Rust on your car is an unpleasant sight, and is often a sign that you are not paying enough attention to your iron pet. Modern cars have advantages in corrosion protection, while owners of older cars are more likely to struggle with rust due to prolonged exposure to various weather conditions.
In addition, consistent minor damage does not benefit older cars, nor does the fact that car manufacturing used to be different. However, this does not make newer cars immune to corrosion, they just take longer for it to form. While some people may not find it a big deal to drive a car with a small amount of rust, the problem is that it spreads and thus corrodes large areas of the car, and then driving itself becomes too unsafe for the driver .
What are the most common causes of rust, how to spot it, and how quickly it spreads, read below.
What is rust?
Corrosion, commonly known and commonly accepted as rust, and also iron oxide, is a common enemy of cars. Iron oxide is made up of iron and oxygen atoms, and when they come into contact with water, which thus provides even more oxygen, corrosion or oxidation of the iron occurs.
What are the most common causes of rust on a car?
It may never have occurred to you how much where you live affects the formation of rust. Corrosion can indeed occur anywhere in the world, but some environments are still more conducive to its occurrence. Due to the difference in climate, it is not the same whether you live in areas with a Black Sea, Baltic, Pacific (in other words, maritime) or continental climate.
Rain also plays a role, because water tends to accumulate in certain places, such as on the wheels. If not dried properly, these areas can become sensitive and prone to rust.
Car care during the winter is the key to preventing rust
A particularly critical time for rust to appear on your car is winter. Water and salt combined with damaged road surfaces, low temperatures and high humidity are a winning combination for rust to develop.
Salt is one of the main enemies of cars because it increases the electron-carrying capacity of water and thus accelerates the corrosion process. In today’s conditions, no one can distance themselves from street salt. In addition to your geographic location, the presence of water and salt, corrosion can also be caused by carelessness and the way you drive.
Regularly washing your car plays a big role in protecting your car from rust. It may seem counterintuitive that regularly washing your car helps protect you from rust, because water also contributes to the formation of rust. But washing removes unwanted dirt and salt that cause rust. It is only important that the car dries well and quickly after washing, and then you can consider that you have done your job!
Another common cause of rust
When looking for the cause of rust, your driving habits also come to the fore. Namely, if you drive too close to a truck, small stones and gravel can fly out from under the wheels or body of which into your car, which can cause small scratches. The same thing happens if you drive on new roads. They accumulate even more debris, which can soon become critical.
How to detect rust on a car?
Some car parts are more susceptible to rust than others. So, when checking your car for corrosion, pay special attention to the following areas:
- Any area of exposed metal
- Areas where water collects
- Trunk
- Chassis
- Brakes
- Engine.
While many may think that rust always forms on the visible areas of a car, it is more common in less visible areas such as the brakes and engine. Rust inside the engine is another major concern. Water can get in through poor quality fuel or condensation, which can cause faster and more excessive wear.
How fast does rust spread in a car?
Salt has been shown to speed up the oxidation of iron, but how fast does rust usually spread? Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this question, because the rate of rust spread depends on several different factors, already mentioned. Only an expert can give you a true assessment of how serious your problem is.
The only way to completely prevent rust from spreading is to completely remove it and seal the area around it so that water does not get in. Ideally, the car should be kept in a garage, and on the coldest days it should be washed once or twice a week to remove the salt that has stuck to it.
How to prevent rust on a car?
It is clear that not everyone has garage conditions that can reduce the likelihood of corrosion because they protect cars from rain. That’s why it may be important to have a few tips that you can apply before it’s too late.
5 Tips to Prevent Rust:
- Wash your car regularly, especially in winter.
- Check your car regularly for dents, chips and scratches.
- Pay attention to small bubbles under the paint.
- Don’t forget to look under your car!
- Be careful when choosing used cars!
Check your car at least once a year for rusty surfaces. After a year, some changes may occur in the car, and once rust affects load-bearing parts such as the threshold or axle brackets, you may not pass the inspection.
You can try to repair minor damage yourself, but be sure to consult a specialist to avoid serious damage.
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VEBER-AUTO car service
194044, St. Petersburg
Neyshlotsky pereulok, house 5, building 3
District: Vyborgsky
Metro: Vyborgskaya – 800 m.
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Seven days a week, from 9:00 to 21:00.
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sto@veberauto.ru
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8 (812) 321-00-00
Source: Soulcar.ru
