Hurricane-season-car-prep-orlando
Orlando • Storm Season Peaks Mid-August Through October
Is Your Car Ready For Hurricane Season?
When a storm enters the cone, it’s too late to fix a weak battery or bald tires. Get storm-ready now with this Central Florida checklist from Universal Nissan.
Get a Complimentary Storm-Ready Inspection
Call Service: 407-974-5873
If you have lived in Central Florida through even one storm season, you know the drill. The cone shows up on the news, the water aisle at Publix empties out, and gas lines stretch down Orange Blossom Trail. What most people forget until the last minute is the one thing they will depend on more than anything else if they need to evacuate: their car.
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and the most active stretch for Florida is typically mid-August through October. That means right now is the time to get your vehicle ready, while the weather is calm and parts and appointments are easy to get.
The 9-Point Hurricane Car Prep Checklist
Every item below gets harder, slower, and more expensive once a storm watch is issued. Knock them out now.
1. Test Your Battery
Florida heat kills batteries, and summer is when weak ones quit. If yours is 3+ years old or cranking slowly, get it tested before you’re stuck in an evacuation line.
2. Check All 5 Tires
Worn tires hydroplane in heavy rain. Check tread, pressure, and sidewall cracks on all four tires plus the spare before hours of wet stop-and-go traffic.
3. Replace Worn Wipers & Check Lights
Florida sun destroys wiper blades fast. If they streak or chatter, swap them. Then confirm headlights, brake lights, and signals all work.
4. Inspect Your Brakes
Squealing, grinding, or a soft pedal? Wet roads and sudden stops in evacuation traffic are the worst time to find out your brakes are done.
5. Top Off Fluids & Oil
Low coolant plus stopped traffic on a 95-degree day equals an overheated engine. Check oil, coolant, brake and washer fluid. Due for an oil change? Do it now, not storm week.
6. Half Tank = Empty
From June through November, never let your tank drop below half. Stations sell out fast once a storm is forecast, and pumps go down with the power grid. EV driver? Same rule for your charge.
Why now? Once a storm is named, service departments, parts counters, and gas stations across Orlando get slammed at the same time. The drivers who prep in July and early August skip all of it.
7. Build a Car Emergency Kit
Keep these in your trunk through November:
- Phone chargers and a portable battery pack
- Jumper cables or a jump starter
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Bottled water and non-perishable snacks
- Paper maps of Florida evacuation routes
- Towels and a rain poncho
- Copies of your insurance card and registration in a waterproof bag
8. Photograph Your Vehicle & Review Insurance
Take clear photos of your car inside and out and store them in the cloud. If your vehicle is damaged in a storm, those photos make claims much smoother. Flood damage is generally covered under comprehensive coverage, not basic liability, so confirm with your insurer now.
9. Plan Where Your Car Rides Out the Storm
A garage is best. No garage? Park away from trees, power lines, and low spots that flood. Upper levels of parking garages are a popular option around Orlando. Even a few inches of standing water can total a vehicle.
If Your Car Floods: Do Not Start It
If water rises past the bottom of your doors, do not turn the key. Starting a flooded car can pull water into the engine and destroy it. Have it towed and inspected instead. And on the road after a storm: turn around, don’t drown. Just 12 inches of moving water can carry away a small car.
Get Storm-Ready in Minutes, Not Hours
Our UVEye system scans your tires, underbody, and exterior in seconds and hands you a clear report of anything that needs attention before storm season peaks. Complimentary for Central Florida drivers.
Claim My Complimentary Inspection
Schedule Service Online
Can’t make it in? Ask about Nissan Mobile Service • See current Service Specials
Hurricane Car Prep FAQs
When should I prepare my car for hurricane season in Florida?
Early. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, but the busiest stretch for Florida is usually mid-August through October. Handle batteries, tires, wipers, and brakes in July or early August, before storm-week rushes make parts and appointments hard to get.
How full should my gas tank be during hurricane season?
At least half full at all times from June through November. Stations sell out quickly once a storm is forecast, and pumps can be down for days after landfall.
Should I start my car after it has been flooded?
No. Starting a flooded vehicle can pull water into the engine and cause major damage. Have it towed to a service center for inspection first.
Does car insurance cover hurricane and flood damage?
Flood and storm damage is generally covered under comprehensive coverage, not liability-only policies. Confirm the details with your insurance provider before storm season.
Where is the safest place to park my car during a hurricane?
Inside a garage if possible. Otherwise, choose high ground away from trees, power lines, and flood-prone areas. Upper levels of parking garages are a common choice for Orlando drivers.
Universal Nissan • 12785 S. Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL 32837 • Service: 407-974-5873
Proudly serving Orlando, Kissimmee, Hunters Creek, St. Cloud, and all of Central Florida.
0 comment(s) so far on Hurricane-season-car-prep-orlando