GM Paint FAQ Ver. 7.3 (last revised 12/31/99)
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this FAQ is compiled from postings on the newsgroup rec.autos.misc and from the research, correspondence, and discussions of its author with people in the automotive industry who have asked not to be identified. The author has done his best to provide accurate information and pointers to other sources of accurate information. Because General Motors will not provide all the facts relevant to the peeling paint problem, no guarantees are made about the accuracy of any of the information contained in this FAQ. This FAQ also does not pertain to all GM automobiles, only ones that have paint and finish problems.
The peeling paint problem of GM, Ford and Chrysler vehicles was featured on "Dateline NBC" on Nov. 2, 1997. NBC also has a web page providing additional information (including a link to this page) on the problem. We are thrilled that this problem is finally getting the attention it deserves and hope that the Big 3 will finally take the kind of action it should have taken years ago -- repainting every car affected by the problems outlined below.
Click here for some of the e-mail we have received in response to the "Dateline NBC" report. If you decide to comment on the page or the peeling paint issue via e-mail, PLEASE indicate in your message whether you give permission for me to add your letter and e-mail address to the letters page.
FEATURES:
Excerpt
from "Lemon-Aid" by Phil Edmonton
Does your car look like this? Pictures of Peeling GM Paint!!
The Consumer Protection Board's
report,
"Acid Rain
and its Effects on Vehicle Paint Finish"
Correspondence between GM and the Center for Auto Safety
The purpose of this FAQ is two-fold:
1) What's all this about?
Many General Motors cars have been suffering from paint and finish problems since approximately 1984. Car owners and buyers are uncertain whether these paints and finishes are still being used, although several newer cars have been reported (on the net) to have these problems. The problems supposedly results from a painting process adopted in the mid-80s that causes the paint to peel.
2) What are the symptoms?
The symptoms are as follows: a) Paint starts to turn 'off-white'. This is known as chalking. The paint starts to look like a white rash on the affected area. You will see white specks, fading and slight cracking and then the paint will look like it has been burned off the car. b) Paint starts to bubble and peel. You'll know this when you see it. It starts out small and then grows to almost the whole surface area. Soon, you can wash your car and it will just hose off. Yes, it's that bad in some cases.
3) What supposedly causes this?
The problem has to do with a paint supplier telling the car manufacturers that the new paint they developed doesn't need a certain preparation step before painting. The result for the manufacturers is that they save money, and we all know what the result is for us.
The problem started in the early eighties. I already knew this however, by the fact that I own a 1985 GMC truck with this problem also. The cars usually take a few years to start peeling. The reason they peel? Supposedly it has to do with the amount of direct sunlight and UV rays the car receives. This is why the top half of the cars exhibit the most peeling, what one source called "above the beltline".
4) Isn't this the EPA's fault?
The EPA did ask the automobile companies in the US to try to reduce the solvents and emissions in the paint. However, they did not tell them to remove any steps or use certain chemicals, pigments, etc. In fact, I was told that all of the emission guidelines the EPA asked for could have been met with hardware controls and no changes to the chemical compositions of the paint. It was changed around and screwed with due to cost benefits.
Around 1984, (the same time this problem started, coincidence, eh?) PPG came out with a primer called UNIPRIME. Basically it was a thicker, more efficient type of primer that would allow the automobile manufacturers to skip a step between the color coat and clear coat, a type of 'surface primer' which could be either a powder or liquid. The result in skipping this step is that the paints peel.
Now, it has been said that DuPont and BASF were pissed off at PPG, feeling that PPG did this so they would look bad. It seems that cars painted with PPG paints had less of a problem then the others. PPG told the others that they just used a higher quality of paint, pigments, etc. What the outcome of these claims were, I don't know. Personally, if I was DuPont or BASF, I'd be pretty pissed off. I don't know what the connection between the paints and the primer is yet. Are all cars painted with PPG not peeling? Is it everyone? I still do not know.
I also found out that GM and DuPont are basically in bed together where it seems that GM almost owns DuPont. Also, Ford did not like to use DuPont products because they felt that DuPont is GM and that's a little too close for comfort for them. I got the impression that this was back in the 80's, so I do not know if this is still true today or not. Also, Ford has (had?) a division called PPV. Pretty similiar to PPG,eh? I don't know if there is a connection or not.
Also, about water-borne paints. Well, the automakers were experimenting with water-borne paints for quite some time. In fact, when the Japanese auto-makers started catching up with the US in terms of finish quality, lustre, and (ha!) durability, the US makers turned to using more metallic paints and experimented with water-borne paints to get a step ahead. Water-borne paints may contribute to the problem, but they were *not* initiated by the EPA's actions. Supposedly, they offer better rust and corrosion resistance then lacquer paints, but if they don't stay on, what good are they?
