Can Falling Autumn Leaves Damage My Car?

In most parts of the country, fall’s arrival means cooler temperatures, cozy sweaters, and toasty bonfires. Autumn trees also drop scores of colorful falling leaves that blanket nature’s canvas to produce breathtaking landscapes.

As a result, many drivers spend their crisp fall weekends cruising through the countryside while taking in those beautiful, leaf-covered surroundings. Unfortunately, autumn’s seemingly harmless leaves can also cause costly damage to your vehicle in many ways, starting with these. 

The Paint 

Falling leaves contain sap and pollen that can damage your paint’s finish. When leaves get wet, the acid that’s inside can start leaching onto your car’s finish, penetrate the clear coat, and then leave behind imprints and peeling paint.

When trapped behind trim and molding, those damp leaves can even promote rust formation. Many frustrated drivers brush pesky leaves off their car’s exterior, which causes permanent micro-abrasions in the paint that noticeable later.

Accidents

Roadways covered in wet slippery leaves can cause your vehicle to hydroplane when you try to brake. When roads are blanketed in leaves it’s also much harder to see potholes, tree limbs and pavement markings.

All these leaf-related road hazards increase your likelihood of being involved in an accident that will require some damage repairs at your local body shop.

Engine Performance

When leaves get trapped between the body and hood, the little pieces can clog your car’s air filter and reduce engine performance. As your vehicle’s heating and A/C system also suck in small pieces of leaf debris it can cause problems, like a heater that doesn’t work when you need it most.

Rotting leaves can also produce mold and mildew that grow inside your cabin air filter, resulting in air that’s smelly and unhealthy for you and your passengers to breathe.

Water Leaks

Decomposing leaves and dirt can team up to clog the drain holes that normally allow water to clear underneath your vehicle’s windshield.

When those plugged drain holes are combined with worn seals around your windshield’s glass, water can start dripping onto the footwells inside your passenger compartment.

Eventually, that accumulating moisture can cause costly damages to your car’s interior.

How to Protect Your Vehicle from Leaves

Here are some reliable strategies for protecting your vehicle from leaf-related damage:  

• Don’t park under trees. Try to avoid parking under any tree that might drop large quantities of sap-containing leaves on your vehicle before you return. 

• Hose leaves off. Instead of using your hand or a broom, gently and promptly hose off any leaves that stick to your car’s painted surfaces with water.

• Brake cautiously. When driving on leaf-covered roads, always brake cautiously. Also, make sure that your tires have adequate tread for stopping on damp surfaces and give fellow leaf watchers plenty of room when following them in wooded areas.   

• Get your windshield checked. If you suspect that your windshield has clogged drain holes and leaky seals, take it to an auto glass repair shop where they can professionally clean out the drain holes and replace the seals. 

• Remove engine leaf debris. Pop the hood and then use an air compressor or high-powered vacuum to remove leaf debris from around the engine. When your car is at the shop for routine maintenance, politely ask the technician to remove clumps of leaves from inside the engine compartment. 

• Wash and wax your care. When washing your car always get the undercarriage too, along with nooks and crannies. Apply a coat of high-quality wax in the early fall to help protect the paint from leaves.

Promptly Find Leaf-Related Damage Repairs Here!

When your ride’s been damaged because of leaves, promptly take it to one of the auto body or glass repair shops featured in the nationwide Carwise referral network.

All shops listed on Carwise are I-CAR and ASE certified, which means they have the necessary services, highly trained technicians and the latest equipment to restore your vehicle like new again promptly and reliably.

Search your zip code now for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: www.carwise.com.