Drivers warned common autumn item could lead to engine damage and fires
A motoring expert has warned that common item seen throughout autumn could cause serious damage to their car if it reaches one particular component.
The vehicle financing company Select Car Leasing has warned motorists to be mindful of falling leaves and the serious impact they could have.
With autumn around the corner, almost all of the UK is set to be covered with golden coloured leaves that fall from many trees.
Whilst they can make for some beautiful scenes, Graham Conway, a motoring expert from Select Car Leasing, warned that they can bring some much more serious consequences.
He explained: "Autumn can be a breathtakingly beautiful time of the year, especially on a long drive in the countryside when the golden and brown hues of the foliage are striking.
"But it's worth being aware of the risks of your car becoming covered in leaves. The most serious consequence is they can cause an electrical fire which could destroy your vehicle and put lives at risk."
In addition to often covering the windows, falling leaves can sometimes end up in the small gap between the bonnet and windscreen.
This component, sometimes called the plenum chamber, is used to quickly drain water in a safe way, but can easily flow elsewhere if leaves clog it up.
In the worst cases, gulleys clogged by leaves can cause water to flow onto electrical components, which could lead to system failures and even fires.
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Graham recommended that drivers should look out for wet carpets or a smell of mould in their car, taking action as soon as these symptoms appear.
He advised: "The first sign of this is soggy carpets or a musty, mouldy smell. Far more worrying is the potential for the water to get into electrical components and cause a fire under the bonnet.
"The best advice is to clean any leaves out of the plenum chamber at least once a week to avert a potentially serious problem."
In addition, drivers were advised by Graham to look out for any particular obstacles in the road that fallen leaves could be covering up, such as potholes.
He added: "Recent figures showed that potholes are costing around £7.5billion in repairs and almost half of British motorists suffered damage over the past year - with the average bill more than £900.
"The only thing you can do to limit any damage is to make sure your tyres are at the correct pressure – not too soft to damage tyre walls and not too hard that your suspension takes a battering."
