Car Inactivity problems

[Mojooo]

My car was not driven for 42 days. It was switched on twice towards the end but not moved.

Drove it today and I have 2 problems, I have experienced them before when the car was not mvoed for 3 weeks but it seems much worse this time.

1) Acceleration is slow and feels 'clogged'. Cannot go past 60mph

2) The brakes feel juddery and take longer to slow down. Someone at work described it as seizing which soudns right (they do work though).



I had a 20 minute drive this morning. It started off really bad (as in I thought I wouldn;t even be able to drive) but got a lot better initally but its still noticeable.

Car is a 2000 Fiesta.

Is this normal and will it get better the more I drive?

[HellDiver]

It needs an Italian Tuneup.

[bazking69]

Italian Tuneup...

[Mojooo]

bomb it down the motorway as hard as I can and break really hard?

[Riggernut]

If it was seized pistons your discs would have been glowing or too hot to touch. Wheel off, calliper off and have a look.

[109 Bob]

21 days = 3 weeks, 42days = 6 weeks. Double the length double the symptoms.

The brake disks will corrode & you may get little ridges where the pads have sat on the disc. Most times just using the car/brakes for a short period of time will cure this problem. If not then remove wheel & remove any ridges from disc with emery paper or similar.

As for the engine problems my advice would be much the same as above, simply use the car & give it a bit of a blast & see if that cures it although you may have to do a few miles to clear it thoroughly.

Cars don't like not being used for long periods.

[DanGPR]

Put a tank of new petrol in it, check the air filter and oil levels.

Drive it for around an hour without stopping, using the brakes often and allowing the engine to get up to a nice hot operating temperature, it should clear itself up.