2013 Honda Accord rusting already...

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

H

This is one reason why I much prefer cars that use a plastic outer rocker panel. The metal outer rocker panel are one of the first things to start rusting.

Huh? I'm not familiar with that design. Or, are you talking about a plastic moulding or garnish that is held-in with plastic trim fasteners? Salt and sand can get trapped behind those, creating a great corrosion environment... Having said that, sand and rocks do pummel the rocker panels and without a smooth design (like on the Mercedes W123 cars) and very good, self healing elastomers, said areas rust fast. Incidentally, in the ultimate, those Mercedes sedans become rust buckets, when with time the elastomer/"duraguard" surface becomes hard and no longer compliant.

 

[Blinker]

H
Huh? I'm not familiar with that design. Or, are you talking about a plastic moulding or garnish that is held-in with plastic trim fasteners? Salt and sand can get trapped behind those, creating a great corrosion environment... Having said that, sand and rocks do pummel the rocker panels and without a smooth design (like on the Mercedes W123 cars) and very good, self healing elastomers, said areas rust fast. Incidentally, in the ultimate, those Mercedes sedans become rust buckets, when with time the elastomer/"duraguard" surface becomes hard and no longer compliant.

Take a look around. A lot of vehicles use a plastic outer rocker panel, it’s just a decorative fascia. Rust usually starts from the metal outer rocker panel and migrates to the inner rockers. Plastic outer rocker panel covers help slow the rusting of the inner rockers.

 

[Trav]

This is one reason why I much prefer cars that use a plastic outer rocker panel. The metal outer rocker panel are one of the first things to start rusting.

Those and other plastic cladding are the worst things ever installed on cars, when you finally do see the rust its gone underneath. It is not a plastic rocker panel it is only a cover over the metal one.
I remove mine (if the car has it) every summer if the car is driven in winter for a look see and cleaning.

 

[Sayjac]

Location, location, location! Own an 07 Accord, no visible rust, in fact still looks quite good. Have a 2001 Civic in extended family service now, I purchased new. While I haven't seen it recently, last time I did, no notable rust to my eye. Lastly, owned 2001 Tacoma, the one where frame either replaced or truck bought out by Toyota because of rust. Traded it a couple years ago, but zero frame rust issues.

Salt and sand do a number for sure. Having lived in NE decades ago, one aspect happy to see in the rearview now. Ime, all about location.

 

[joekingcorvette]

The chances are pretty good that the entire car is full of rust cancer. It's not worth the money to fix it other than a quick touch up at home with a spray bomb. It will come back no matter what you do. I see all kinds of vehicles here that are less than 10 years old with major rust. The worst seem to be pickups rusting out at the rear fender wells. My brother owns a body shop and he repairs pickups all the time with patch panels. It's a shame to have a very nice vehicle with rust rearing it's ugly head. Rust ruins the resale value of vehicles too.

 

[Blinker]

Those and other plastic cladding are the worst things ever installed on cars, when you finally do see the rust its gone underneath. It is not a plastic rocker panel it is only a cover over the metal one.
I remove mine (if the car has it) every summer if the car is driven in winter for a look see and cleaning.

Agree to disagree. Salt and dirt collect in metal rockers and it’s all downhill from there as many designs don’t have access points to flush them clean. At least with the plastic covers, the salt and dirt collect in the plastic outer rocker cover, delaying any possibility of rust to form elsewhere in the rockers.

 

[Andrew1972]

Depressing. Trying to find a car for 16 year old daughter and some 10 year old Accord or Acura show up. Body rot is not worth dealing with.

 

[ChristianReske]

Yes, the rust proofing of hondas is lacking. I really dont undertsand why the japanese car makers are so stubborn and dont improve the rust proofing. In germany, where roads get salted in winter, they have a reputation as rust buckets that deter customers.

 

[doitmyself]

Agree to disagree. Salt and dirt collect in metal rockers and it’s all downhill from there as many designs don’t have access points to flush them clean. At least with the plastic covers, the salt and dirt collect in the plastic outer rocker cover, delaying any possibility of rust to form elsewhere in the rockers.

In the rust belt, salt spray/vapors actually get inside the rocker panel assembly and combined with humidity they rust on the inside until the perforation shows up through the metal (the bubbles in the OP pictures).

