Hi there, wondering if you can help ease my anxiety or help me know if I need to do anything else… about a year and a half ago, I stupidly knocked over a car battery in my car. It was sitting on the back of the seat, seat was down, hit the brakes hard, tipped it over, then when I moved it I put it on the seat, and took it back to the store, stupid stupid. It was in a plastic bag, but… long story short, acid got on the seat of my car, seems like maybe it went through the back of the seat, and it ate through the seat. I got it all repaired at the dealer… but they did not change out the seat belt buckle, so that is still damaged and I just don’t know if I trust that they got everything and cleaned it all out. I had put some baking soda on the new seat and on the seat belt buckle, I don’t think I put baking soda on it at the time when it was burnt up, I just tried not to drive my car much but had to wait like 2-3 weeks until I could turn it in to be repaired, I just didn’t know what I was doing, ugh I wish it never happened… I am just worried - is there still acid in my car, could I be breathing it in , etc. I want to get it detailed and cleaned, but don’t want to spend the money. I looked under the seat and there is some rusty looking areas, and I can see the baking soda I had put down there I believe. Can’t upload the photos for some reason.
We all have had accidents. Tipped over the battery in my boat, and it spewed acid everywhere. Hands pants shirt boat floor etc. I used baking soda on my hands and everywhere, my clothes were fine and no issues for anything, 15 years later the boat floor is fine, I had sunglasses on, but I loose them faster than doans has pills. I am not saying anything except that it did not turn into the disaster I was expecting.
It’s almost certain there isn’t any acid in your car anymore. If it were still there in a concentration that could harm you, you’d have already experienced symptoms. As to the seat belt buckle, it’s probably fine. The plastic shroud on the outside is just cosmetic. The important stuff is inside and it’s made mostly of metal. If you’re really worried, just find the same kind of car that you drive in a junk yard and get the seat belt buckle from it.