Dreaded rail dust' is the bane of new-car paint
We have a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan with 83,000 miles on it. There is a bubbled-up spot and some rust pimples on the right front passenger door. A body shop found several other rust spots all over the van. He thought that it may be rail dust. According to him, this could have happened when it was transported on the train. I have a friend who is retired from Chrysler who said I should ask for a 50-50 deal to fix the problem. Your thoughts?
Paint damage from rail dust occurs when very fine, hot steel debris from rail tracks and train wheels lands on the paint of a new car being transported to a dealership. This hot “dust” literally melts into the clear coat and paint on the vehicle. If it hasn’t penetrated through the clear coat, it can sometimes be removed by careful wet sanding and polishing. If it has penetrated into the color coat, the only solution is repainting. Left unrepaired, the steel debris begins to rust — as you have discovered.
Because rail dust damage happens only during new-car transport, I agree with your friend. Have the dealership confirm the damage is rail dust, and hopefully Chrysler will help with the repair.
I bought a bright maroon 1983 Dodge 400 convertible three years ago that looked like it had never been polished. I polished it, but the hood dulled out in a week. I tried several products specifically designed to remove oxidation and restore color. They lasted a little longer but still dulled out. Then I tried WD-40. It works and takes less time, but still eventually dulls out. A body shop told me the only fix is sanding and repainting.
The body shop is correct. Once the paint on a vehicle has “died,” there’s no permanent fix. As you’ve discovered, it’s possible to make the paint shine — for a while. But it won’t last long because the paint has dried out and oxidized beyond restoration.
My daughter’s 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe is displaying areas of flaking clear coat on the top and fenders. Her SUV is black and has been polished and waxed at least once a year. Is it possible to have the clear coat stripped and new clear coat sprayed on, or does the car require a complete paint job?
I asked my son, Paul Jr., a body and paint specialist, if this can be done successfully. He said that stripping and reapplying the clear coat might — and he emphasized “might” — be possible, but only if done exceptionally well. The clear coat would have to be very carefully sanded off using nothing coarser than 500- or 600-grit in order to not leave sand scratches that would show through new clear coat. But, he emphasized, if the sanding goes through the color at any point, the entire panel would likely have to be fully sanded and repainted.
He suggested that with a 10-year-old vehicle, it probably would be better to completely refinish the affected panels.
I have a 1997 Crown Victoria and have recently had some steering problems. At highway speeds everything is normal, but at lower speeds it sticks during a turn. The car has a steering gearbox and Pitman arm, so is the gearbox failing?
The first step is to have a qualified shop carefully inspect all the front-end steering and suspension components like ball joints, steering tie rods, drag link and idler arm. Also, carefully check the steering column and universal joint that connects the column to the steering box. Even tire pressures, alignment or binding in the steering column could cause this symptom.
There is an adjustment for free play in the steering box, but if an adjustment is necessary, leave it to a pro.
Paul Brand, author of “How to Repair Your Car,” is an automotive troubleshooter, driving instructor and former race-car driver. Readers may write to him at: Star Tribune, 425 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. 55488 or via email at paulbrandstartribune.com. Please explain the problem in detail and include a daytime phone number. It isn’t always possible to send a personal reply.
http://www.bnd.com/
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