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Paint Bubbles - WTH!!??

balldinger

balldinger

Full Member
Joined
Dec 27, 2003
Messages
35
Location
Northeast Ohio
Ok, the sun is shining brightly in Ohio today and this is what I see in front of my drivers side tire.  Paint bubbles!!!    :needhug:

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History:
I had a 2002 Avalanche in its 5th year of existence and had a similar paint/body issue above the rear wheel.  When reviewing it with the dealer I got the speech: "If its a rust hole its covered, but if we take away the paint and there isn't a hole, its a paint issue and NOT covered.  I ended up trading in the 02 for an 07.

Now:
I have a 2007, 5 years later, and I have the same issue!!  WTH???  Hasn't GM figured this one out yet??  Since I only saw this two hours ago I have yet to confront the dealer about it but thought I would ask all you people, have you had this issue, and what was done?  :help:

Thanks!!
 
Double D, I feel your pain. I live in western Pa. on the Pa/NY border, a hour south of Buffalo,NY. The best thing you can do is kee it in a heated garage. But knowing we all can`t do that, keep as much salt and sand out of the area between the fender and plastic liner as possible all year. But now the damage has been done. when you get it fixed take it home and remove the liners make sure both the fender and panel are clean and dry.Either put a layer of grease on the lip before you put the plastic liner back on. Better, it will last longer, spray the lip with a couple of coats of Dupli-color spray bed liner and let it dry good and put the liner back on. And still keep the stones out if you can. But the bed liner will give a cushion so the gravel won`t get to the paint. Because thats what starts the bubbles of rust. I hope this helps you and all our members. Mags
 
Mags,  the truck is parked in a heated garage every night (I don't travel) and it gets put through the spray wash on average of once every 2 weeks, winter and summer.  I dont drive on dirt roads a lot so I am just upset it is happening again when I try to take care of it.....  I did do a job in I had to travel to during that winter that was in the Pittsburgh area, could that be it?  Pennsylvania??  :laugh:


mags said:
Double D, I feel your pain. I live in western Pa. on the Pa/NY border, a hour south of Buffalo,NY. The best thing you can do is kee it in a heated garage. But knowing we all can`t do that, keep as much salt and sand out of the area between the fender and plastic liner as possible all year. But now the damage has been done. when you get it fixed take it home and remove the liners make sure both the fender and panel are clean and dry.Either put a layer of grease on the lip before you put the plastic liner back on. Better, it will last longer, spray the lip with a couple of coats of Dupli-color spray bed liner and let it dry good and put the liner back on. And still keep the stones out if you can. But the bed liner will give a cushion so the gravel won`t get to the paint. Because thats what starts the bubbles of rust. I hope this helps you and all our members. Mags
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Just a guess, but the worst thing you can do is put it in a heated garage if they use road salt and you have a paint chip. The salt gets under the paint and starts the madness.
 
Cant disagree with that but, no paint chip can be detected.  As with the last AV, no exterior damage.  All started from the inside.

MS03 2500 said:
Just a guess, but the worst thing you can do is put it in a heated garage if they use road salt and you have a paint chip. The salt gets under the paint and starts the madness.
Click to expand...
 
      A garage that is 45 degrees do`s not have a great big effect on the salt, yes it will have some effect. like I and others have said its the dirt, tiny stones, get caught and start wearing a hole through the paint. Once that happens the salt takes over. Mags :E:
 
Well the dealer replaced the entire back panel under warranty, as I hoped.  Now for an addition to the story:

I couldn't wax the new fender for 30 days so I waited to detail the truck.  I kept it clean but didn't detail it.  So I have some events coming up where I want it all cleaned up, and I am passed my 30 days, so I had it detailed on Saturday.  What do I notice but two more rust spots.  One on the front of the hood and one on the bumper.  Turns out the bumper has four spots with rust and three of them are at the light spots and the spare tire cover lock.  I was freaking out since I just passed my 5 year mark on ownership.

Thank god Chevy's Corrosion warranty on this vehicle is 6 years/120,000 miles.  Which means a new hood (no more chips) and a new bumper.  :B:

I would include pictures but I don't have time to shrink them and this site wont do it for me or cant handle the size their at. 
 
Taking a salted car from below freezing cold and storing it in an enclosed garage accelerates corrosion damage. Aside from cleaning and cold starting issues, it is better to let it cool down before storing in an enclosed garage.  It doesn't matter if the garage is 32 degrees or below........the heat from the engine, muffler, resonator, exhaust pipes and cat converter(s) will curl up into the wheel wells and bathe them in a warm corrosive salt solution.....add nicks from pebble and gravel hits and you have the start of rust in those areas.
 
It is sheetmetal, so it is very prone to rust.
& they are using thinner & thinner sheetmetal wherever they can get away with it (to reduce weight).  = rust through quicker.
+ the factory rust prevention is not great.  ...better than it was in the 60's & 70's, but still not great.  = they still rust.
+ factory paint on these things is pretty thin too.  = rust.
add to this all of the salt & chemicals that they use on the roads in the winter.  = more rust.
...
Let's face it, they bang these things out pretty fast at the factory, so little to no attention is ever paid to scratches or defects on the inner unseen surfaces.
Then all it takes is a little moisture to get to these areas & before long you have RUST!  :E:
...
IF you want to feel better about your "paint bubbles" just search YouTube for videos on "Avalanche Rust" or "Avalanche Rust Repair".
(...you haven't experienced Avalanche Rust until you've had your doglegs & rocker panels crumble to the touch!!  :eek: )
 
Bear63 said:
It is sheetmetal, so it is very prone to rust.
& they are using thinner & thinner sheetmetal wherever they can get away with it (to reduce weight).  = rust through quicker.
+ the factory rust prevention is not great.  ...better than it was in the 60's & 70's, but still not great.  = they still rust.
+ factory paint on these things is pretty thin too.  = rust.
add to this all of the salt & chemicals that they use on the roads in the winter.  = more rust.
...
Let's face it, they bang these things out pretty fast at the factory, so little to no attention is ever paid to scratches or defects on the inner unseen surfaces.
Then all it takes is a little moisture to get to these areas & before long you have RUST!  :E:
...
IF you want to feel better about your "paint bubbles" just search YouTube for videos on "Avalanche Rust" or "Avalanche Rust Repair".
(...you haven't experienced Avalanche Rust until you've had your doglegs & rocker panels crumble to the touch!!  :eek: )
Click to expand...
Bear63, this is a necro-thread - it's 7 years old!!
 
Also mine has no rust - Great thing living in south w/o snow and salt.
 
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