Taking care of your car after a winter storm

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Now that the snow and ice are melting off roads, car mechanics say it’s a good time to make sure your vehicle is in good shape.

Over the weekend, southeastern North Carolina experienced a winter storm that will be remembered in the record books.

Before the storm and in the days after, crews with the North Carolina Department of Transportation were busy salting and brining roads. The salt and brine work well to deice roads; however, car mechanics say the materials can take a toll on cars.

“It causes a lot of corrosion. We actually have a running joke about northern cars in this industry. Because we will put cars on the lift and we will see tons of rust in the frame,” said Jim Rost, a manager at Wilmington Tire and Auto.

Rost says after a winter storm, cars should be cleaned as freezing conditions ease. Cars with leftover salt and brine can see rusting and chipped paint.

He says car owners should make it a priority to clean their cars from top to bottom, including underneath the vehicle.

Rost says after a storm, car owners should also check under the vehicle for packed snow and ice. The snow and ice can cause the vehicle to vibrate. Rost says it’s best to visit a mechanic in that situation.

“It’s best to get it checked out and find nothing, than it is to hope it’s not a problem and it is a problem.”

Now is a good time to test the car battery. Rost recommends performing a load test. Vehicle coolant should be checked to ensure that the freezing point is not too high.

He says performing a few basic maintenance checks can go a long way as we continue through winter.

“It’s safety, reliability, you know, making sure that if you have to get out, you can. You can do so not only for your own safety, but for the safety of the other people on the road. If you do get stuck, God forbid your vehicle is unable to continue running and keep you warm.”