Ways to Prevent Rust From Road Salt

How to Prevent Rust on Your Car From Salt

Wash your car after a snowstorm. It does help to wash the salt off as soon as you can. It is tempting to skip a mid-winter wash because the car will just get dirty again, but these washes are not cosmetic. They are preventive care. Do not forget the undercarriage.

Rinse the underside; do not blast it. Getting salt off the underside is the point, but a pressure washer wand held close can force water past the seals on the transfer case, differentials and axles. An automatic wash with an underbody rinse is generally the safer choice.

Stick to a regular car wash schedule. Even without a major storm, salt and brine go down on roads and parking lots all winter. Aim to wash your car at least every two weeks, and take advantage of days above 40 degrees.

Wash after dry, pretreated days too. Road crews often spray liquid brine before a storm arrives. It dries into a film you may not notice, and it is just as corrosive as the salt that comes later.

Try not to follow the plow. When you find yourself directly behind a salt truck, you can hear the salt hitting your car. If you have the option, change lanes or give it plenty of room.

Steer clear of puddles. Salt collects in standing water, so avoid giving your car a salt bath when you can.

Wax your car before winter. Wax gives the paint a protective coating against road salt.

Get a seasonal inspection. A certified technician can spot weak brake lines, rusted exhaust hangers and worn suspension parts before winter puts them under load, which is far better than finding them on the side of the road in February.

What Road Salt Actually Breaks

Body rust is ugly. These are the parts that fail, and they are the ones Rad Air replaces most often once salt season ends.

Brake lines. Thin steel tubes run the length of the frame to carry brake fluid to each wheel. They corrode from the outside in, and a corroded line can burst under hard braking. Signs include a soft or sinking brake pedal, wet spots near a wheel or along the frame, and the brake warning light. Any of those means stop driving and have the brakes inspected.

The exhaust system. Heat shields usually go first, with a tinny rattle at idle. Clamps, hangers and pipes follow. An exhaust leak under the cabin is not just loud. If you ever smell exhaust inside the car, open the windows, stop driving and get it checked.

Coil springs and suspension links. Springs that rust can snap, and sway bar links seize or break. The signs are a clunk over bumps, a car that sits lower at one corner, or new uneven tire wear.

Parking brake cables. A cable that rusts inside its sleeve can stick, leaving a rear brake dragging after you release the parking brake.

Wiring and sensors. Salt attacks electrical connections. Corroded wheel speed sensors and their wiring can trigger the ABS or traction control light, and corroded battery terminals cause hard starts that look like a bad battery.

Fuel lines and tank straps. Steel fuel lines and the straps that hold the tank corrode the same way brake lines do. A fuel smell under the car is a reason to stop driving.

Road salt does its real damage underneath the car, on brake lines, exhaust parts and springs. Regular undercarriage rinses through the winter and an inspection in the fall and spring catch most of it before a part fails on the road.

Signs Salt Damage Needs a Mechanic, Not a Car Wash

• A soft or sinking brake pedal, or the brake warning light. Stop driving.
• An exhaust smell inside the car. Stop driving.
• A fuel smell under or around the car. Stop driving.
• A new rattle, especially at idle.
• A clunk over bumps, or a car that sits lower at one corner.
• The ABS or traction control light, or a parking brake that does not fully release.

When to Have the Underside Inspected

Twice a year works for most Northeast Ohio drivers. Once in the fall, before salt season puts weak parts under load, and once in the spring, after the salt is gone and the damage is easier to see.

Schedule an Underbody Inspection

We hope these tips help you prevent the rust and corrosion that road salt causes. Let us know if you have any questions, or schedule an inspection online at any of Rad Air’s 12 Northeast Ohio locations.