The unseen impact of salt on vehicles

CLARENCE, N.Y. (WIVB) - It's that time of the year. It's cold, it's snowy. And that means putting down a layer of salt on the roads to help make them safer. But while it's important to keep roads safe, the salt can damage your car, especially underneath where you can't see.

"As far as undercarriage wear, is your brake lines and fuel lines, basically because they are lines and they are all together and even though they have a clip on them they have a little movement back and forth. That is one of the tight spots where once the salt starts to melt and goes to liquid, it will get its way in there and keeps the oxidation process going," said Michael Zyglis, the Car Care Plus Director of AAA of Western New York.

Then the lines start to peel away and you end up with a leak that can cost anywhere between $100 to $1,000 dollars to repair. AAA in Clarence had three repairs just this past week.

You don't have to worry about your muffler or catalytic converter with newer cars because the stainless steel that is used is better than before. But the heat shield screws can still rust out and you may hear rattling if it falls on your exhaust.

The best idea is to take your car to one of the do-it-yourself places. That way you know you are getting underneath your car and you are washing the brake and fuel lines, which are typically on the driver's side of the car.

Days when the roads are wet are the worst because if you hit a puddle, the salty water will splash up and into your car. Once it's there, even on days that it's dry, that dried salt on your car is going to pull moisture from the air and continue the oxidation process.

When getting the salt off your car, make sure you spray down the edges and wheel wells of the car. That's where the salt can sit and you won't realize it until the rust starts coming out.

"If you use a good sealant, that sealant will last you a good 60 to 90 days, so you can pretty much get through the winter months if you put a good sealant on before the snow starts to fall and this way it is protected against the salt," said Zyglis.