How To Store Vehicle

	The first frost is a sign that it’s time to put your summer ride away for the winter. Proper storage can save you a lot of work down the road. The Part Pros are going to show you the simple steps for ensuring that come next spring, your vehicle will look great and perform well. Remember, if you have any questions or if you're unsure of anything, feel free to contact the Parts Pros at your local PartSource. They'll always ready to help, no matter what the job is. Let's go!
	Make Safety Your Top Priority
	Every vehicle is different, so when it comes to maintenance and repairs, always follow the vehicle's owner's manual. Don't work with a Philips when it calls for flat. Substituting tools can compromise your safety or your vehicle's performance. Safety should be your number one priority, so don't smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, or wear a necktie. And watch out for hot objects, sharp instruments, hazardous materials and other potential safety hazards in and around your workspace. And finally, when the fun turns to frustration or if the job requires specialized knowledge beyond your abilities, seek the assistance of a Parts Pro, professional mechanic or installer. The last thing we want is someone getting hurt.
	Before you Begin
	The amount of preparation you’ll need to do depends on the kind of vehicle you’re storing, and how long you plan to store it for. It’s recommended that your vehicle be stored indoors in a dry environment. Free print outs of vehicle specific instructions and torque specifications are available from ShopKey 5 at your local PartSource.

Perform any known repairs or maintenance on your vehicle. You don’t want to forget, and find out the hard way on the first spring drive.

Change your engine oil and filter. You don’t want contaminants that have built up in the oil to sit in your engine all winter. Change the oil again when taking the car out in spring to remove any condensation build up in the oil pan.

IMPORTANT - The following should all be changed at scheduled intervals: engine coolant, brake fluid, transmission fluid and differential fluid.

Add a container of fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and completely fill the tank with high quality gasoline. Drive a quick 20km or so to work the stabilizer through the entire fuel system.

If you are using a rust inhibiting coating, it should be applied now. Let the vehicle sit for a few days before proceeding to the next step.

You’ll want to do a complete and thorough cleaning before storage. Wash the car, inside and out.

Wax all painted surfaces with a high quality wax.

It’s best to apply wax in an environment that’s not too hot or too cold.

Clean the area you plan on storing the vehicle in.

Be sure the car is completely dry, and park the vehicle in your storage area.

IMPORTANT - DO NOT use the parking brake when storing a vehicle. Parking brakes can seize over months of being left on.

Wipe all rubber parts and seals with a rubber dressing to stop them from drying out and cracking.

Disconnect the battery cables.

IMPORTANT - Before disconnecting a battery, be sure you disarm any alarms, and have any necessary lock codes for the stereo or other electronic equipment.

If your storage area is not heated, it’s recommended that the battery is removed and stored indoors through the winter, but always watch for the possibility of corrosive battery acid.

Maintain the battery. It will become less able to hold a charge as time goes by.

Battery maintenance can be done in a few different ways:

Trickle charge the battery every few weeks with a battery charger.
Use a battery charger that has a “maintain” setting so the battery is kept at the right state of charge, but not overcharged.
Use a 12V solar panel and battery maintainer to constantly monitor/charge the battery.

Fill your washer fluid container with winter washer fluid to prevent freezing and cracking the fluid container.

Spray hinges, crevices, and anything shiny with a coating of WD-40 to prevent rusting. This can be wiped off in spring with a degreaser.

Cover or plug the exhaust tail pipe and air intake tubing to prevent rodents from taking up residence. Steel wool works well, just remember to remove it before starting the car! Some people also like to use mothballs under the hood or in the trunk to keep rodents away. It’s NOT recommended to use mothballs on the interior of your car.

Leave the windows down a few centimeters to let the interior breathe.

Next you’ll need to decide whether to raise the vehicle for storage or leave it sitting on the ground. Flat spots on the tires used to be the main reason to store a vehicle raised off the ground, but with modern day tires, this has become less of an issue. Generally, if the car is only parked for the winter, storing it on the ground should be fine. Over-inflating your tires by 5-8 pounds can help prevent flat spotting over the winter.

Clean the area you plan on storing the vehicle in.

If you decide to raise the vehicle for storage, be sure to use good quality jack stands in the appropriate areas of the vehicle - they’re holding the car there all winter.

You’re next decision is whether or not to remove the wheels from a raised vehicle and store them separately. Some people prefer to remove the wheels when storing a car, rather than have them in a high traffic garage area where expensive rims can be damaged

Install the car cover. Covers should be a breathable, snug fitting material. Tarps or plastic are not recommended.

Adjust your insurance accordingly. Call your insurance agent and let them know the car has been stored. They can recommend the appropriate amount of insurance needed. And if you’re putting your “winter beater” vehicle on the road, be sure to reinstate the insurance policy for it as well.

If the car is a convertible, store it with the top closed.

If the vehicle is being stored more than just the winter months, you may want to consider removing the spark plugs and squirting a bit of oil down each cylinder to keep the pistons from seizing up. You’ll also want to crank the engine a few turns by hand every couple of months to keep things moving.