With summer on its way out and the autumn solstice banging at the door, people in the northeast will soon be seeing the trees drop their leaves from the season. Though the leaves are loved by many autumn enthusiasts, these seemingly innocent leaves can damage a car’s interior and exterior in more ways than one. We are an online auto body parts supplier and since we cater to all sorts of car related customers, we decided to write our blog this week on ways falling leaves can damage your car.

Paint Damage from Wet Autumn Leaves

Though falling leaves are one of the quintessential things about autumn, they can damage your paint finish. The leaves may contain sap and pollen, and these are what can damage a car’s finish. When the leaves get wet, acid from the sap can start to leach your car’s finish. The acid can penetrate the clear coat and leave behind imprints and peeling paint.

Rusting from Molding Leaves

When trapped behind a car’s trim and molding, damp leaves can encourage rust formation. Many drivers are more concerned with the leaves that they can on the exterior but don’t forget about the trim and molding. When you remove the leaves from any part of the vehicle, remember that doing so can leave micro abrasions in the paint that are noticeable later. To avoid this, don’t use a brushing motion when removing the leaves.

Fallen Leaves Can Affect Engine Performance

Small pieces of leaves can get trapped between the body of the car and the hood. These pieces may eventually find their way to the air inlet for your car’s air conditioning. This may lead to a blockage of the air flow into the car. This can be an unpleasant surprise when you need to use your car’s heat and air conditioning or your fuel usage suddenly goes up.

Leaves Can Damage Your Windshield.

You may be convinced to turn your wipers on as quick way to get rid of leaves, but this can cause a costly mistake. When the wipers move, they can leave nasty scratches from leaves and their debris on the glass. To play it safe, just remove the leaves by hand before you get behind the wheel. While you’re at it, you should also remove the leaves at the base of the wipers so they do not block the dispensers for the washer fluid.