2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Fading Paint

[rnolen]

My hood and the top of the cab are fading. I am not sure if it is just the clear coat or if it is the paint. It feels like tiny little scratchs all over. It is real rough. This just started about December (02) and now almost the whole hood is covered by it. I would guess it is the clear coat, but I am not sure how to fix it. I will try and get some pictures so you guys can really tell me. I forgot to tell you that I put rubbing and polishing compound on it with a high speed buffer and it helped a little in some areas and none in the really bad areas. I wash it frequently in the nice months and run it thru the car wash in the winter months, and it gets waxed about every 2 months at the latest.



Thanks and God Bless

Russ

 

[EBottema]

Hey- looks like you clear isgone in a few spots. you can polish something that is not there... Well the only way to fix it is to repaint the areas... Maybe its time a a new cowl induction hood



what color is your truck



that will tell a lot



erik

 

[Duluth Diesel]

rnolen, what kind of soap do you use?

 

[rnolen]

My truck is a two tone truck. Where the paint is fading it is the redish color. I am really and I mean really color blind. I see other CTD's that are like a candy apple red, but mine is more along the lines of a maroon is what my wife tells me. The other color of the truck is driftwood. That part looks to be ok.



Duluth Diesel-I use the Turtle Wax soap and the Meguires wax. I am not the first owner of the truck. It came from down in southern NM where the sun and sand are pretty brutul. It was just barley starting when I got the truck



Thanks again



Russ

 

[y-knot]

Molen,



The official term for what your truck is experiencing is call "Paint De-lamination". It is prevalent on most of Dodge's trucks and cars. Dodge has always had a paint problem (how many Neons,Avengers,Acclaims, and trucks have you seen with huge spots of paint remove) and it doesn't look like they have ever fixed it. Now the new third generation trucks are complaining of very thin, easy to chip and nick paint. I almost can't wait to see what they look like in 4-5 years.

You really have no choice but to re-paint the truck if you find it too much to live with. It is not a product of owners failing to keep up their trucks, it is simply bad paint. My truck suffered the same fate as yours, I habitually washed and wax it from the time it was new, but had no better luck then anyone else. It is as we "speak" still in the Body Shop getting the problem fixed. They were forced to remove all the paint from the roof and fenders (Hood is being replaced by aftermarket style) and start over with the truck down to bare metal. Then came the sealer , primer , base coat and clear. My truck will be done most likely next week and I hope that this time it holds up as expected. I ordered my truck and plan on keeping it till I am too old to drive, so for me the re-paint was worth the time and money. But for most I would think it would not be practical, you can always go the "cheap paint job route" like at maco, this would save alot of dollars. But I wanted a factory like finish (hopefully better) and choose to have a local dealership complete the work, I am not done, but it looks like the final bill will run somewhere around $5,000. 00.

The sad point about this is it did not have to happen. This is also why I would love to see more then one maker have the Cummins as an engine option. I feel it would force the truck makers into suppling the consumer with better trucks. Many buy Dodge because Dodge has the Cummins. To me they have slipped in there quality control department as well as design and finish, the competition from the other makes would cause them to Wake-up, or loose out.

 

[Driftwood Ram]

Y-KNOT



Have you seen this on peeling paint??? http://www.theinfomaniac.net/infomaniac/content/cars/120carsStepByStep.html

 

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by TRACY MURPHY

Have you seen this on peeling paint??? http://www.theinfomaniac.net/infomaniac/content/cars/120carsStepByStep.html

Has anyone on here got their truck repainted with those procedures? Interesting... hmmmm

 

[Driftwood Ram]

I think ILLFLEM has. maybe he will drop inOo. Oo. Oo. https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=72837



Do a search on "Peeling Paint". I think you will find lots of reading. I have been dragging my feet on mine. I am at "Send a demand for payment to Chrysler's Registered Agent".

 

[big barney]

My truck has developed small bubbles in the clear coat on the roof, hood and fenders. The rest of the truck has a faded look to it. Took it to the dealer to have it inspected. The service manager called me back around two weeks later and offered me $300. 00. They called this a goodwill gester. There is no way I am accepting this. I am following the advise of the link above and will go to court if I have to.

 

[thejeepdude]

Keep us posted, Barney! My paint is holding up OK actually, but it's starting to show signs of being close to worn out. Most people that are having issues are those with '96 and older it seems like, so maybe 2-3 years my truck will turn into a free paint job coupon. When it comes time for that custom paint job, sure would be nice to have DC pay for most of it.

 

[dseabaugh]

My 97 has has the bubbles on the paint for years. Took it to the dealer at Cape Girardeau , Missouri when it was under warranty and was told it was just because it had the vinyl letters on it. BS!. When it rains The doors and sides of the hood get orange peal looking. Used to be when it dried out the orange peal bumps would go away. Now they don't, and the paint is starting to pop off. I had an Estimate to redo the doors including letters last week of $1090. 00. :-{} I just tried for the billionth time to download a picture and our dial up is too slow to post. If there is someone I can E mail the picture of the pealing paint to that can post it I will send a picture of what the paint is doing. picture is 640 x 480 and now it says it is too big. That is the smallest size my camera will make.

