[Basset3]

Took my 2012 CRV in for oil/filter change, transmission oil change and rear differential fluid change.
Upon examination, the tech (not a Honda dealer tech) noticed coolant was leaking under the vehicle along with transmission fluid leaking, albeit very slowly.

First, let me preface that my CRV was driven in Pennsylvania and West Virginia where they use salt and brine on the roads during the winter.
There was salt still on the area where the leak was...the tech has seen this before on "northern cars" where the salt has eaten away at connections.

Now living in Florida year-round, I need to get this repaired before the really hot weather comes.

The purpose of this post is to inform the northern folks who encounter salt on the roads to be vigilant for undercarriage rust and corrosion.

Attached is the photo the tech took of the area where it's leaking.

 

[Kiwi12CRVexl]

Good public service announcement! Yes, salt is extremely corrosive!!
I have an uncle in Detroit that uses his pressure washer to rinse his cars after any time he has driven on treated roads. He has a 60 something Corvette with zero rust. My sister in Pittsburgh gets a different car every few years because she doesn't wash them often enough and parts start to rust off. I live in Arkansas so the roads around me only get treated a handful of times each year. I don't own a pressure washer so as soon as the temp is high enough that the car washes are open, I drop a couple quarters in and just use the rinse setting. I know actually washing it would be better but I don't want to spend that much time so I just blast the gunk of with water pressure. My mom was raised in Detroit and she is who told me to always do that. Her 86 4runner and 94 Caprice have very faded paint but no rust! My dad doesn't do this and he had an 83 Nissan truck that the floorboards literally rusted all the way through!

In summary, it is extremely important to remove any corrosive substance from any vehicle ASAP.

 

[Tigris99]

This is what happens to those that don't take care of their vehicles.

Most northerns like me we wash.our undercarriages when possible throughout winter and put extra effort into them the first couple washes after winter is over.

That's the biggest issue, people only wash the painted upper body, not the undercarriage as they should as well. My 2003 and most I see like mine and older have little to no rust issues because people know to do this. Salt on roads isn't something new, I'm 37 and been done long before I have been driving.

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[newbie99]

Basset3.

Many thanks for reminding us folks in the north snow / ice regions to perform yearly anti-rust protection treatments. As I look at your 2012 under engine picture, it reminds me of my 2008 "run about" vehicle's rust state. And, we get its underside rust protected every year. As they tell me, rust protection only "slows down" rust from road salt. It doesn't 100% eliminate it. Besides this... Rust Prevention companies don't spray engine parts. They focus their spray on chassis metal panels... Hence, steel hose clamps and aluminum pipes still rust out.... Glad to read you fixed (replaced) rusty pipes now - instead of being stuck in far off lands and needing to tow to expensive auto shop.

Again... Thanks for your info-share / reminder...

 

[otto888man]

Basset3 thank you for the information! Salt & brine are bad for the vehicle. Especially the undercarriage. It's good that you found the leak before it got worse. It's good that you live in Florida. They don't use salt for deicing.

 

[pjaymac]

Thanks, Basset3. I have a '12 EX and almost always pay for the undercarriage wash at the car wash. So far, haven't had any leakage problems. Hope the undercarriage blast at the car wash is enough because I don't have the facility in which or the ability to wash the undercarriage myself.

 

[Coral]

Thanks for the warning. I live in a Northern State (well Midwest) but have awful winters and we also use a lot of salt and brine. I do try to wash frequently and just double checked that my membership has underbody spray included.

 

[Camel653]

Easiest way I've found t clean the undercarriage in the cold months is a lawn sprinkler! I picked u a "square sprinkler" from Home Depot for my Tacoma. I'm not a big fan of car washes, and occasionally here in NJ its just too cold to lay down and really hit it with a hose. I hook up the sprinkler, run the hose under the vehicle and turn on the water. Let it run for 30-45 seconds, and move it back a couple feet and repeat until I hit the back of the vehicle. Amazing how much salt and general road grime comes off.

 

[BigD]

I wash the underside of my vehicles every time it rains and I'm driving.

 

[Carbuff2]

A friend uses Salt Away on his undercarriage. http://www.saltawayproducts.com/

This is a marine product that specifically resists the effects of salt.

 

[CrvCan]

I've been contemplating getting this pressure washer adapter, I figure I'd only use it once or twice a year because you can't really use it during the actual salting season, would have to wait for spring

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[BigD]

I was part of a study looking into ways to keep salt trucks from rusting away. We looked into a lot of treatments, lots of ways to "wash the salt away" and did not find anything that worked. Washing helped by removing the dirt deposits that would hold salt for long times and cause rust. But nothing else seemed to work over the long haul. We would test the trucks for salt concentrations before and after each treatment, and the fact remained soapy pressure washer water helped in areas where it actually hit, but so many other areas were hidden from the washing that is really didn't matter.

It boiled down to should we spend time and money washing and treating the trucks, and still have them rust away, or let mother natures rains do the job for free, and still have the trucks rust away.

 

[newbie99]

I was part of a study looking into ways to keep salt trucks from rusting away. We looked into a lot of treatments, lots of ways to "wash the salt away" and did not find anything that worked. Washing helped by removing the dirt deposits that would hold salt for long times and cause rust. But nothing else seemed to work over the long haul. We would test the trucks for salt concentrations before and after each treatment, and the fact remained soapy pressure washer water helped in areas where it actually hit, but so many other areas were hidden from the washing that is really didn't matter. It boiled down to should we spend time and money washing and treating the trucks, and still have them rust away, or let mother natures rains do the job for free, and still have the trucks rust away.

Living in the far north, I would agree with your long term study. In my area, they also say that washing underside would touch the dry salt and "activate it it even more". And when salt is activated and spread around, it would get into cracks / joints and hide in frame pockets. Thus, even more activation (rusting). In my far north region during winter months, we don't wash the under side of our vehicles. It simply is NOT worth it... Especially in the long run...

 

[Wombat]

Well considering where you live, I certainly wouldn't be trying to protect the underside with Killrust Fisholene, not unless you want "Yogi" stalking you everywhere you go. :yllol:

 

[Basset3]

Corrosion on the pipe leading into the thermostat housing finally got me. Was told over a year ago that I should have the pipe replaced...it's nearing that time because antifreeze is now leaking from that area and getting worse. The problem isn't so much the cost of the pipe, it's the labor to replace it. It's an all-day job according to my very reliable mechanic. Previous photo from before: