LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – As winter settles in across Kentucky, snow and icy conditions have already prompted road crews to treat highways and streets with salt and other de-icing materials. While these treatments are essential for keeping drivers safe, they can have a hidden downside: significant damage to your vehicle.
Why Is Road Salt a Problem for Cars?
Kyle Broujerdy, shop manager at Tag’s Body Shop in Lexington, explains, “Salt is pretty bad because it sits and mixes with water and corrodes the metals on the car—such as the frame, the suspension parts, the undercarriage, and all that good stuff.” In other words, salt accelerates the rusting process, especially on the parts of your car that are most exposed to the elements.
Rust Repair: Is It Worth It?
Rust can be a major headache for car owners, and unfortunately, it’s not an easy fix. “Is it fixable? To a degree, yeah, but is it worth the investment down the road? Probably not,” Broujerdy says. “A lot of people don’t want to do rust repair. People call and ask us all the time about it, and we have to tell them the same thing—we don’t do rust repair. And I really don’t know anyone else in town that does rust repair unless it’s for a full restoration.”
How to Protect Your Car from Salt Damage
The best way to prevent rust is to keep your car clean, especially during the winter months. Broujerdy recommends washing your car at least once a month when salt is on the roads. “Not too often, not too frequent, but frequent enough so it doesn’t sit on your car for days or months at a time,” he advises.
But a standard car wash isn’t always enough. “Take it to a car wash with an undercarriage wash, where they can get up under there really good and shoot high-pressure water,” says Broujerdy. This helps remove salt and grime from the parts of your car most vulnerable to corrosion.
The Bottom Line
Moisture is the main factor that accelerates rust development, especially when combined with salt. Regular cleaning—especially of your car’s undercarriage—can go a long way in protecting your vehicle from costly damage…