How Do UV Rays Damage My Car?

Most people know about UV rays that can damage the skin causing sun burns and possible cancer over long periods of sun exposure as well as hurt your eyes. This has led to multiple UV protection products, such as sunscreen and specially designed sun glasses, but what about a vehicle?

Generally, UV rays can damage fiber-based products, such as ropes or garden hoses through a process called UV degradation, which leads to fading color and cracks. While a rope or a hose can be replaced, most automobiles have dashboards made of the same type of material and can end up faded, cracked, and losing luster.

What is so important about a dashboard?

Underneath a dashboard, all electrical wiring is set up for your air conditioning system, radio, lights, ignition, and many other cords that all work to get your car, suv, truck, station wagon, motorcycle, or ATV merely running. With a damaged dashboard, not only does your vehicle lose value, but you are placing such necessary components at risk.

A dashboard is meant to keep out liquids from entering the wiring, keep the temperature at a steady middle ground, and make sure that nothing interferes with how everything is connected. With a simple crack, one spill might seriously damage your car, costing hundreds or thousands of dollars of repair costs that could have been avoided.