With regards to hazing, chalking and clear-coat degradation, well, that has to do with "UV SCREENERS" that get added to the paint to block UV light. Well, it seems that the automakers have also messed with this composition as well, and between messing with this formula and the paint formula (ie, more metallic) it seems that they don't play nice together, and you get clear coat degradation. They need to up the level of UV SCREENERS and leave it alone, instead of taking the cheap way out. Hotter, sunnier areas of the country get it worse. Supposedly, clear-coat degradation is an even BIGGER PROBLEM than delamination.
Remember the ACID RAIN report on this web page? Well, we discussed that too. And here's the real deal. The automobile makers screwed around with different clearcoats as well, trying to make them harder so they would resist chips better. Pretty nice of them, eh? Anyway, what happened was that the new clear coat takes a long long time to cure. And, when these cars are cranked out of the factory, they aren't being allowed to cure properly. Hence, any type of environmental fallout, meaning even heavy rains, or dust, or bird shit could damage the clearcoat and leave specks in it. Acid rain my ass. And, the new clearcoat is still being used.Do you see those nice white plastic coverings on the new cars being delivered nowadays? It's not to keep the cars clean, it's so the clearcoat can harden on the surfaces most likely to have dust and crap settle on them, that is, the roof, hood, trunk, etc.
Now, all this information does match what an ex-GM employee told me. He told me a step was missing, and that's why the paint peels. This matches the EPA's comments. The EPA representative was baffled on why newer cars have the problem, but when I told him what the ex-GM representative told me, it made sense to him. Remember, ex-GM told me that the paint step does not get added back in until there is a major line change. Have Saturns had a major line change lately? If not, then it explains why they are still peeling away. Also, I was told that one particular Chevy model has a good chance of peeling through the 1996/97 year because no big changes were made to that model.
With regards to trucks, well, unlike in Japan, where a truck is a truck still, and you get them in a few colors, in the US trucks have become the family fun vehicle instead of the work horses they used to be. So, you get color combinations and fancy pinks, etc, that you didn't get before. Also, years ago, when a truck was a truck, they didn't use any surface primer on them because the color/luster wasn't that important. Older trucks really don't have a problem, do they? (Older than 1984, that is.) So it may be another clue to how this UNIPRIME plays a roll. UNIPRIME goes on, paint comes off!
The last thing to mention is that it's amusing that everyone blames the EPA, including the automakers, yet, they didn't sue the EPA, or issue any statements blaming the EPA. I mean, if the EPA really caused this, why all the secret warranties, and why all the coverups and why do you get the old, "There were no recalls due to paint on your vehicle" when you ask them if there is a problem with paint. That's the answer I got, and I didn't ask about recalls, I asked about paint problems. Also, Mr. EPA called GM customer service and asked them if any service bulletins existed, and they told him now. Funny how I managed to find some, and I don't work for GM.
If the car buying public allows GM/Ford/Chrysler to pawn off these problems on the EPA and on us, we lose. The more people who accept the "Boo Hoo, the EPA made us do it" bullshit excuse, the less inclined the automakers will be to fix the problems. They'll feel we are stupid enough to accept any excuse, and blaming the government seems to be popular nowadays. I'm not saying they are completely innocent, but they didn't take over anyone's R&D department and budget. This was done on a cost basis, nothing else.
5) What areas are most likely to be affected?
The areas that this problem seems to show up most frequently on are any flat surfaces that are exposed to direct sunlight. The problem has been reported (on the net) to be on the roof, hood, bumper and rear spoilers.
6) What is GM doing about this?
The GM divisions operate individually, and are in competition with each other (sort of). This means that Cheverolet doesn't know what Pontiac is doing, and vice versa. (Which, in reality I find real real hard to believe.) I do not know at this point in time if all GM divisions were told to follow the same procedures, or if some of them are making it up as they go along. For the record, I spoke to three different divisions, giving them the year and mileage of a particular car (changing only the model name) and two told me to bring the car to the dealer, one told me screw off' Buick seems to want to be the most helpful, Pontiac, the LEAST helpful. In fact, it seems like Pontiac will not admit to any problems at all with their paint, and when I questioned them about it, they even told me (at first) that they were unaware of ANY paint issues with any of their vehicles. Yeah, right. A particular dealer even said the exact same thing about Pontiac to one of our 'bad paint regulars' when they took their car in to be painted. Guess some dealerships aren't that loyal, eh?
In general, GM claims to handle this on a case-by-case basis, but they reserve the right to deny any 'assistance' for whatever reason. It has been reported on the newsgroups that some people have indeed had their cars repainted, but they seemed to be newer cars (6 months old). GM has also extended the paint warranty on certain makes/models for five years from the day the car went into service (i.e., on the road).
