I've got a white 04 2500 Crew and noticed I've got little rust flecks in the paint. I took it to the dealer and they told me that it's not rust, it's "atmospheric fallout". Which translates to crap in the air. I said there is rust in the paint. He said either way GM does not warranty the paint - only the body for rust through, besides, you're way past your warranty - 55,000 miles. The manufacturer won't cover this, you just need to clay bar the truck and that should take care of it.

Well, I clay barred the whole truck and polished it, it really feels sexy now, but the rust flecks are still there. They are embedded in the paint.

My friend who had a white Mustang GT had the same problem, but Ford admitted that thier problem was when the cars were transported on the train, the metal train wheels would throw up miniscule (sp) flecks of metal that would embed themselves in the still-soft paint then rust. He had his car color sanded and repainted on Ford's dollar. I guess that's why you see white protection paper on the topsides of new vehicles en route to the dealers. I've never seen the protectors on the trucks, have you?

Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what have you done?

Bummer.

Yeah, I can see where that might happen on a train. Not only to soft paint, but I bet those metal particles are hot, to boot.

And you're right, I don't recall trucks having those white film/sheets on them for protection. Hmm....

If clay barring didn't do it... ewwww.... that sucks.

I doubt rubbing compound would do it w/out opening up a whole 'nother can of worms.

Is it noticeable if you didn't know ?? If not... I'd live with it...

My problem is that I know that the rust flecks are there. If GM can't or won't do anything, then I don't have a choice but to just live with it.

Kinda sucks.

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Originally posted by SS Crew:
I've got a white 04 2500 Crew and noticed I've got little rust flecks in the paint. I took it to the dealer and they told me that it's not rust, it's "atmospheric fallout". Which translates to crap in the air. I said there is rust in the paint. He said either way GM does not warranty the paint - only the body for rust through...

eeeerrrrrhhhh. Stop right there, Mr GM dealer.

Glove box opens.

Owner's manual found.

GM Light Duty Truck Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Booklet displayed.

Table of Contents consulted.

Lo and Behold... see page 11 for the section on:

Chemical Paint Spotting

A brief education break to remind the dealer that the synonym for "rust" is "corrosion", and corrosion is what, Mr Dealer? Say it with me now... a CHEMICAL reaction/process.

We then read to Mr."no warranty" Dealer the section in the GM warranty booklet, as follows:

"Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a chemical fallout. Airbone pollutants can fall upon and adhere to painted surfaces on your vehicle. This damage can take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations, and/or small, irregular dark spots etched into the paint surface."

In other words, hot rail dust (heated by friction between rotating metal wheel and rigid metal track) from train transport becomes airborne as train wheels go round, and this hot metal dust "pollutant" falls and sticks to whatever is near it... which always happens to be the cargo on the train...as in your truck. The train envelopes the new truck in it's own atmoshpere of diesel soot and rail dust for the entire trip.

But don't expect GM to call a spade a spade... rust is too dirty a word around sheet metal. If GM said rust, customers would be concerned about getting new panels, not just renewed paint. However, unlike Mr Dealer suggested, and quite like what Ford did in the case of your friend, GM does in fact step to the plate for squeaky wheel customers who complain early enough... read on:

"Although no defect in the factory applied paint causes this, GM will repair, at no charge to the owner, the painted surfaces of new vehicles damaged by this fall out conditon within 12 months or 12,000 miles of purchase, whichever comes first."

So there would in fact have been a warranty.

Except for the fact that...

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... besides, you're way past your warranty - 55,000 miles.

Manufacturers can bank on the fact that many people don't have time to scrutinize their paint until the new car luster fades (after a year or so) and the owner finally goes out to detail to bring some of that luster back, and low and behold, embedded particles never noticed before the real elbow wax was applied.

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Well, I clay barred the whole truck and polished it, it really feels sexy now, but the rust flecks are still there. They are embedded in the paint.

The method the dealer may use to remove the embedded ferrous micro particles that are corroding is to use an acid wash. This is a gloved hand operation... but a lot faster than clay, and more dangerously effective.

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My friend... had his car color sanded and repainted on Ford's dollar.

