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Avoiding Salt CorrosionThe corrosion cycle in autos is sped up by the presence of salt on roadways during the winter. But there are ways to decrease problem. Your car had been running pretty well for a while now with no major problems. Then, one day, you smell gasoline and see a suspicious black puddle on the ground under your vehicle. Corrosion is a potential thorn in the side of any car owner living in a snowy environment. A natural process in which the metal parts of cars become ionized, and therefore rust, the corrosion cycle is sped up by the presence of salt on roadways during the winter. While this process is not unique to the local climate—coastal dwellers also experience their share of ocean-born salt corrosion—it’s very prevalent in Central New York. “You do see a lot more of a rust factor here than you would in Florida or Texas,” says Jim Barrett, service adviser at Shapiro Motors, Inc. in Oswego. “You see it on every model.” Salt can shorten the lifespan of some of your car’s vital parts. Barrett says anything that’s exposed on the car’s undercarriage is at risk for salt corrosion. This includes fuel lines, brake rotors and power steering lines. Barrett says the alloy wheels commonly found in newer car models appear to be more vulnerable to salt corrosion than those of older vehicles. “They get chewed up more quickly,” he says. While corrosion is inevitable and unavoidable, there are steps you can take to slow the process. The first is to limit the amount of time your car is exposed to the elements. “If you have a garage, park it in a garage,” says Barrett. Another way to mitigate the process is to frequently wash the undercarriage of your car. Many car washes provide the tools to reach the endangered parts and remove the worst of the pesky substances. “Try to keep your car as free [of salt and the elements] as possible,” says Barrett.
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