2 Ways Snow Damages Your Car

Winter isn’t all snowball fights and snowmen. This season, your car faces several threats, learn what they are so you can stay ahead.

The slippery conditions and reduced visibility usually occupy our attention when it comes to winter driving. However, damage from the salt used on roads to prevent the buildup of ice and snow presents a significant hazard to our cars that many people overlook. Salt buildup on the bottom of our vehicles threaten corrosive damage to every exposed piece of metal on our vehicles. Brakes, engines, exhaust, and other metal components are all vulnerable to corrosion caused by road salt.

Undercarriage

Road slush is probably the most serious threat, as it is simply a combination of salt and water that can stick to the bottom of your vehicle. You must ensure that you thoroughly wash your vehicle after driving on roads that have been treated with road salt. If you choose to use an automatic car wash, make sure you use one that includes an under-spray. Letting salt cake onto your undercarriage and not clean it off is among the worst things you can do for your car!

Wipers

Snow and cold temperatures can damage your wipers and windshield, so it’s important that you keep this area free of ice. Thin layers of ice often form along the interface between your wipers and windshield and can damage the rubber wipers if activated. Your windshield could get scratched by the thin layers of ice and compressed snow. Damaged wipers might not seem like the biggest problem, but every driver understands that visibility is crucial for safe driving. If your wipers go out of commission, you will not be able to see the road ahead.

Stay Safe This Season

This year, you want to make sure you keep your car, yourself, and your passengers safe. We hope you make it through the season accident-free, but that can’t always be the case. If you’ve experienced a minor collision this season, it’s best to get it repaired as soon as possible. The good news is that at Island Detail & Color, our small collision repair service can get you back on the road in no time, often for far less than your insurance deductible. Give us a shout, and stay safe.