The car has been parked for a while
A car can sit for many reasons: a long stay away, a second car nobody needed, a repair that was put off, or a vehicle passed down in a family. When the time comes to use it again, it can be tempting to jump in and turn the key. A slower start can spare you a dead battery in the driveway, a flat on the first corner, or a bigger repair later.
Walk around it first
Before the key goes in, take a few minutes to look:
- Are any tires low or visibly flat on the bottom?
- Is there a puddle or stain on the ground under the engine, the middle of the car or a wheel?
- Under the hood, is there any debris, chewed material or nesting in the engine bay or near the air filter box?
- Do the wipers lift freely off the glass, or have the rubber edges stuck or cracked?
- Do the doors, hood and trunk open and latch normally?
Photograph anything that looks wrong, with the date. Those photos can help a shop understand what it is looking at.
The battery
A battery can drain while a car sits. If the car will not crank, or the dash lights look dim, a jump start may get it running, but it may not tell you whether the battery can hold a charge. Ask a shop to test the battery and the charging system before you rely on the car. If you jump it yourself, follow the order the owner's manual gives for connecting and removing the cables.
Tires that have sat
Tires can lose air over time, and a tire that has carried the car's weight in one spot for a long stretch can develop a flat area. Check the pressure against the maker's figure, often printed on a label in the driver's door frame, before you drive, and look at the sidewalls for cracks. On the first drive, notice whether a vibration fades as the tires warm or stays. Ask the shop to look at the tread, the sidewalls and the date code on each tire, including the spare.
Fluids and fuel
Check the engine oil and coolant levels with the engine cold, and look at the brake fluid reservoir. Note any level that has dropped, and any fluid that looks unusual in color.
Fuel can also change as it ages in the tank. Ask the shop whether the fuel in your car should be used up, topped up with fresh fuel or drained, and what signs, such as hard starting or rough running, would point to a fuel problem.
Brakes after a long rest
Rotors can pick up a film of surface rust while a car sits, and the first few stops may sound rough. A grinding noise that does not clear, a pedal that feels soft, or a car that pulls to one side when braking is a reason to stop and call a shop before driving any further.
Tow it or drive it?
If the car starts and the brakes, steering and tires seem sound, a short, slow trip to a nearby shop may be reasonable. If anything about stopping, steering or a warning light worries you, ask about a tow. Your roadside plan or insurer may cover it; call and ask before you book one.
What to tell the shop
When you call, explain how long the car has been parked, where it sat, and anything you noticed on the walk-around. Ask for a full look before any repair:
- a battery and charging test;
- tires and brakes measured and written down;
- fluids checked for level and condition, and belts and hoses checked for cracks;
- any leaks traced to their source;
- a scan for stored trouble codes.
Ask for a written estimate, and ask the shop to sort its findings into what is needed now, what can wait, and what to watch.
The license question
Before you approve work, ask: "What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?" Note the answer and the date. Ask, too, for proof of liability coverage while the car is in the shop's care.
Papers that may have lapsed
A car that has sat may also have paperwork that has run out. Look at the dates on the registration and the proof of insurance in the glove box, and call your insurer if you changed or paused coverage while the car was parked. Ask the shop, or the maker's dealer, whether any recall is open on the car.
Where Manhattan's drinking water comes from
Manhattan's CY 2025 Water Quality Report names groundwater as the city's drinking water source: 19 public water supply wells located near the confluence of the Big Blue and Kansas rivers.
Before it sits again
If you expect the car to be parked for a long stretch again, ask the shop what it suggests for that car: a battery maintainer, a tire pressure setting, a fuel step, or a visit partway through. Keep the invoice from this visit, your photos and the shop's readings in one folder, marked with the date and mileage, so the next restart begins with a record.