Pothole, Seasonal Damage & Vehicle Repair

Seasonal Damage & Vehicle Repair

 

Spring is here, at least according to the calendar. Has the winter weather and salt-covered roads taken a toll on your vehicle? If so, this is a great time to go ahead and get necessary vehicle repair. Here are some seasonal factors that can cause damage to your vehicle:

Vehicle Repairs related to ICE:

One of many driver’s most dreaded weather phenomena is ice…

Frozen Windshield Seasonal Damage & Vehicle Repair

It’s not only dangerous on the road, but it can cause damage when it freezes and cakes on your vehicle.

During the winter months when your vehicle is covered in ice, try removing it with your hands, if at all possible. If that doesn’t do the trick, start the car and let the heater slowly melt the ice. Unfortunately, there is no way to instantaneously make the ice on your vehicle disappear. It’s a good idea to plan ahead during the winter months and allow yourself a little extra time to ready your vehicle and melt ice that accumulates on your vehicle.

Of course, keep in mind, ice scrapers are only meant for use on vehicle windows! Although time and time again, many drivers use ice scrapers on other parts of their vehicle, for instance the body. Doing so can easily cause damage to a vehicle’s paint. Thus requiring costly vehicle repair. Getting a vehicle painted isn’t cheap. Accidentally scraping paint off your vehicle’s body leaves bare metal exposed. Ultimately bare metal leads to rust.

One of the worst possible ways to melt ice on the windows is to pour hot water on them. This can cause the glass to shatter, and you’ll then end up having shattered glass and water refreeze on your driveway. Cleaning up that mess is not a pleasant experience. Nor is your vehicle repair bill for a replacement windshield. Be certain to NEVER use hot water to melt ice on your vehicle.

SALT Related Vehicle Repairs:

During a winter storm, we breathe a sigh of relief when we see a salt and sand truck doing its job. Because that means all the nasty snow and ice on the road will soon disappear. However, we also know one negative result will be the potential damage an entire winter season of salted roads can do to our vehicles.

Because salt is extremely corrosive, it can cause rust on the exterior of your vehicle.  At the very least, rust gives your car an unsightly appearance.

The effects of salt can be much more serious when there’s damage to the subframe underneath the vehicle…

The problem only worsens when you park your vehicle in the garage. All the snow, ice and salt that have accumulated then begin eating away at the frame, coil springs, exhaust, and muffler systems.

Another serious effect of road salt is damage to hydraulic brakes. This can lead to dangerous leaks. If you notice salt damage in the brake area, don’t hesitate get your vehicle repaired at a professional auto repair shop. At Cloverdale Auto, we’ll check your brake system to make sure it’s safe and working properly.

Vehicle Repair Issues Related To “Hitting A Pothole”:

Now that it’s spring, drivers have another challenge to face: The very dreaded……pothole…

Pothole, Seasonal Damage & Vehicle Repair

Potholes form when ice and running water weaken or displace the soil base underneath the pavement. This then causes it to crack or chip away as vehicles drive over the area. The holes grow larger and larger with time and traffic.

Not all potholes cause immediate blowouts. It’s possible your tire might have tread separation or sidewall bulges. Tread separation appears as large cracks between the sidewall and tread sections. Minor cracks need to be monitored for additional damage, but wide cracks require immediate replacement of the tire.

You might not even notice a bulge immediately after it occurs. However, you should replace the tire once you realize the bulge is there. A bulge results when air enters the internal layers of the tire and eventually reaches the outer layer where it collects as it attempts to escape to the outside. The bulge strains the interior cords and weakens the tire, which can cause an unsuspected blowout.

If you happen to hit a large pothole, it’s a good idea to bring it to a professional.  Doing so will give you the peace of mind that there’s no major damage requiring immediate vehicle repair.

Hitting the hard angles of a pothole can also bend, chip or crack your wheel. You’ll likely detect a chip because it appears as a chunk missing from the area of the junction between the rim and tire. A crack, however, can be a nearly-invisible hairline fracture along the circumference of the wheel or in a spoke. In either case, take it to a professional mechanic, like Cloverdale Auto Service, to have the rim replaced.

A sudden impact with a pothole can also cause suspension problems, such as misalignment or broken ball joints, shocks or struts. Loose handling may be indicative of any of these problems. Unusual sounds or vibrations could indicate broken ball joints, shocks or struts. As experienced mechanics, we at Cloverdale Auto can inspect your vehicle’s entire suspension system to check for any and all of these problems.