Does driving in the desert damage the car?
2 Answers
Driving in the desert can cause damage to the car. The reasons are as follows: 1. Chassis: Although the structural integrity of ordinary vehicle chassis is high enough to prevent some dust and mud intrusion, their sand-proof function is somewhat inadequate. Many parts are not effectively designed to prevent sand intrusion. Sand entering the chassis can wear down internal components, making it easy for the vehicle to get damaged. Therefore, ordinary cars need to replace some structural parts appropriately if they want to ride in the desert. 2. Intake system: The vehicle's intake system works fine on ordinary roads, but it may encounter some problems in desert areas. The most typical issue is that sand may flow back into the intake pipe and cause certain damage to the intake system and the inside of the engine.
Last week I took my SUV into the Tengger Desert, and after driving, sand was cascading from the entire undercarriage. Fine sand got into every nook and cranny, clogging the air filter in just half a day, and the engine sounded as muffled as a cold. The most damaging part was the plastic underbody shield—it was completely scratched up after just one round. The hood got so hot from the sun you could fry an egg on it, and the AC compressor was buzzing alarmingly. I immediately got a full check-up when I got back. The mechanic said driving in sand requires lifting the chassis and switching to AT tires, otherwise, the oil pan could wear through in no time. He recommended reducing tire pressure to 1.5 bar before entering the desert and bringing two spare air filters.