I'm not clear about your statement "salt and dirt collect in the plastic outer rocker cover" . Up north, regardless of a plastic cover, salt vapor still collects inside the rocker assembly to cause rust from the inside out. In Texas, I could see the benefit of a plastic cover preventing rock chips.

A plastic cover will not prevent this:

 

[Wrenchturner44]

Agree totally with what was said about VWs and other German coachwork auto bodies. There are several Asian makes that are now seam sealing the door skins at the edge where they overlap the inner structure, so maybe they are selectively getting better at trying to prevent rust.

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

What has gone wrong with my '97 Honda, in that regard, is that the seam sealer has lost its elasticity and has cracked. Moisture wicks-in, say, for the trunk lid and then I get a whole lot of water p*ssing out of the holes of the inner trunk structure when I open the trunk. No, it is NOT the taillamp gaskets...

I know, I know... It is 25 years old, what should I expect!

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

In the rust belt, salt spray/vapors actually get inside the rocker panel assembly and combined with humidity they rust on the inside until the perforation shows up through the metal (the bubbles in the OP pictures).

I'm not clear about your statement "salt and dirt collect in the plastic outer rocker cover" . Up north, regardless of a plastic cover, salt vapor still collects inside the rocker assembly to cause rust from the inside out. In Texas, I could see the benefit of a plastic cover preventing rock chips.

A plastic cover will not prevent this:
View attachment 92326

Having said that salt (and seemingly salty air) cause this type of inside to outside rust, still, it seems to me that certain cars have more of a propensity to be rust-buckets than others. There clearly are some differences between steels being used. And I'm not talking about the differences in prep work either. Two different naked steels, side by side, in the same environment, can seemingly have vastly different corrosion tendencies. Steelmaking specialists of BITOG, pipe up!

 

[Rand]

Garage is worse than outside as mentioned.
heated garage 10x worse keeps the salt active all winter.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I've honestly never seen a rusted car before. Those northern conditions up there must be really harsh.

 

[aquariuscsm]

My gf's dad was at a dealership looking at a car one time, and this guy I guess got turned down, and he says to the sales guy, "Man, my credit must be acting a fool today!" haha!

 

[Blinker]

In the rust belt, salt spray/vapors actually get inside the rocker panel assembly and combined with humidity they rust on the inside until the perforation shows up through the metal (the bubbles in the OP pictures).

I'm not clear about your statement "salt and dirt collect in the plastic outer rocker cover" . Up north, regardless of a plastic cover, salt vapor still collects inside the rocker assembly to cause rust from the inside out. In Texas, I could see the benefit of a plastic cover preventing rock chips.

A plastic cover will not prevent this:
View attachment 92326

The vehicle in this picture clearly has a metal outer rocker panel, of course it’s going to rust. Many cars today have replaced the outer rocker panel with an actual plastic cover, and it fasteners to the inner rocker.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I would drill some holes and blast POR, Rust Bullet or Miracle Paint in there.

 

[eljefino]

For the last 40 years (or more) it seems unibody cars have lost the rocker panels first, to rust.

Maybe a fender liner gets loose, cracked, or is poorly designed.

Maybe the inner void isn't zinc-primed.

Probably moisture gets in there and camps out.

Some cars get the cancer worse than others. As Trav notes, Volvo does quite well, so the technology is there if they're willing to use it. My 23-year old 940 wagon was just getting into trouble, but an 8-year old XJ Cherokee is usually done.

When I got my new cars (I've never had new until now) I pulled the factory plugs and just let it rip with aerosol fluid film into there. I don't see how there can be too much. I do the same thing with the plastic floorpan aero covers and brake/fuel line covers.

For OPs situation he can either hit a body shop for big bucks, get some slip-on rockers that can be DIY TIG-welded or riveted, patch what he's got with sheet metal and bondo, or leave it alone to get worse. It's worth at least patching, IMO, to ensure salt water can't get at the inner rockers which are actually structural.

 

[Trav]

The vehicle in this picture clearly has a metal outer rocker panel, of course it’s going to rust. Many cars today have replaced the outer rocker panel with an actual plastic cover, and it fasteners to the inner rocker.

What are you talking about? The rockers rust to pieces under that plastic. All the plastic does hide it till there is nothing left.

 

[Warstud]

2013 Accord 76k miles. Garaged until 2019View attachment 92060

I'm not sure exactly what you meant but keeping it in the garage wont keep it from rusting. It is better however than leaving it outside to get rained on.