While road salt is essential during the winter to prevent vehicles from skidding and sliding, it can wreak havoc on your car. If you drive on salted roads often, it may even create enough damage to require auto repair services. To prevent this, learn more about the effects of road salt on cars and what you can do to avoid damage.

How Can Road Salt Harm Your Car?

Sodium chloride is a chemical compound that lowers the freezing point of water, which means it can be scattered on roads to prevent slippery ice from forming. However, the substance is also highly corrosive and creates rust, which can eat away at parts of your car, including your muffler and exhaust. Additionally, rust can create holes in your brake lines and cause fluid to leak, resulting in brake failure and the need for expensive auto repairs. Finally, road salt can also damage your car’s paint.

How Can You Prevent Road Salt Damage?

Use a Car Wash Regularly

Having your car washed frequently, especially after it’s exposed to salty roads, is a great way to minimize damage. Make sure the undercarriage is cleaned thoroughly, as that area receives the brunt of your car’s salt exposure.

Coat Your Car

Before the winter weather hits, apply a layer of wax or transparent vinyl wraps to your car’s exterior. This invisible coat will act as a shield against salt.

Protect the Undercarriage

Your local body shop can apply an oil-based treatment to the undercarriage of your car, which will prevent road salt from sticking to these vital parts and causing damage.

For more advice on how to winterize your car and protect it from road salt damage, get in touch with Collision Masters in Fairbanks, AK. The licensed mechanics at this friendly and efficient auto repair shop provide a wide range of services, including auto detailing, auto repair, and paint and body shop work. All of their services come with lifetime warranties, so you always know you’re getting the best work. Visit their website to learn more about their services, and call (907) 451-8456 to ask about their Detail for Life program.