If your car falls into the warranty period, they will try to make good on it. However, they have used mileage to deny people rectification. (What mileage has to do with paint staying on a car is beyond me.) Also, it has been said that the five year warranty period is flexible. Some cars older than five years have been repainted. GM claims they take all factors into consideration, but who knows? One subscriber of rec.autos.misc was speaking with GM and told them that his car only has 10K miles on it and is garaged and only driven twice a week. The answer he received was, "Too bad. If the car was out in the sun more, the problem might have occurred quicker, and we could have possibly assisted you." (Real nice. Why don't they just tell us we shouldn't drive the car outside?)
GM will usually tell you to take the car back to the dealer to have the service manager look at it. However, I have learned that even if the service manager says yes, GM can still say no. What happens if the dealership says yes and paints the car, and GM says no? Do you get handed a paint bill? I don't want to find out!
If you send the Center for Auto Safety a letter and SASE envelope for 55 cents (the address is below), you will receive a small information packet containing the following:
The letter is on GM letterhead:
General Motors Corporation
General Motors Technical Center, Warren Michigan 48090-9010
986-5715 AREA CODE 313
"WARREN, MI-- GM has issued the following statement in response to queries concerning its customer satisfaction policy on paint vehicle problems:
"General Motors' customer satisfaction process is intended to ensure that customers receive fair and equitable treatment when they bring their vehicles to dealerships for service. We are aware that some owners may experience problems with exterior paint resulting from variations in process and material specifications. The environment and owner care and maintenance, also are factors in the appearance and durability of exterior finishes. General Motors and its dealer organization nationwide is prepared to address consumer needs on an individual basis."
"If customers experience a paint problem that they believe is the result of the manufacturing process, the customer should contact the dealer EVEN IF THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. The dealer will assess each case on its own merits within the context of a mutual overriding concern for customer care and in appropriate circumstances repair the condition at NO COST TO THE OWNER. Our two step customer satisfaction procedure in the Owners Manual encourages customers to bring their concerns to our dealers.
To achieve high levels of customer satisfaction with the ownership experience, General Motors are empowered to perform repairs without contacting their factory representatives. For paint concerns, all dealers may authorize repairs for vehicles up to six years old, without regards to mileage."
The letter is dated Friday, January 15, 1993 and it says to contact John V Dinan Jr. at 313-986-5719.
As you will see below, GM subsequently cut the six-year period to five years, possibly because of the cost involved.
I have one question, and maybe someone can answer it for me:
If this problem has been occurring since at list 1988 (based on the TSB's listed above) why did it take GM 5 years to issue this statement?
Other correspondence between GM and the Center for Auto Safety is here.
7) Why didn't I hear about this sooner?
Shhhhhhhhhh! Because it's a secret! Well, it might as well be. There were two technical service bulletins issued on this problem to dealers: one in November 1993 that addresses "Chalking and Whitening Of Paint/Finishes," and one in June 1995, "Delamination of Paint." These were issued to dealers only. As far as the members of rec.autos.misc know, there was no public notification or recall by GM.
It has been said that dealers were supposed to cut deals with people complaining about their cars' paint. These deals included painting the entire car to painting only the affected areas. While this problem has been mentioned in newspapers (letters sections) and on this newsgroup (rec.autos.misc), many people find it hard to believe that GM did not consider this an important enough issue to let consumers know of the problem. Perhaps if more people knew about it, they could have had the dealer inspect their cars earlier (at the first signs of trouble) and get the problem taken care of earlier. Did anyone get a notice from GM about this? If so, please post it on the newsgroup rec.autos.misc.
8) What does the technical service bulletin say?
The TSB dated June 1995 states the following: "This bulletin is being issued to assure that the correct procedure is followed to repair a condition known as delamination. Some of the listed cars, light duty trucks and vans may have DELAMINATION (peeling) of the paint colorcoat from the ELPO primer depending on variable factors including prolonged exposure to sunlight and humidity." (In other words, don't drive the car outdoors.) "Grays, Blues, Silvers and Black Metallics are the colors that have the highest potential for this condition. On rare occasions, other colors may be involved."
The vehicles listed are:
The November, 1993, TSB states the following: CONDITION: "The vehicle exterior surface may show large chalky or white patches in the clearcoat, usually but not limited to the horizontal surfaces. Blacks, Dark Blues, Reds, may have potential for this condition. On rare occasions other colors may be involved." CAUSE: "The clearcoat (with sunlight and heat) may degrade and turn white or chalky." So now you have it. You can get copies of these documents from GM directly, or you can try to get them from your local dealership. Don't expect the dealer to hand them over, though.
9) How many cars are affected?
Well, this is just rumor, so take it with a grain of salt, but the last number was around 400,000!
10) Is this ineffective paint process still being used?
