Four Things That Cause Undercarriage Damage

Do you worry about your vehicle’s undercarriage? Most drivers don’t even think about it and that’s okay. That’s what we’re here for. Mark’s Auto Service maintains and repairs vehicle undercarriages because they suffer during our cold and wet Illinois winters. What causes undercarriage damage? Here are four common things that can wreak havoc underneath your car, truck, or SUV.

Road Salt

Salt may make our slick winter roads safer but it causes serious damage to your vehicle’s undercarriage. As you drive along the salted roads, the salt splashes up onto your vehicle’s undercarriage and sticks. The stuck salt corrodes the undercarriage metal and this corrosion eventually eats through the material. This is why we apply sealant onto vehicle undercarriages to protect them.

Shock Absorbers

Most vehicle manufacturers use struts these days but there are still automobiles out there with shocks on all four wheels or on the rear wheels. Your vehicle’s undercarriage is an array of bolted parts that make up systems such as your exhaust system and your vehicle suspension. If your shocks – and struts for that matter – are worn, the bumpy ride will jostle and loosen the brackets that secure these parts.

Mud Residue

Mud itself doesn’t harm your vehicle’s undercarriage but the moisture trapped in the mud does. As with salt, moisture corrodes your vehicle metal by rusting it. As you know, if you’ve ever had your radiator rust, the rust feeds off the metal. As the rust eats away at the metal the undercarriage ends up with holes in it. The sealant we use to protect against salt also protects against mud.

Rocks and Road Debris

Finally, if you run over a rock, truck tire rubber pieces, or other solid road debris just right, your tires can fling it up against the under sid of your car and you’ll end up with dents, holes, or other damage. You can also run over things that are big enough to catch your vehicle undercarriage without getting caught up in the tires. If you do so, you might end up with a hole in your oil pan or your muffler ripped from the undercarriage. Drive carefully over bumps and roads filled with debris.Mark’s Auto Service has two shops, one in Loves Park, Belvidere, Roscoe, and Rockford, IL, and one in Loves Park, IL. We’d be happy to inspect your vehicle’s undercarriage for damage, repair any damage, and seal it to protect it against future damage.