How to avoid lasting vehicle damage from Pa. winters
While the weather is becoming milder as Butler County enters spring, winter can leave a lasting impact on vehicles.
Nate Miller, owner of Randy and Bob’s Auto Body, said the main solution to lasting winter weather impacts is simple: a good wash.
According to the National Weather Service, this winter was one of the most severe Western Pennsylvania has seen in several years. Snowfall was well above average, with a total of 51.6 inches as of April 2.
According to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, PennDOT used 23,595 tons of salt to treat the roads in Butler County during the 2025-2026 winter season. Salt can do real damage to a vehicle if not taken care of in the spring, according to Miller.
“Vehicles have a lot of nooks and crannies and they hold on to a lot of the salt,” he said.
Miller explained every time it rains, the salt is reactivated, creating corrosion. Eventually, the corrosion turns to rust, which can cause structural, irreversible harm. Luckily, prevention is fairly easy.
“Here in Western Pennsylvania, everybody knows what the rust on a car looks like,” Miller said. “The best way to hold that at bay or to slow that down is getting all of those chemicals from treating the road over winters, getting them all washed away.”
Jerry Steiner, owner of Steiner’s Garage, said to take rust prevention a step further, an undercoating could help. An undercoating is sprayed on the bottom of the vehicle and it creates a barrier against salt, which prevents corrosion.
“Pennsylvania is really, really hard on vehicles as far as rust goes,” he said. “Getting it undercoated helps prolong the life of the vehicle.”
Along with snow, Western Pennsylvanians experienced record-breaking freezes, with the coldest 25-day stretch since 1979. The freezing and thawing of the road after extreme temperatures can cause an increase in potholes.
Miller said spring is an important time to check tire and wheel alignment because of the potholes. Alignment is prone to change throughout use and potholes can throw the alignment off.
“The potholes and all the things that you hit in the winter have the ability to change that and that’s going to result in accelerated tire wear, poor fuel economy and poor performance — poor handling as well,” he said.
Steiner agrees checking alignment in the spring is important and it can help lengthen tire life, saving residents money in the long run.
“Getting alignment done is actually pretty cheap insurance to make sure your tires last as long as they can,” he said.
Another simple task residents can do is let their car air out with the windows and doors open on a warm day. Miller explained moisture can become trapped inside the car during the winter, which can cause corrosion on the inside of the vehicle.
“A lot of people don’t realize under their carpet in their vehicle is a lot of the vehicle’s computerized systems and electronics.” Miller said. “Any sort of water intrusion, especially if it’s carrying any salt from the winter, can cause corrosion.”
Airing out the car on a warm day allows that moisture to evaporate, preventing any long-term issues.
According to Steiner, the most important aspect to remember when it comes to taking care of a car is to focus on routine maintenance. Along with prolonging the vehicle’s life, staying on top of car care can help prepare the car for next winter.
“Your car is going to treat you the way you treat the car,” he said.
