How to prevent car corrosion
Monday 17th February 2025
Cars act like a magnet for rust. We’ve all seen an old, unloved car rusting away on a driveway, but even new cars can become rusty.
Rust and bodywork corrosion can be serious. Not only does it look awful, but it can prevent your car passing its MOT test, lower its market value and compromise the strength of your vehicle’s chassis in the event of a collision.
This article explores how preventing car corrosion can improve your resale value, maintain the aesthetics of the bodywork, and prolong the safety and reliability of your car.
What is car corrosion?
Car corrosion – or rust – occurs when metal reacts with oxygen and water and turns a brown-red brick colour, which weakens the area.
Rust is relentless. It doesn’t care if your car is a few decades old or fresh from the showroom. Every car is vulnerable to it. And if rust is left untreated, not only is it an eyesore, but it can also have deadly consequences.
Types of car corrosion
- Surface rust: This occurs wherever the paintwork has been damaged by bumps, scratches and scrapes on the outer layer of the car’s body. It usually only affects the paintwork but treatment at this stage helps curb the spread of deeper damage.
- Scale rust: If top layer damage has been ignored, overlooked or unattended, corrosion has set in. It’s slightly pricier to fix but it can be done.
- Penetrating rust: The most advanced and damaging type. If it develops to this scale, you’ll likely have to replace bigger parts and panels. Unidentified rust at this level can be very serious.
Common rust locations
Although the exterior seems like the starting point, rust can begin under the bodywork. For a better insight into where rust might advance, you will need to examine your car more closely. Rust can typically form in the following areas:
- suspension
- frame rails
- wheel wells
- boot floor
- windscreen
- doors
- bumpers
- wheels
Key signs rust is present
Regular inspections are essential to avoid further damage from corrosion. Early signs you should look for are:
- paint bubbles
- puddles or dampness in the interior
- body damage
- irregular paint from botched rust repairs
What causes a car to rust?
- Climate: Here in the UK, we’re often exposed to rain. This means your car is more susceptible to moisture oxidising with metals.
- Age: Generally, older cars are more likely to be affected as paintwork and protective coatings wear away. But if metal is exposed at any age, moisture will seep in and rust will eventually take over.
- Materials: Newer cars tend to have better and more protective coatings.
- Driving style and habits: If you drive off-road, in wet areas or don’t clean your car often, your car is more at risk of corrosion.
How to treat a car with rust
Treatment varies based on how severe the rust damage is and the location of the corrosion. Surface rust is quick and simple to repair. Your car’s appearance and performance can be restored with minimal effort.
However, when corrosion has reached deeper layers, the damage can compromise your vehicle’s structure and results in extensive restoration or complete replacement.
You can repair your car yourself, but again, it depends on the extent of the damage, how much you want to spend on tools, how confident you feel and the time you have available.
Tools you might need are:
- wax and grease remover
- microfibre cloth
- protective gear for your hands and face
- sanding block or power sander
Sometimes a professional opinion can ease your worries and advise you what to do next.
How to prevent rust on your car
Here are 8 tips with actions to reduce the chances of rust invading your car.
Inspect your car often
A regular maintenance routine is fundamental for a safer, reliable drive. Examine the exterior of your car for paint issues, scratches or dents. Any exposed scratches are more sensitive to rust due to exposure to the elements.
Action: Aim to inspect your car at least once a month, and after every long journey.
Wash your car regularly and thoroughly
Something as simple as cleaning your car could make a big difference. Your car’s protective paint layer weakens if dirt, dust and other road debris aren’t washed away.?
Action: Wash your car at least once a month with warm soapy water.
Wax isn’t just for luxury cars
Wax adds a protective barrier to your car’s paintwork. Paint is less likely to flake off and it protects your car from UV damage.
Action: Wax your car at least twice a year, but you can do it more often if you like.
Shield your car with undercoat
Just like the visible parts of your car need to be protected, so does the underneath. Undercoating adds an extra defence layer to the metal parts of your car’s undercarriage and helps with corrosion, rust and abrasion. It often comes with a higher cost, but it’s minimal compared to what you’d have to repair if you neglected it.
Action: Unless you have mechanical experience, it’s best to get this done at a local garage.
Keep your car dry
Your car’s arch-nemesis is moisture. If your car does have a few scratches, keep your car covered or reduce exposure to the rain as often as possible.
Action: If you can, park your car under cover to protect it from the elements. If not, invest in a high-quality car cover as this allows airflow and prevents condensation buildup. If you’ve driven in adverse weather or a dirty area, rinse your car with water and use a chamois cloth to dry it off.
Fix paint chips and scratches
What might seem like a cosmetic issue can quickly become an entry point for rust to invade. Any type of abrasion makes the exposed metal vulnerable to oxidation.
Action: Check your car’s exterior after any knocks or bumps and determine whether the scrapes are likely to cause more issues later.
Don’t neglect the interior
Just like the inside of your house, condensation can cause dampness and mould. Trapped moisture can accumulate without proper ventilation and encourage early onset of rust in the cracks of doors, footwells and windows.
Action: Leave windows open when safe to do so or use car dehumidifiers to soak up any excess moisture.
Go the extra mile in winter
UK winters can be grey and damp. This is the prime rust attack season for your car. Frequent wet and cold weather are ideal conditions for rust and will accelerate what’s already present.
Action: Wash your car more often in icier conditions as grit causes damage to tyres and bodywork.
How can Formula One Autocentres help with corrosion?
Don’t let rust ruin your ride – address it early or head to your local Formula One Autocentres branch for a thorough rust investigation in your next service.
