Driving during winter can be daunting because the roads can get slippery and wet. Luckily, there’s an effective and affordable solution that can minimize winter collisions by 85%–road salt.
But while road salt is a great solution for icy and slick roads, long-term exposure to it can have negative effects on your vehicle.
Effects of Road Salt on Your Vehicle
Road salt, otherwise known as halite, is the mineral form of sodium chloride (NaCl). It is used to melt ice and snow on roads and pavements through a chemical reaction that reduces the freezing point of water in temperatures lower than 32F.
The same chemical reaction that makes it an effective de-icing agent may have some lasting effects on your vehicle. Let’s take a closer look at each one of them.
Paint Damage
The chemical reaction from road salt can worsen the impact of the elements on various metal components of your vehicle and speed up rust formation.
As a corrosive substance, long-term exposure to road salt may cause your paint to fade, chip, or bubble. In severe cases, the paint blister may peel off and expose the metal surface to the elements.
Underbody Damage
The vehicle frame and body are mostly made up of steel components. Therefore, extended exposure to road salt may cause corrosion in the underbody as well as other structural parts.
When the free-floating ions in road salt come into contact with the oxygen and carbon dioxide from the precipitation on your vehicle, they speed up the formation of iron oxide (rust) on exposed metal surfaces.
Brake Issues
Rust may also form on metal brake components, such as brake lines, brake pads, rotors, and calipers due to exposure to road salt. This may reduce braking performance, compromising your safety on the road.
Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.
Pro Tip: Have your brake components, particularly the brake lines, checked often. External rust on steel brake lines weakens them to the point of sudden failure, which is very dangerous.
Suspension Problems
Rusted springs, shocks, and control arms from road salt exposure may cause your vehicle to suffer from poor handling and reduced ride quality. What’s worse, important front-end parts can fail suddenly, so have your suspension components checked regularly. Your vehicle may become difficult to steer, pull to one side, bounce on bumps, or dip. Overall, a damaged suspension makes for an uncomfortable ride.
Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.
Pro Tip: If a mechanic tells you that parts need replacing due to rust, have them show you exactly what they’re talking about.
Other Parts That May Fail
While not as common, it’s possible for the engine, exhaust, and electrical systems to suffer from performance issues due to rust and corrosion damage. Be sure to inspect the metal parts on your exhaust system. Leaking exhaust between the catalytic converter and the engine can allow carbon monoxide to enter the vehicle cabin through the rusted underbody. Since CO from leaking exhaust is odorless, it can cause serious health problems and even fatal injury, if left unchecked, over time.
How to Minimize the Negative Impacts of Road Salt
The US goes through approximately 24,000,000 tons of road salt every year. This means it’s almost impossible to prevent it from making contact with your vehicle–unless you store it until spring.
The best thing you can do is to prepare your vehicle for winter to minimize this chemical’s impact on your ride. Here are some tips you can try:
Thoroughly Inspect for Damage
One way to halt the damage from spreading is by visually inspecting your car. Whether it’s rust or peeled paint jobs, identifying damage and acting on it as soon as possible could save you money from expensive repairs.
For example, if you notice a chip in the paint job, then it’s appropriate to take your car to the body shop for repaint. This ensures corrosion won’t follow, as they’ll add a protective layer over the metal beneath.
Wax Your Car Before Winter
Waxing adds a protective coat to your vehicle while adding a glossy finish to the paint job. It’s an effective shield against road salt and the elements. Additionally, it makes cleaning easier as wax repels dirt, dust, and grime.
Regularly Wash Your Car
The easiest way to reduce or prevent road salt from damaging your vehicle is by preventing it from accumulating on your vehicle. Wash your vehicle at least once a week, and take an extra trip to the car wash after every snowstorm.
Regular car washes remove the salt before it can linger and damage the paint job. You can opt to do it yourself or visit a car wash to have professionals clean it for you.
Make sure to clean the undercarriage as well to prevent corrosion on exposed metal components.
Avoid Driving Over Potholes and Puddles
Pools of water tend to collect road salt, so it’s best to avoid puddles of melted snow. Driving over them may kick water saltwater up the undercarriage of your vehicle and cause rust to develop on metal components.
Steer Clear of the Snow Plows
You may be tempted to drive behind a snow plow to enjoy the freshly cleared road, but this can expose your vehicle to undiluted amounts of road salt. The spreader and plow may also kick up grains of road salt, which may cause chips and nicks to form on your vehicle.
Get Your Car Detailed
Car detailing involves cleaning and restoring a vehicle back into shape. It is more precise and labor intensive than a regular car wash, and it also includes working on the vehicle’s interior.
It’s a good idea to get your vehicle detailed as the first sign of spring. This will give you an opportunity to thoroughly inspect for any signs of rust and winter damage on your vehicle.
Protect Your Undercarriage With a Wax or Rubber Undercoating
Most modern vehicles already come with an undercoating that provides sufficient protection against the elements. If you drive an older vehicle or if your car’s existing undercoating has deteriorated or become damaged over time, then you might want to consider additional undercoating.
Applying a wax or rubber-based composite undercoating onto clean, rust-free surfaces of your vehicle provides an added layer of protection against road salt, harmful chemicals, and the elements.
How to Get Quality Rust Protectors for Your Vehicle
Road salt can wreak havoc on your vehicle’s components. If you don’t maintain your vehicle during the colder months and allow the road salt to build up on your under chassis, it can easily lead to rusted parts. Replacing these parts can cost thousands of dollars, so why not add a bit of extra protection with rust protectors from CarParts.com?
The easy-to-navigate CarParts.com website makes ordering online a breeze. In only a few quick clicks, you can place your order with us through our secure and convenient checkout. Our fast shipping plan will deliver your package to your door in as fast as two business days. We even offer some of the best deals online with our price match and lifetime replacement guarantees. If you have any questions at all, feel free to chat with us for round-the-clock support.
Don’t allow road salt to ruin your vehicle. Order a bottle of rust protector from CarParts.com now!
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