Road salt is essential to keep the dangers of ice at bay for drivers, but it can also spell trouble for your vehicle. The mixture of salt and sand can accumulate on your car’s undercarriage as well as its exterior and lead to corrosion and rusting. Let’s take a look at how you can keep road salt from wrecking your ride.
Why Do We Use Salt on the Roads?
Salt is important for improving vehicle safety when it snows or when ice develops. Salt lowers the freezing point of water, which will force it to melt and prevent more ice from forming. Adding sand to the mixture helps your tires gain traction on the road and to keep the salt in place. Though road salt is great for keeping ice from forming, it can lead to not-so-great problems.
What Happens When Road Salt Is Left on Your Vehicle?
Though your vehicle has a chassis that protects it from various debris, the underside of your vehicle is not covered by this. Road salt can cause rusting for some of the most essential components of your car including your exhaust system, your brake system, your wheel axles, and the subframe. When the components of your car rust, they can break down, and you could find yourself in a seriously dangerous situation on the road.
What Can You Do to Avoid Rust?
Keeping your car clean and free of rust with regular washings is going to be your best bet. Make sure to get the underside of your vehicle when you get it washed for best results. You can also have your car waxed before the salt comes out to help protect it. When you’re on the road, try to avoid driving through puddles or directly behind plow trucks to try and minimize the amount of salt you’re getting on your vehicle.
Is Your Vehicle Suffering from Rusty Components?
If your vehicle has a problem with rust, then bring it in to our shop so that we can take a look. Rusty car components are so much more than “unattractive,” they’re often dangerous. Thankfully, we’ll be happy to address any problems your vehicle has. Contact us today for more information and to get set up with an appointment. We look forward to serving you.
