peeling clearcoat

[john112deere]

This is my sister's car- it's a 2007 Focus hatchback, which had the roof replaced in 2009 due to damage from a falling tree limb. The work was done by the local Ford dealership- I've been thoroughly impressed by the quality of their work in the past.



Small spot of peeling cc on the roof rail- my sister is concerned it'll spread. I don't think she can afford any expensive repairs, but is there any quick-fix that will at least keep it from getting much worse?

[Fellro]

It definitely will spread. I haven't had much for luck in preventing such spread, even if you sand back a ways it seems to still want to lift. Hopefully somebody has something that does work.

[1970Custom]

If it's doing it there, it'll do it other places too. A redo is about the only way to cure the issue.

[CowboyBilly9Mile]

You might want to read into the fine print on her insurance policy, have her talk to her agent about those terms in the policy run the pealing clearcoat issue past him (ins cos often have approved repair facilities), or the check terms at the Ford dealer or her receipt for the repairs. This because, everything I've seen in modern times has a lifetime warranty on the work with lifetime meaning, the owner at the time the work was done.

[john112deere]

Thanks....not the answer I wanted, but about what I figured.

I'll have her look into the insurance paperwork...Dad's done a LOT of business with this dealership over the last 40 years (every car, and probably 90% of his service), so it's definitely worth seeing what their take on it is.

[1970Custom]

Bill brings up a great point about warranty issues...

I'd look into that.

[adtkart]

Looking at the picture, it appears that the place it is peeling is between the molding and the door. If that is the case, and the roof panel was replaced, they likely never painted there. The roof panel was probably panel bonded under that molding and painting ended there.

There is really no way to stop the peeling once it starts. What happens is that moisture gets under the clear coat and into the base that is porus. Eventually it will cause corrosion under the paint. It will need to be stripped to the bare metal and repainted. That is the only repair for that. Had to do many of those jobs while working in body shops.

Added tip.....Sanding it and spraying rattle can primer on it will likely make it worse. The primer is porus also and it rusts under it first.

Aaron D. Thomas