Wife's Equinox has been plagued with rust along the bottom seams of the front doors. Dealer slapped a coat of paint on while it was under warranty, but that didn't last long. A couple weeks ago I realized the front doors were looking sad again, so I took a wire wheel to the inside bottom edge seams of the front doors, sprayed two coats of Rust-oleum Rust Converter on them, and sprayed over it with two coats of spray touch up paint. Right rear door was showing signs of the tin worm too, so I did the same for that one. Now, just two weeks later, brown spots are already appearing after a couple of rains. Now what? Touch up the spots? Spray over with clear? Start saving our pennies and trade in this reincarnated Vega?
Door paint issues
- Thread starter Dave Sherman
- Start date
Door is probably rusting from the inside. Can you see if it starts at the drain holes each time?
You may need to somehow treat the inside of the door with oil or some type of fluid after you paint the bottom.
You may need to somehow treat the inside of the door with oil or some type of fluid after you paint the bottom.
I agree with spasm3. Rust in the pinch weld seams starting from the inside. My opinion is that factory rust prevention has taken a step backwards in the past 10 years or so. I think your only hope is that because they made a documented rust repair during the warranty period (6 years, 100K miles?), you might have a tiny chance to do battle with them. Paint being pushed off from the inside is rust through IMO. It will be a difficult battle.
There's quite a few hits for a Google search of "Equinox rust". Here's a thread showing a GM bulletin addressed to Canadian customers regarding premature door rust: https://www.gminsidenews.com/forums...t-issues-customer-satisfaction-15136d-271122/
"Condition
Certain 2010-2014 model year Chevrolet Equinox and 2010-2014 GMC Terrain vehicles may have side doors that can exhibit corrosion on the lower hem early in the vehicle’s life.
Correction
Dealers are to proactively seal the vehicle doors if corrosion is not present. If corrosion is present, dealers are to remove the hem corrosion, seal and repair the paint. If the corrosion is severe, dealers are to replace the doors."
There's quite a few hits for a Google search of "Equinox rust". Here's a thread showing a GM bulletin addressed to Canadian customers regarding premature door rust: https://www.gminsidenews.com/forums...t-issues-customer-satisfaction-15136d-271122/
"Condition
Certain 2010-2014 model year Chevrolet Equinox and 2010-2014 GMC Terrain vehicles may have side doors that can exhibit corrosion on the lower hem early in the vehicle’s life.
Correction
Dealers are to proactively seal the vehicle doors if corrosion is not present. If corrosion is present, dealers are to remove the hem corrosion, seal and repair the paint. If the corrosion is severe, dealers are to replace the doors."
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
I see a lot of these have that issue especially if they are from up north
GM actual had a service bulletin regarding that concern. Paint and repair was being done under an extended warranty due to the resulting rust in the rolled metal. I don't recall what years, but it was talked a lot about on the Equinox forum when several years ago. Previous post mentioned the recall for Canada, there was one for the US also.
My former '98 BMW 528 had some lower seam issues. Part way through my ownership I discovered that the seam sealing machine took a little holiday part way through the manufacture of my individual car. The seam sealer that is supposed to be melted and pushed into the seam was just a rectangular stick sitting on the seam, which was missed in QA and then primed and painted over. The sheet metal was double galvanized but issues started in the seam.
After fooling with it myself for a few months/years I took it to a body shop who stripped everything from the seam, resealed the seam and painted the affected area. It never rusted out, just little bubbles on the edge but I knew I was losing the war. That car had a bumper strip so they painted the lower portion only and you could never tell. I had two front door seals, repair and repaint a rocker panel, and refinish the spare tire well where battery acid had leaked all done for a few hundred dollars and I knew it was all properly taken care of. No more issues after that from any of those locations for years of salt belt DD.
I do now make a habit of using something like Wurth Cavity protection spray or KBS Cavity coater inside the doors. KBS comes with optional wands you insert into the door drains, slide to the front of the door and spray while pulling the wand out. Make sure your door drains are clear.
After fooling with it myself for a few months/years I took it to a body shop who stripped everything from the seam, resealed the seam and painted the affected area. It never rusted out, just little bubbles on the edge but I knew I was losing the war. That car had a bumper strip so they painted the lower portion only and you could never tell. I had two front door seals, repair and repaint a rocker panel, and refinish the spare tire well where battery acid had leaked all done for a few hundred dollars and I knew it was all properly taken care of. No more issues after that from any of those locations for years of salt belt DD.
I do now make a habit of using something like Wurth Cavity protection spray or KBS Cavity coater inside the doors. KBS comes with optional wands you insert into the door drains, slide to the front of the door and spray while pulling the wand out. Make sure your door drains are clear.
Thanks, I'll see what I can do about spraying something into the door and see if I can touch up the new spots. The spots aren't at the drain holes, which are clear. Almost looks like the other problem besides the poor treatment at the rolled seam is the door gasket makes a pocket that traps water against the inside of the seam - right where it's rusting again.
