Getting your vehicle ready for spring: Ask a Mechanic

Every week, we take your questions about what is going on under the hood of your vehicle and pose them to a knowledgeable mechanic in the Greater Toronto Area. In today’s column, we learn how to care for your vehicle after a long and cold Canadian winter.

Dear Ask a Mechanic:

After driving all winter on salted roads, is there something I should be routinely doing to my vehicle inside and outside each spring to prevent corrosion or other damage? The carpeting has some salt stains and the mats could use a cleaning, but what should I do for the exterior? Is a car wash enough?

— Spring cleaning

Spring is an exciting time. The shorter and darker days of winter are replaced with warmer weather and sunlight — the perfect conditions for a Sunday drive or road trip (pandemic restrictions allowing). But before heading out on any adventure, it’s important to make sure your car is ready for the new season.

Moazam Bajwa, owner of Dupont Auto Repair in Toronto, said it’s important to check if a car’s brakes are in good shape, the lights work, and the suspension system has no wear or damage. Drivers should also change their winter tires to summer ones to ensure they don’t deteriorate. Winter tires are made with a different thread compound designed to work best in colder temperatures. Using them year-round can wear them out prematurely.

One of the most important areas to focus on in the spring is to removal of any road salt from your vehicle, Bajwa said. The exterior can easily be cleaned by a car wash or an at home solution of water and cleaning liquids made for cars.

Bajwa noted spring car maintenance can be much easier if drivers take proactive steps before winter starts. Cars should be rustproofed beforehand to prevent rust caused by road salt. He said there is no need to do this after winter because, when with spring rains, salt disappears from the roads.

Opinions on this do differ. Krown Rust Control, for example, advises on its website that if your vehicle has never been rustproofed, it’s best to get it done regardless of season, and that an application provides 12 months of protection against corrosion.

Salt stains in the interior of your vehicle, specifically the floor mats and carpeting, can be removed with a number of homemade solutions, such as a mixture of hot water and vinegar, or specific cleaning products that can be purchased in stores.

Interior cleaning can also be made easier if owners use floor mats specifically designed to protect a vehicle’s carpeting, or even use two separate sets of mats according to what season it is. Mats designed specifically for winter are thicker and made from materials like rubber, helping to keep carpets better protected from salt damage. “That’s the best way to do that because once the salt gets into your car, it will take a lot of time to take it out,” Bajwa said.

Be sure to check out Wheels.ca starting Monday for our guide to spring car maintenance driving safety.