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Jim Grant's Tech Tips
98 Pontiac
Grand Prix, Rust Spots on Paint
Q: About a week ago, I bought a ‘98 Pontiac Grand Prix. Looking
closely at the paint (white) I noticed many small rust colored dots, from
the size of a pinprick up to about 0.3 mm in diameter. Some will come
off with lots of effort using Rain Dance Car Wash solution or wax. I spoke
to my neighbor who has a white ‘98 Lumina and noticed it has the
same problem. He also had an ‘96 Chev pickup with the same problem.
I also saw a fairly new white Suburban...same thing. My neighbor took
his pickup in after he bought it and says he was told that it was rail
dust. The dealer worked on it for three days but never got all of the
spots out. I noticed that there is a TSB for ‘95 Chevrolets, which
is #431701A, DEC 94, Bumps or Rust Spots in the Paint. Needless to say,
I'm not too thrilled about this. What's your analysis?
A: The
condition you're referring to is called rail dust. Rail dust comes from
tiny iron particles produced from the friction between train wheels and
the tracks and become deposited on the vehicle's painted surface as the
vehicle is being transported. These deposits can also occur if the vehicle
is stored near any operation producing iron dust such as a steel yard.
The rail dust should have been identified and removed at the dealership
as part of their pre-delivery process. Forget the home remedies! Rail
dust can permanently damage your car’s finish if ignored or incorrect
removal methods are used. Take your car back to the dealer as soon as
possible for correction.
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