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SPRING IS FOR CLEANING OFF THE SALT
American Pride Automotive • Mar 20, 2014
If you are wondering, “Does all that salt on the road from the snowstorms damage my car?” the answer is yes. Salt can cause rust and corrosion to your vehicle’s underbody, leading to premature aging and other issues.
Here are a few tips for spring cleanup of all that salt, and a few tips to keep you driving safely when you’re caught in bad weather.
- After the snow has cleared, wash your car thoroughly and apply a fresh coat of wax to provide an additional layer of protection.
- When you wash your car, be sure to rinse the wheel wells and spray under the car to rise away any salt that may have sprayed up in hard-to-reach areas.
- Be sure to rinse under and behind bumpers, fenders, running boards, spare tires and other areas that are considered “hard-to-reach.”
- Wash well with soap made for car washing — dish soap strips the wax. use a mitt or sponge, and rinse that frequently.
- You can add a few tablespoons of baking soda to the wash water to help neutralize the salt, too.
- Be sure to wash all rubber, door and window seals, trim, etc.
- You may need to open the doors and use a sponge to wash along the inside door wells as well.
- Rinse well, removing all soap.
Now is also a good time to make sure you’re ready in case winter weather comes back.
- Keep your windshield washer reservoir full with a winter-based fluid. Winterized fluid will not freeze. Snow and ice create a fine mist that sticks to your window with the salt and road dust, making it very hard to keep the windshield clean. Washer fluid helps while you’re driving. In fact, you can keep a spare gallon in your trunk or behind the seats.
- Check and replace wiper blades.
- Make sure you have an ice scraper and brush — clear all your windows of snow and ice before driving, and make sure your headlights, brake lights and turn signals are clear.
- Don’t forget to check your antifreeze level in the radiator (usually in the overflow reservoir).
- Have a qualified mechanic check your brakes and brake fluid.
- Be sure your tires have adequate tread depth to handle slushy conditions. Snowy weather is not the time to try and squeeze a few more thousand miles out of aging tires.
If you have any questions about your vehicle, routine maintenance or safety items, call one of our three American Pride Automotive locations in Williamsburg, Newport News/Newport News or Toano.
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You’re driving home at night and it is raining cats and dogs. You can’t see but 20 feet in front of your car, but you’ve slowed down and are being extra cautious, so what could go wrong? Then you feel it. A sinking Cl-clunk. Maybe that “puddle” you saw ahead of you was deeper than just a puddle. Before you know it, your car is stalling in the high water in the middle of the road. Now what? First off, don’t panic. Turn on your hazards and crank the ignition once. If the car starts, make it dry land and pull over to assess the damage. If it does not start the first time, do not try to start it again. Doing so can result in a hydro locked engine and will likely necessitate the rebuilding or replacement of the engine. Unfortunately, if you find yourself stalling in water at all, your vehicle will probably need costly repairs. The best way to avoid water damage is to practice safe and smart driving in wet weather, which brings us to Part 2 of the Everything Auto “Blame it on the Rain” series (Find Part 1 here). Take heed of these severe weather driving tips: 1. TAKE NO CHANCES ON PUDDLES Even if the standing water ahead of you looks shallow enough to drive through, think twice. If the water is “rushing” or if other drivers are making a point to avoid it, don’t assume that your vehicle is the exception. Additionally, you never know the hazards that lay at the bottom of a puddle. Hidden potholes or debris can pierce your tires and jostle your alignment and suspension system. 2. IF YOU MUST TAKE A CHANCE, TAKE IT SLOW AND STEADY When you deem it necessary and safe to drive through water of questionable depth, go slowly. Speeding through a puddle, even a shallow one, can splash water into your vehicle’s intake and critically harm the engine. Like we mentioned last week, after driving through standing water, lightly tap your brakes to make sure they aren’t saturated and to dry them off. 3. KEEP A ROADSIDE EMERGENCY KIT HANDY Sometimes, no matter how careful you are on the road, accidents and vehicle malfunctions happen, especially in wet severe weather. That’s why it is extremely important to keep emergency supplies ready in the trunk for the worst case scenario. You can buy a preassembled one, but it is cheaper (and more rewarding) to assemble your own. What should you include? Edmunds.com provides an excellent comprehensive list of items, a few of which include: 12-foot jumper cables Four 15 minute road flares Two quarts of oil A gallon of antifreeze A first-aid kit. Find the rest of the list here We hope that this series has given you helpful safety insights and tips for driving in the rain! Remember that American Pride Automotive is always here to help and ready to answer any and all of your auto repair and maintenance questions! Call or contact us today.
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