DETROIT (AP) — People who live in areas where salt is used to clear roads of snow are getting some advice from U.S. safety regulators: Wash the underside of your car.
The message comes as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration closes a five-year investigation into rusting pipes that carry brake fluid in about 5 million older Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC pickups and SUVs without seeking a recall. Instead, the agency blames the problem on rust caused by road salt.
The agency urged people in 20 cold-weather states and Washington, D.C., to get their car and truck undercarriages washed during the winter, and to get brake lines inspected and replace them if necessary. The warning underscores the importance of washing away road salt because it can cause critical parts to rust and fail.
