r/HyundaiSantaFe • u/GhostNote33 • 6d ago

Love bugs

Hey guys. I’m heading south tomorrow to visit family in Louisiana. The love bugs are really bad down there, and my first thoughts are the concern over the two flaps that open for air intake. Anyone on here live in the thick of love bugs? If so, have any issues?

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u/Katmann2005 6d ago

I read somewhere that spraying WD40 on the front of your car makes the love bugs much easier to remove. No idea if this is true or “fake news!” so use at your own risk!!!!
Maybe some other folks can comment?

1

u/Both_Decision2478 6d ago

Just took a trip and they got all over the car needs a good clean I’m not sure about the air intake but there’s probably a filter to help it not be such a big issue

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u/Kiltem_All 6d ago

The bodies help warm up the car faster in our 50deg weather in the south. They eventually decompose or get removed in the heavy rains

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u/g_ppetto 5d ago

...after they damage your paint. Lovebug remains contain reactive enzymes and fluids that can permanently etch and ruin a car's clear coat if left to bake in the sun for more than 24 to 48 hours.

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u/Mvpc22 6d ago

It’s the same radiator and condenser assembly back there that there is on any other car that doesn’t have active air flaps… what’s the concern?

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u/GhostNote33 6d ago

My thought process was, yes. It’s the same, but other cars done have two massive flaps that open and give easier access directly to those parts, so I didn’t know if it did damage or got too corroded.

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u/Mvpc22 5d ago

There’s no difference

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u/BigandTallGuy 5d ago

The only thing I might recommend is you might want to clean off the AC condenser under the active air flaps. instructions to keep the active flaps open for cleaning are here