# Snow packed wheel wells **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 5, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019 "2008-01-05T03:42:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![trehgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@trehgr](https://community.cartalk.com/u/trehgr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 3:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/1 "2008-01-05T03:42:10Z")
Since I live in the “Frozen North” where globle warming has caused the snow temps to rise to 30-32 degrees after a great dump of beautiful cold (skiable) snow, I received a call from my brother who is having trouble living “outside” (a term we use for anyone not living in Alaska - ie “I’m going outside to visit my family in the lower 48 this Christmas”) in similar conditions. His Subaru wagon gets snow packed so tightly in the wheel wells that he has trouble steering and it’s wearing out his tires. Have you guys ever heard of this problem with other cars? Do you have any suggestions? He apparentlty talked to the local Subaru dealer and didn’t get any help. ---
**Author:** ![mconn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc348/32.png) [@mconn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mconn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 4:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/2 "2008-01-05T04:07:09Z")
It’s not a problem if you stay on top of it and use a heavy duty scaper to clean your wells regularly. Sounds like a lazy bones to me. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 4:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/3 "2008-01-05T04:11:37Z")
I’ve had this kind of problem with both snow and gumbo, a tough mud present in North Dakota. A firm, sharp-ended wooden stick allows you to poke in the wheel wells and get most of it out. A hockey stick, cut to about 2-3 feet with a chiseled end will do nicely. By all means, don’t use your jack handle or shovel; it will ruin the inner fender coating and cause rust, if you have metal liners. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 4:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/4 "2008-01-05T04:17:45Z")
I try to go to a car wash (the self serve kind) once a week or every other week…It sprays off easily. ---
**Author:** ![trehgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@trehgr](https://community.cartalk.com/u/trehgr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 4:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/5 "2008-01-05T04:29:58Z")
Sounds like he was mostly worried about a problem during a drive in deep heavy wet snow building up and effecting the steering - not so much a maintainance problem. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/6 "2008-01-05T04:34:50Z")
A good dose of cooking oil spray to the fenderwells when they are dry and clean may slow down the buildup. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2008, 4:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/snow-packed-wheel-wells/9019/7 "2008-01-05T04:51:57Z")
It doesn’t build up in a day. If you have a garage, the stuff will fall on the floor overnight if the warmth of the engine doesn’t blow out the door. In real cold, you might have to add a little heat.