Paint Problems

ROBBYT3

I am just curious. Has anyone else noticed paint problems with 1990's model Dodge vans and Chevy pickups? I had a 1994 Dodge Caravan that by the time we traded it in a lot of paint had flaked off to the primer. And for a few years I have had a 1995 Chevy pickup that has been doing the same thing for a number of years now. I'm really losing a lot of paint from my pickup, and through the years I've seen a lot of these vehicles doing the same. I wonder if there was ever a recall?

Leah Frances

Absolutely! Some colors were worse than others. It coincided with the US government making paint companies remove all the really nasty solvents an chemicals that helped make older paint last. Modern black paints have really suffered.

I've seen some poorly maintained cars in the 30-40 year old range that with a quick wash and wax look showroom fresh.

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If I could only remember to THINK about what I was doing before I did it.

Marty1Mc

There were lots of reasons put forward, like low VOC paints, water based paints, new metal coatings for rust resistance, rushing production and not allowing the primer coats to cure, needing to seal the primer before base coat/clear coat application.

I suspect it's some or all of them, but GM had a bigger problem with it than most. It really comes down to a lack of quality control, testing and ensuring the paint scheme they used actually worked.

Unfortunately, I don't think you will find any assistance on a 16 yr old vehicle. I think GM only covered it as part of the 5 yr warranty anyway.

xhaxha

actually that is the problem that i am encountering right now. i keep googling some aswers to this Dodge repair questions or this dodge problem that i encounter. luckily found this community, and maybe later i gonna browse this one to find some answers. then i also refer from automd.

ukrkoz

well, it's not paint that is flaking, it's top, or clear, coat. and as it flakes off, in lesions, it rips paint off, leaving nasty rough surface.
every car I ever owned in late 80s-90s range had this issue, more or less. domestic or import. apparently, some had it worse, as in makes. I have not seen any on later models, but then again, it takes quite some time, or a lot of sunshine and weather beating, to make this happen, unless it was screwed from the factory, to show itself.
truly, another reason to sell a car when it gets close to 100 000 miles.

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DrHicks

There were/are lots of different problems with automobile paint from about 1980 forward. Sometimes the primer just comes off the bare metal, other times huge chunks of paint flake off the primer, and a lot of clear-coat finishes disintegrate & crumble off the base-coat.

Most of these problems are due to automotive companies having to try to deal with ever-increasing governmental regulations, regarding what chemicals can go in paint. As these companies experiment with new formulations, they often (obviously) get it wrong.


There might be some class action stuff going on for some particular make & model, but I doubt it. In most cases, the owner is on his own.