrosive damage in precision brake systems.