Hi there, my name is Nancy. Welcome to my site about automotive maintenance. My car has lasted for more than 10 years without any major problems due to the strict maintenance schedule I follow. Vehicle maintenance includes oil changes, tune ups, tire rotations, alignments and a host of other important services. These services protect the vehicle’s components from excessive wear and unexpected failure. I will use this site to explore all of the different maintenance procedures and schedules available. I hope you can use the information on my site to keep your vehicle in great shape over the years. Thanks for visiting. Come back soon.
If you live in an area where roads are treated with salt to help keep vehicles from sliding in icy conditions, you most likely enjoy the extra protection your vehicle has when driving in inclement weather, but hate the idea of the possibility of rust. Salt is known to cause rusting on a vehicle's undercarriage and body, making it necessary to take steps that will prolong the life of your vehicle if you need to drive in an area filled with salty roads. Here are some tips to use to give your car rust protection when cold weather sets in.
Start Preparing In The Fall
The best time to prepare for salty conditions is in the fall, well before there is a chance of snow, so you do not get caught off-guard with icy and salty conditions before you had time to take precautionary steps. Thoroughly wash your entire vehicle, including the undercarriage, and allow it to dry. Use wax sealant to coat all portions of your undercarriage, paying special attention to the fuel and brake lines, as they are areas where rust is most prevalent. Wax your vehicle's body and follow-up with a sealant to keep the metal portions from rusting.
Clean Your Vehicle Often
Make a point of taking your vehicle to a car wash often to remove salt from the body and undercarriage. Even if it does not snow, any leftover salt from the last bout of inclement weather will still be on roadways, eating away at metal on your vehicle. When you take your vehicle to be washed, opt for the automatic wash cycle so you can have the undercarriage washed down. After you wash and dry your vehicle, repeat the waxing and sealant steps above.
Watch Your Driving Habits
To avoid salt, stay off the roads during poor visibility conditions, as these are the times when salt trucks have just plastered the roads to keep them safe. If you must go out on the roadways, stay far enough behind the vehicle in front of you. This will not only help keep you safe from hitting the vehicle if they spin out from inclement weather, but will also keep the vehicle from spraying salt on your vehicle. If you find yourself behind a salt truck, pull your vehicle over to the side of the road and wait several minutes before driving again so you are not in the direct path of salt being sprinkled on the road.
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