GOOD MOTORING
How to handle humidity
H. Kishie Singh

IT has been a very humid summer. Humidity in the air can affect your car in many ways. One of the victims can be your electrical system. All the lenses for your light should be watertight. Cracked lens or even taped lenses will let in the humidity. This can affect the terminals and sockets which are bound to rust. The last thing you want is a short circuit or sparking. If your car is full of electrical gizmos like sensors and computer chips, this can head to massive repair bills. It’s easier and cheaper to replace a cracked lens.

Brake fluid can be another victim. Please note the word fluid, not oil. It could be a synthetic fluid that has little in common with fossil oil. The fluid has hygroscopic properties i.e. ability to absorb water. This means that the oil’s consistency and viscosity could change. This will affect your braking.

Car manufacturers and oil companies tell you to change brake fluid once a year. Mechanics may tell you brake fluid does not need to be changed, but just topped up. Well, the manufacturers know more than the roadside expert.

In case you have to top up, make sure the correct grade of fluid. This is indicated by DOT 3 or DOT4 which may be imprinted on the master cylinder cover. DOT stands for Department of Transport. If you cannot find this information under the bonnet, check the owner’s manual and if you can’t remember when you changed the brake fluid last, it’s time to do it now. Also, after driving around in water-logged roads, it may be a good idea to clean the brakes. It takes very little time but assures you positive braking every time, and that’s important for your safety and that of everyone else on the road.

There has been a lot of consternation among Daewoo owners about servicing and maintenance of their vehicles, the Ceilo and Matiz, after hearing about the corporate problems of the parent company in Korea. The crisis there will in no way affect the cars on the road in India. To begin with, a lot of the parts were made in India and continue to be available. This is one advantage of indigenous manufacturing of an automobile. India is an important "source" of auto components for manufacturers around the world.

Both the Ceilo and the Matiz are well engineered and possess good build quality. I have not met an owner of either of the cars who is unhappy with the performance of these cars. Their only concern is about how to keep a car in a roadworthy condition.

Dealers who have been appointed by Daewoo originally, Saluja Motors in the Industrial Area and Bhagat Singh Motor Company in Sector 17, still continue to service, maintain and repair all Daewoo cars. The factory trained mechanics are still there. Avoid roadside experts. It is important to have your car in perfect working condition. The immediate effect will be improved fuel consumption and minimum exhaust pollution.

Happy motoring!