It could cost you thousands in mechanic bills! Mechanic Scotty Kilmer warns drivers of gasoline and diesel vehicles that they could "ruin" crucial parts of their cars by making a simple and common mistake while washing their cars at home.
The popular YouTube star advises motorists to exercise extra caution when cleaning their vehicles. Specifically, drivers should never wash the interior of their cars, especially the engine compartment, using a high-pressure washer.
Kilmer explains that high-pressure water can damage electrical connections and vital components like the alternator.
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Leave it dirty
Instead, drivers should let the engine compartment remain dirty, as this doesn't affect the overall performance of the vehicle.
Kilmer demonstrates on his channel, "High-pressure washers are great for cleaning your driveway, but not so much for your engine compartment. Driveways are just concrete; you can't damage them. But under your car's hood, there's all sorts of electronics and computer-controlled modules that you can ruin with water, especially high-pressure water. It can infiltrate electrical connections, destroy your alternator, and affect your computer sensors, making it really hard to diagnose the problem."
The cost of water damage
Considering the cost of even simple car repairs, imagine the expense of replacing a water-damaged engine.
You can clean it, but...
Motor experts at Halfords say that drivers can clean their engine compartments but should take extra precautions.
"After you've cleaned the surrounding areas, it's time to move on to the engine itself. Use your cleaning cloths to remove any oil or grease. You might need to use a toothbrush or pipe cleaners to get into tight areas. Use a microfiber cloth to dry everything off. Don't use a hose on the engine as it could cause damage," assures Kilmer.
He adds, "What you'll want to do is take a hairdryer, disconnect all electrical connections, dry them with the hairdryer, and if you have an older car with spark plug wires, remove them and air dry them. Often, the problem will go away if you manage to remove the moisture."