 

[y-knot]

To all with paint problems,





Yes I am very familiar with the procedure. I did go Thur the whole ordeal, I am also lucky in that I have a great 5 star dealer that works with me and not against. The whole procedure took about 8 months and when it was all said and done, they agreed that the paint was there problem and they would help. They were so very kind and gracious, that they paid 600. 00 of the 5,000. 00 bill. Thanks Dodge.

 

[thejeepdude]

Originally posted by y-knot

To all with paint problems,





Yes I am very familiar with the procedure. I did go Thur the whole ordeal, I am also lucky in that I have a great 5 star dealer that works with me and not against. The whole procedure took about 8 months and when it was all said and done, they agreed that the paint was there problem and they would help. They were so very kind and gracious, that they paid 600. 00 of the 5,000. 00 bill. Thanks Dodge.

Why didn't you take them to small claims court?

 

[krs]

Y-not, you said:

"they agreed that the paint was there problem and they would help"



Man! You had them agreeing that DC was responsible for the crummy paintjob and you let them get away? You had the case won and could have gotten a full new paintjob free!



Do you at least have any document in which a DC representative acknowledges company responsibility for the paint? Someone else might be able to use a statement like that in their own case.

 

[y-knot]

I am sure I could have done better then the $600 they came up with, but I really do not care. I was going to re-paint the truck with or without there help. I have had my truck since new in 10-96, to be honest it has served me well and I don't really fell they should be held accountable for the paint on a 1997 model truck. My truck sets out side and if you will look at the pictures in the album area, you will see my paint issues were not that bad. I could tell, but it was not apparent to most. Several people in the area noticed my truck missing and when I told them it was in the shop being repainted, The fist words out were what for? To be totally honest, My truck looks better then any other '97 I have seen, I wanted it painted because I wanted it different. After 6-7 years the look got a little old, and it was time to freshen it up. I plan on keeping this thing, and I like it to look good. I am very happy with Dodge and think the deal was fair.

Yes Illflem had his truck repainted, and it was 6000 for the job. I think that is great for him, and I hope others might get the same. Also The dealer did work with me, there estimate to repair the paint was lower then the norm, I appreciate them knocking off a good 20-25%, when they really did not have too.

 

[Driftwood Ram]

My dealer implied I should get a $250. 00 paint job and dump it.

 

[Traveler1]

I've just started the process to have them pay for repainting my truck. I've noticed that over the past year I've developed these "penny" sized spots that are raised, rough, and gray along the perimeter. There is one on the door which peeled away a large area so I've touched it uup so that it wouldn't rust. I'm affraid that it will all fall off in the next couple of years from how fast it's progressed.



I've followed the steps Infidel posted and was rejected right away saying they were sorry for my dissatisfaction but it was out of warranty. It's a 97 white 2500. I'm going to go ahead with this and end up in court I'm sure, but I'm not willing to pay for their mistake, they knew this was a problem and passed it on to all of us.



I'll let you know what happens.

 

[y-knot]

If that is what you believe to be right then so be it. I for one, do not believe Dodge should be held responsible for the paint of a 7 year old truck. I know this isn't the popular or web site correct answer, but that is how I feel. If I or anyone else had a problem on a 1,2 or 3 year old truck that would be different. But your truck and mine are 7 years old, and I do not think it is reasonable to hold Dodge responsible for that. I thought their offer to split the cost of the effected areas was fair to both parties. I also thought the dealer was very accommodating both with the paper trail and his generous offer to reduce the cost on his end by 25%, this was something he did not have to do. I think both Dodge the cooperation and dealership showed great care and consideration for myself and the truck, while dealing with the problem. I would have had the truck fix regardless of the out come, it after all is the reason I started this appeal. Asking Dodge to accept the full financial burden for this is ridicules, and borders on greed and selfishness. Sorry if you don't like to read it, I just tel lit like I see it. The warranty period for the the trucks has long run out and I would like to see your response if the shoe was on the other foot. Asking Dodge for a reasonable amount of help, and then allowing the dealership the chance to fix the problem seems fair. Asking Dodge for a freebie seems self serving and unfair.

 

[krs]

Think what you want but what you don't see is that paint is more than just what a vehicle looks like. It is an essential protective covering which can serve to delay the need for repairs until the warranty period expires, whatever it is as agreed to under the contract of sale. DC has been shown to have been aware of the problem in the application and makeup of the underlying coatings applied to their vehicles and kept right on selling the vehicles with the known to them problem. So the problem did occur during the warranty - it occured before the sale. That makes it a lifetime warranty as determined in several courts and through extensive appeal by DC. It can fairly be said that Dodge sold your truck to you knowing that the paint would likely fail prematurely. In every case where a full and competent analysis was made the failed paint has been traced to the same problem. This is not a wear and tear issue like chips, scratches, and fading. It's the functional failure of the paint system and should have been prevented when discovered to be a problem.

 

[daveshoe]

Yes, KRS--but

Our all knowing all seeing Federal Government had much more to do with this paint problem than Dodge did. The EPA mandated water based paint and the paint manufacturers are doing the best they can. When you have to bring a product to market by a deadline , it will be used for products even if early failure is inevitable.

The new Lexan based paints may be the solution.