Falling leaves pose major risks when repairing a car

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The cold weather has taken hold of us here in central Ohio, and with it the remnants of leaves from our trees are falling to the ground, covering roads, lawns and, unfortunately, your vehicles.

While it may seem harmless, experts warn that leaving fallen leaves on your car for too long can cause costly damage.

Benjamin Morris, general manager of Fine Line Auto Body on Bethel Road, says falling leaves can be more than just a fall nuisance. The leaves, especially when wet, can leach chemicals from the tree sap into your car’s paint, slowly eroding the protective clear coat that keeps your vehicle looking shiny and new.

“As the leaves fall and collect on the roof of vehicles, they seep into the top layer of clear coat and begin to erode it,” Morris explains. “It could even cause rust and eat away the top layer of clear coat, and eventually you may even need to repaint your body panel if it gets too far along.”

While the damage process from these fallen leaves takes some time, the longer you leave the leaves on your car, the greater the impact. Morris added: “I mean, you don’t want to leave them there for a long period of time. Once you see them and have the time to wipe them down really quickly, it will save you some headaches in the future.”

Morris points out that regular maintenance can prevent the worst effects of leaf formation. A good polish or wax can even fix many paint problems. Washing your car regularly is another way to ensure the clear coat stays in good condition. However, sometimes the damage is already done before you can take the more basic steps.

If the damage is in a hard-to-reach area or a large panel that requires a lot of paint, Morris says it can get expensive quickly. He told us, “It could be anywhere from a few $100 to possibly $1,000 or more depending on how bad it is and what areas need to be sprayed.”

If you’re worried about your car’s paint long-term, Morris recommends taking proactive measures like waxing or applying a ceramic coating to protect the clear coat. Doing a little maintenance now can save you a lot of trouble later.

– Meteorologist Michael Behrens

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