A body shop, while fixing a car of mine, placed car parts on top of the roof (for storage whie the work took place). When they slid the parts off the roof, of course, major scratches. Since I had seen the car mid process, there was no denying responsibility, so they agreed to fix it. Their fix? Color sanding.

All I can say is... NEVER AGAIN.

Sand enough mil thickness off of the paint film, through the clear coat and into the base coat, will remove a lot of paint defects... no doubt about it. And it will also remove a lot of paint. On my car, the paint is fine in every other area EXCEPT the roof that was color sanded... where the remaining whisper of paint that was left faded completely away within two years down to the grey primer.

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I guess that's why you see white protection paper on the topsides of new vehicles en route to the dealers. I've never seen the protectors on the trucks, have you?

Yes. On Ford trucks and SUVs.

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Does anyone else have this problem? If so, what have you done?

Yes. And my '05 is well within my 12mo/12k paint warranty period in both time and mileage.

But you already know how I feel about color sanding, and acid washing doesn't sound very risk proof either. I'm tempted to voluntarily do what you may be forced to do.... which is to just live with it.

Once again, Facts- you are the man

What you are seeing is called rail dust. It appears from the metal used in todays brake pads. It got its name from the dust that would appear on cars and homes near railroad tracks. If you wash the car with a mild acid, sorry I can't think of the name of it now...but most body shops should know what it is....when you tell them it is rail dust....if not...let me know and I will find the name of the acid.. I had a white truck and had to give it this type of a bath twice a year....it comes right off so no worries....

Thanks for the help guys. I'm at the point in my life that if I need to acid wash my paint, I'm gonna let a professional do it. I'm too paranoid I'm going to leave it on too long or some other unforeseen circumstance will happen. Then I'll need to repaint my truck.

As far as color sanding, Facts, I'm with you, I don't want the paint thinned out.

As I see it I'm S.O.L. GM will choose to do the least expensive way to eliminate the rust flecks - probably acid wash. If they do decide to color sand - which I don't want done, my paint is thinned out and more vulnerable to injury (peeling & flaking).

I guess I'll just have to live with it.

Fallout is far too common than you might think. In fact, if you have a light colored car, more than likely you have seen fallout after you have washed your car. You know, those brown little specs that look like rust.
What is it?

Fallout in most cases is simply rail dust (small air borne metal particles) that get kicked into the air from a rail train's vortex or vehicle brake linings. When it lands on your vehicle it still is dust by definition but if your car is dirty it will stay on the surface until the car is washed. It is now when the fallout adversely affects your vehicle's surface. If the fallout is left on the car with an overnight rain or if a considerable amount of dew takes place; the metal particle begins to rust on top of the painted surface. Rust is a chemical reaction between the metal and the moisture. Now the metal particle, if magnified, looks like a jagged kidney stone that will embed itself into the painted surface.
Causes - What to stay away from

Industrial fallout and rail dust can occur just about anywhere. Here are some suggested areas to avoid when parking your pride and joy. Airport parking lots, parking lots adjacent to freeways or railways and lastly shipyards.
How to remove it permanently

A common misnomer is to treat this as paint over spray and utilize a clay bar to remove the fallout. STOP!!!!! This will only break off the top half of the rust particle and leave the metal still embedded in the paint surface. Upon it getting wet again, the fallout will return and you'll have an unhappy customer.

Industrial fallout must be removed with an acid wash to the painted surfaces. Aggghhh sounds scary! Not really, in fact this process takes less than 15 minutes and will not harm any surface of the vehicle. After the acid wash the vehicle must be neutralized with an alkaloid wash. That's it, no excessive rubbing or polishing is required.

My friend at the body shop remembers that "Old timers" who lived near the tracks used to wash their cars with acilic acid (sp) you will find it as a powder in the wood working department of hardware stores. you wash the car first, then brush the acid/water mix on the car using a soft brush, then was the car. I would rinse the car after doing each section......hope that helps...
try a small section first....just to make sure your are comfortable using it..start with a mild solution.....or at least...use this information to do more research as I take no responsibility for your paint if you do this and are not happy with the results.....It always worked on my white truck.
Bruce

Search in google using this.....

Oxalic acid rail dust

And you will find the information you need....

Bruce

Thanks for the info, cooter !!!!!!