Keeping your Cars Operational During COVID-19

TSD Customers;

I hope that this correspondence finds you and your family all doing well and being safe. There have been many questions regarding starting vehicles and driving them. This correspondence will provide you with some tips on how to keep your vehicle operational during these times when our vehicles just aren’t traveling like they normally would.

TIPS For Starting Your Vehicles:

• As a rule of thumb we have been asking all of you to ensure that the vehicles are started for 30 to 40 minutes each week.
• If they sound like the battery is getting low, best identified with the engine turning over slowly at first and then picking up as it starts, then we are asking you to drive them on the highway 15 to 30 minutes. This will assist us in prolonging the life cycle of the battery.
• If your vehicle has been starting regularly for some time, we are asking you to run it on the road for a short trip to eliminate the tires from creating flat spots. Do this at least once a month.
• In the event your vehicle continues to have a hard time starting and requires jump starts, and if your vehicle is going to be used, then we would recommend that you contact Robert Vigil at (505) 699-7627 or (505) 827-1953 to make arrangements to replace the battery.
• In the event a vehicle needs to be jump started please contact our office first. We have had instances where vehicles have been burned up because they don’t know how to hook them up correctly.

As always we thank you for all that you do for us in keeping our vehicles safe and secure. We ask that you do the same. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at TSD.

James P Chavez, TSD Deputy Director

Cell: (505) 660-5562

E-Mail: James.Chavez@state.nm.us