# paint chipping possible fix



## TechCruzer (Mar 15, 2012)

jrrsmith18 said:


> so after being shot down by my local chevrolet body shop and chevrolet themselves, to which my only option was to have the chips fixed was to pay 750 out of pocket and have both quarter panels repainted, i tried to half ass fix the chipping myself. i took some touch up paint and applied a thick bead along the crease of the panel, sanded down with 1500 grit sandpaper, and repeated it came out pretty good if i say so myself. my only qualm was i went a little to crazy with the coarse rubbing compound and it left some engraves in the clear coat but very unnoticeable.
> 
> i then took some of that black rubber door edge guard, you can buy at any advance auto parts and it comes in 2 strips, i took one strip and cut in half ( half for each door ) and i put them on right where i started the touch up work. on my imp blue cruze imo they seem quite unnoticeable and they further hide meh touch up work. they arent really in my taste but they offer enough of a raise that nothing should be able to touch that quarter panel ledge. what do you guys think? it really should stop any chipping on the car.


Hard to see the paint fix... see the edge guard, but not the paint job. Anyway I'm sure it looks much better & hopefully that will prevent future problems. I would like to suggest the mud guards for your Cruze since in the pictures I don't see them installed. That seems to be the way to go & prevents not just the doors edge, but the entire door from paint chipping, pits, etc.

Chevrolet Cruze Mud Guards | eBay


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## mcg75 (Mar 5, 2012)

The paint chipping issue is covered by a TSB. 

#PI0726: Paint Chipping on Lower Leading Edge of Quarter Panel Behind Rear Door - (May 3, 2012) 

Tell your "dealer" to have another look and if they won't, contact GM directly.


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## jrrsmith18 (Apr 3, 2011)

i saw the TSB which is why i took my cruze to the dealer body shop, i asked if there was any TSB and he replied that there wasnt. that is when i contacted GM and even asked them about the TSB, they connected me to a "specialist" and after a phone call to the dealer body shop that saw the paint chipping and a few days waiting, i receive a phone call saying that GM will not be offering any assistance/ fix to the problem. they claimed it to be an enviromental issue because of where i live (northeast ohio right in the middle of the snow belt). what i assume they mean is because of the salt we use. the "specialist" also said that once the email from the GM higher ups is received by them their decision cant be changed.


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## Bohdan (Apr 28, 2012)

Perhaps GM should place a label on the Cruze units that are sold in Northeast Ohio. *Warning this car will become paint damaged unless you have added mug guards to your package. *


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## gunner22 (Nov 20, 2010)

Unfortunately the OEM splash guards do little to prevent this. Unless you go throw some truck style flaps on these chips show up.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

jrrsmith18 said:


> i receive a phone call saying that GM will not be offering any assistance/ fix to the problem. they claimed it to be an enviromental issue because of where i live (northeast ohio right in the middle of the snow belt). what i assume they mean is because of the salt we use. the "specialist" also said that once the email from the GM higher ups is received by them their decision cant be changed.


Wonderful. So, those of us who live in the snow belt will not have body problems fixed under warranty because GM higher ups say so. I'm betting this will eventually apply to rusting, any other paint chipping, and quite possibly any other paint problems. I guess if global warming really kicks in and we don't have any snow here in the snow belt, we'll be OK. I'm going to bite my tongue now before I type something I'll regret later.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Improper surface preparation can cause paint chips, a bubble will form under the paint, and eventually pop leaving a chip. Would be Chevy's fault in this case and should be covered under warranty.

Many other reasons for paint chips, uncovered gravel trucks, gravel on road shoulders and driving behind a vehicle that can't seem to stay on the road, either direction, shopping carts, kids on bikes, hail damage, etc., etc., etc. Can also include condensers and glass in this group.

Again not your fault, but your responsibility. Anyone driving a vehicle has these problems, over and over again. Really the only proper fix is to take the paint down close to the primer, repaint, and clear coat, but how long will that last?

Brother was telling me he was having much better success with his Saturn's. So I finally decided to look at them, when I did, that huge Saturn dealership was gone, one big empty building. Anything that looks logical seems to disappear.

Latest problem we have is deer, been reported, they are not exactly stupid staying in public lands where that is the only place they can be legally hunted. Now in the cities and private lands, even have deer in my back yard.

One ran into us, fortunately only damage was done to the right front fender. Estimate repair cost is $1,118.00, Dealer cannot buy a prepainted fender, has to paint it himself. Know for a fact, a painted fender can be made for around 8 bucks, but 700 bucks of this quote is painting it. And not under the most ideal conditions. But this is how they work.

Comprehensive is going to cover it, and since my wife was on call, her employer is going to take care of the deductible. And we will get a rental to use while being repaired. But don't like the idea of having a fender painted in a shop,but have to leave with that. If I could buy a prepainted fender, don't buy the argument about paint match, that is all done by computers now, I wouldn't even file a claim and do it myself if that fender had a fair price on it.

Used to do that years ago for 15 bucks, the world has gone insane since then.


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## grego34 (Dec 27, 2011)

i had a GM rep call me saturday after i had made a appt to get it fixed earlier in the week, she said that GM would not take care of it because the rock chippping was a enviromental issue and they don't cover that. I had a 3 way phone call earlier in the week with the Paint MGr of my dearlership, The GM rep and myself. The paint MGR asked if GM would take care of this and the GM rep said yes so we made a appt. to get my 2012 Chevy cruze fixed for the 3rd time. last time was about a yr ago and all they did was repaint the chipped area. Now a GM rep said that will not cover it and still thinks and tells me that GM will not take care of paint issues. I kept on telling her it was a defect in the doors not aligned right otherwise they would not be always chipped. Waiting for a call from the paint mgr now to see whats going on.


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## grego34 (Dec 27, 2011)

i talked to a superviser in charge over the"specialist" and he was no help saying the same crap! enviromental issue 
but i kept tryng to explain that the doors were not aligned properly!


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