4 Tips for Preventing Rust in the Winter

4 Tips for Preventing Rust in the Winter

Along with navigating snow and ice, Michigan drivers are faced with another common issue during the winter months—damaging rust on their vehicles. Rust doesn’t just affect the aesthetics of a car. Though a rusted auto body can be unsightly, it can also cause damage to the critical components that keep your vehicle running smoothly. Understanding what causes vehicles to rust and how to avoid it is key to preventing rust in the winter.

What Causes a Vehicle to Rust?

You may have seen an older vehicle covered in rust or even have a small spot of rust on your own car. Understanding what causes vehicles to rust can help drivers to take steps to prevent it. Rust is caused by a chemical reaction known as oxidation. This chemical reaction occurs when the iron in your vehicle reacts with moisture, turning the metal into iron oxide or rust.

While newer vehicles have a durable coating on the steel to help prevent rust, drivers must also take measures to prevent or slow the process of rust. Skipping that maintenance can lead to costly damage for drivers. Rust related damage can cause issues to your brake lines, fuel tank, exhaust and other vital components of your vehicle. According to AAA, correcting the problems caused by rust can cost drivers nearly $500.

Why Preventing Rust in the Winter is Key

Why Preventing Rust in the Winter is Key

Just because the temperatures drop doesn’t mean drivers should stop regular vehicle maintenance. In fact, the opposite is true because the excessive moisture from snow and ice makes the winter months a hotbed for rust development. That moisture, paired with frigid temperatures, de-salting chemicals, and improper vehicle maintenance, makes issues with rust more prevalent than ever during the winter.

Proper vehicle maintenance in the winter is essential due to the use of newer liquid de-icers that many states use. While regular road salt is harmful to vehicles due to the chemical reaction it causes with your car, liquid de-icers are even more potent since the chemicals remain in liquid form for an extended period of time. Those chemicals can coat critical components of your vehicle and lead to damaging rust.

Tips for Preventing Rust

While rust may be more prevalent in the winter, proper maintenance can help keep it at bay. Following these 4 simple tips can help keep your vehicle rust-free this winter.

  1. Avoid driving during or immediately after winter storms, as de-icers are on the road in the highest concentrations at those times.
  2. Regularly wash your vehicle and pay special attention to the undercarriage of your car, where a heavy buildup of de-icers can occur.
  3. Wash and wax before frigid winter temperatures for an extra layer of protection against moisture and chemicals.
  4. Repair auto body damage to your vehicle, like scratches or dents, to prevent exposed steel that can be susceptible to rust.

 

About Pole Position Auto Body 

Pole Position Auto Body has been maintaining, repairing, and restoring vehicles throughout Metro Detroit for over three decades. Our experience and top-tier service make us the trusted one-stop shop for all your vehicle’s needs. We value your time and strive to complete all repairs three days sooner than other repair facilities, using only the best repair techniques.

Call Pole Position Auto Body: 586-775-4825 – Where Excellence is a Habit, Not an Act!