You rely on the thick metal in your vehicle to protect you in a crash, but that metal construction comes with a serious downside. Anything made of metal, including the vehicle you drive, is in danger from rust, and over time that rust can create real problems, even putting your safety at risk.
When you take your vehicle to the mechanic for its annual safety inspection, the technician will carefully examine your car, truck or SUV for signs of rust. If the rust problems are relatively minor, the mechanic will note that damage on the report, but the vehicle will still pass inspection. If the rust damage is severe, the vehicle may not pass its annual safety inspection.
Why is Rust a Problem?
Even if your vehicle passes its safety inspection, you should not put off needed rust repair. Rust is a big problem, and it can have serious repercussions for the vehicle you drive. Rust is certainly unsightly, and no one wants to drive around in a rusty vehicle.
Letting the rust go untreated will just make the problem worse, and over time the rust will eat away at more and more of the paint. Before you know it, the paint will be flaking off in chunks, and the rust will have taken hold in earnest.
Reducing the Structural Integrity of Your Vehicle
Rust is ugly to look at, but that is not the biggest problem is presents. As the rust takes hold, it begins to erode the structural integrity of your vehicle. That is why a seriously rusted vehicle will likely not pass its annual safety inspection.
As the rust begins to eat away at the structure of your vehicle, the underlying metal becomes weaker and weaker, until it finally gives way. You can see what a serious problem this can be, especially if the floorboards under your feet, or the rocker panel at your side, are filled with rust.
Creating Mechanical Problems
Rust can also take hold under the hood and under the vehicle itself, creating real mechanical problems and leaving you and your family at risk. If the exhaust system begins to rust, you could lose your muffler, and your car could suffer severe structural damage to the undercarriage. If the motor mounts rust away, the engine could be damaged, and the repairs could cost you thousands of dollars.
You may think that a little bit of rust is no big deal, but that is definitely not the case. Even a small amount of rust should be cause for concern, and the sooner you deal with the rust situation, the better off you, and your vehicle, will be.
