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While driving on slippery roads, drivers usually arent thinking about the decreasing value of their vehicle. Although road salt helps to increase the traction an automobile gets on wintry or wet roads, it can cause significant problems for a vehicle. However, car owners can use a variety of methods to decrease the effects road salt has on their car.

Paint Erosion

One common problem caused by road salt is car paint erosion. Although this may not happen over night, continued interaction with road salt can destroy the paint on a car over time. Modern automotive paint is better than it was decades ago; and improved primers and corrosion-resistant coatings decrease the impact road salt has on vehicles. Even with better paint, owners and their vehicles fall victim to the winter road warrior otherwise known as road salt. After a few winters, drivers may find they need a new paint job.

Corrosion

Another more serious problem caused by road salt is rusting. Although the paint serves as a protective layer for the metal of a vehicle, other areas of exposed metal, such as underneath the car, become victims of road salt. Over time, road salt can even eat through the vehicles paint and get to the metal underneath. Even though rust is not usually a safety factor, it can be quite expensive to fix. Once rust forms, it usually spreads. Because of this, its best to deal with rust before it occurs.

Structural Damage

What makes structural damage so severe and dangerous is that it occurs out of sight. Sometimes, the paint of a vehicle appears normal, but road salt has begun to eat away at the undercarriage of the vehicle. The undercarriage is at the highest risk level for road salt damage because it is constantly exposed to road salt -- being so close to the road -- and it does not feature a protective layer of paint, unless specially added. Structural damage, such as severe rusting, can be very expensive to fix and can cause safety hazards.

Prevention

The best way to prevent road salt damage is to wash the vehicle frequently. Washing a vehicle can remove salt from out-of-sight places. The undercarriage is especially important to wash because of frequent salt build-up. Parking a vehicle in a warm place, where the ice melts, can accelerate the damage caused by salt. To help prevent damage from road salt, a driver should wash her car about once a week. Waxing the car before winter comes will add a layer of protection as well.

The main circuit breaker is a known and reported issue on the previous years 2002 Road King. Weak batteries are also an issue with Road king electronics so if your battery is more than three years old, you should consider replacing it. And, some Road Kings manufactured early in the millennium have problems with wires that are routed too close to hot spots on the motorcycle. Hot wires are more resistant than cool wires. Troubleshoot your 2003 Harley Road King to try and track down the problems with the ignition light.

Instructions

1

Start the motorcycle in "Neutral." Turn it off and start at least three more times. If the motorcycle starts each time, the problem is not your starter relay.

2

Ride the motorcycle for 30 miles. If the ignition light flickers at any point in the ride and the bike stutters simultaneously, the problem may be your main circuit breaker.

3

Park the hot motorcycle and allow it to cool. Start the motorcycle again. If it is hard to start or the battery seems discharged your voltage regulator may be faulty.

4

Loosen the seat tab behind your seat with an Allen wrench and remove your seat to access your battery. Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal with an open end wrench.

5

Inspect the battery. Clean the terminals if necessary with a wire brush.

6

Grasp the right-side panel cover with both hands and pull off the cover. Locate the fuse block. Insert the blades of two, small, flathead screwdrivers on each side of the main fuse.

7

Pry out the main fuse and replace. Replace the negative battery terminal and seat. Do not replace the side cover.

8

Restart the motorcycle and determine if the ignition light problem persists. If the problem persists, you must extract the diagnostic codes from the electronic control module.

9

Turn the motorcycle off and ensure the bike is in "Neutral." Bridge terminals 1 and 2 in the data link connector in the fuse block with a jumper wire.

10

Turn the key to "Ignition" and wait until the "Check Engine" light begins to flash. Remove the jumper wire.

11

Extract the trouble codes. There are 108 trouble codes and they are sent as a series of flashes. There is a one-second pause between transmission of the first and second digit of the trouble code.

12

Translate the trouble code.