Leaving Your Volkswagen in Naples All Summer? What to Check Before You Go

Your Volkswagen is about to sit for the summer. Maybe you're driving north in the spring, or flying out for a few months, and the car is staying behind in Naples. You want to know whether it will start when you come back, and whether there's anything you should do before you go.

A car that sits for months loses battery charge, and its tires and brakes change as well. Most of that is easy to prevent, and some of what you notice on the first drive back goes away on its own.

Before you leave your Volkswagen for the summer, have the battery tested, have the tires checked, and take care of any oil or fluid service that's already due. When you get back, a slow first start or brake noise that fades after a few stops can happen after sitting, and anything that doesn't fade needs a look.

What does sitting all summer do to a parked Volkswagen?

Even with the car off, a battery slowly loses charge on its own, and small loads like the clock, alarm, and security system keep drawing a little power. Heat wears batteries down faster, and a Naples summer is a long stretch of it. If the car cranks slowly on the first start back, that's one of the first signs of a weak Volkswagen battery.

The tires change too. When a car sits in one position for a long time, the part of the tire touching the ground can go rigid and leave a flat spot.

While the car sits, the brake rotors develop a thin layer of surface rust, which is why the first few stops can sound rough. Noise that doesn't fade after a few stops points to something other than surface rust, as our Volkswagen brake service guide explains.

What should you have checked before you leave your VW for the summer?

Start with the battery. A battery test shows its current condition before the car sits, and we offer a complimentary battery check.

Have the tires inspected for wear and pressure. If an oil change is due, have it done before you go so old oil, with its acids and contaminants, isn't sitting in the engine for months. The same goes for brake fluid or coolant service that's already due. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, and the heat and humidity in Naples make that happen faster.

The oil step is for gas-powered Volkswagens. If you drive an electric Volkswagen, your owner's manual is where to check for its storage guidance. When you schedule, tell the service advisor how long the car will sit and whether it will be indoors or outside.

What happens when you bring your VW to Volkswagen of Naples before you leave?

At Volkswagen of Naples Service Center, we start by testing the battery's current condition. We inspect the tires. If you add a brake inspection, it covers the pads, the rotors, and the brake fluid.

If an oil change is due, we replace the oil and filter, and you can ask the technician to check around the oil pan and sealing points while the car is up. Tell us what you've noticed, like a slow start or a noise when braking, so we know where to start.

What should you look for when you get back to your parked Volkswagen?

What should you do if your Volkswagen won't start when you get back?

A jump start can get the car going without telling you why it needed one. If it starts with a jump and struggles again the next morning, the battery may not be holding a charge, or something may be drawing power while the car is parked, and only a test will tell you which.

Schedule one while the problem is still easy to repeat, and tell us how long the car sat.

Leaving your Volkswagen parked: questions from Naples drivers