Maybe. According to the technical service bulletin issued in June 1995, the problem affects 1985 and newer vehicles. One user mentioned that his 1996/7 Pontiac Sunfire had this problem, and another user mentioned his 1996 Saturn had this problem. Who wants to take a $12,000+ gamble to find out? Again, GM has not issued any statement regarding this problem, at least not to anyone on rec.autos.misc.
A few people have speculated that when all of the models are changed over into new designs, the factories will be revamped to add the old 'pre-paint prep step' back into the production line. According to my sources, there are some models out there that have a 'real good' chance of peeling through the 1996 year. Again, I can't verify this information, and it will be a cold day in hell before I purchase another GM vehicle to find out. I was told that it is 'too expensive' to fix the lines at this point in time.
11) What are some of the cars affected?
Links in the table below are to pictures of the cars mentioned. (Note: Anyone not on this list who would like to be, or anyone on this list who wants off, just email me and I'll gladly add or remove you.)
| Vehicle | Color | Owner's e-mail address |
| 93 Chevy Astrovan
Click here to see pictures |
Blue | kkessler@cnsnet.com |
| 96 Saturn SC2
Click here to see pictures |
Black/Gold | ruest@ma.ultranet.com |
| 90 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
Click here to see pictures |
Dark Blue | tracey@mont.mindspring.com |
| 94 Saturn SL2
Click here to see pictures |
Plum | DaveZ@mailbag.com |
| 96 Saturn SL2
Click here to see pictures |
Dark green | Rita Mullen (no e-mail) |
| 91 Pontiac Firebird
Click here to see pictures |
Black | spomo@ix.netcom.com |
| 85 GMC Sierra Truck
Click here to see pictures |
Black/Silver | spomo@ix.netcom.com |
| 1995 Pontiac Grand Am
Click here to see pictures |
Purple | macek@frontiernet.net |
| 1990 GMC Sierra Pickup
Click here to see picture |
White | boylel@primenet.com |
| 1987 Chevrolet Camaro RS
Click here to see picture |
White (?) | mcppcrn@mail.inetworld.net |
| 1991 Chevrolet Corsica LT
Click here to see picture |
Black | smithokc@ionet.net
smithokc@ix.netcom.com |
| 87 Buick Grand National | Black | rbukovec@onlink.net |
| 93 Saturn SC2 | Plum | cpoole@ao.net |
| 96 Saturn SL2 | Green | jcardwell@iquest.net |
| S10 Truck | Maroon | TomTHJ@aol.com |
| 88 Bonneville LE | Blue | fauth@uclink2.berkeley.edu |
| 91 Chevy Blazer | Blue/Silver | rodcraft@ix.netcom.com |
| 89 Grand Prix | Blue | Wayne00000@aol.com |
| 96 Sunfire SE | Black | tlam@ccs.carleton.ca |
| 1990 Firebird | Black | Risdo@AOL.com |
| 88 Chevy Cavalier | Blue | joeyk@minn.net |
| 86 Camaro Z28 | Red | jkee@portal.ca |
| 90 Chevy Lumnia | Light Blue | jfarrington@mail.wesleyan.edu |
| 88 Oldsmobile Cutlass | White | roa@avery.med.virginia.edu |
| 89 Chevy Blazer | White | roa@avery.med.virginia.edu |
| 88 Chevy C1500 Truck | bnielsen@mdyn.com | |
| 90 Chevy Suburban | mwynne@pen.k12.va.us | |
| 91 Chevy Astrovan | sschutz@appserv.rcc.org | |
| 91 Chevy Blazer | mikeforland@worldnet.att.net | |
| 88 Chevy Cavalier | Blue | erickson@ari.net |
| 84 Suburban | jmcgauch@flash.net | |
| 90 Chevy Truck | bhelvey@amoco.com | |
| 93 Saturn SC2 | Aqua | spont@nikondev.com |
| 92 Corvette | danny.metz@ces.clemson.edu | |
| 96 Camaro Z28 Convertible | white@fta.com | |
| 1990 Astro Van | Silver | cholland@wow.com |
| 1986 Pontiac Parisienne | w4imm@mindspring.com | |
| 1987 Camaro | Grey | jrobins@intcomm.net |
| 1989 Cavalier | Grey | gbedard@WPI.EDU |
| 1991 Cadillac Deville | Silver | prichard@worldnet.att.net |
| 1986 Pontiac Grand Am | Blue | qzkp6m@lae.gmpt.gmeds.com |
| 1992 Grand AM | netwear@inforamp.net | |
| 1986 Chevy Celebrity | davidv@geotel.com | |
| 1992 GMC Truck | black/silver | William.Craig.0198153@bnr.ca |
| 1989 Chev. Celebrity Wagon | Blue | gavicar@wow.com |
| 1989 Chev. Chevy S-10 Tahoe | Blue | dmetraux@cfw.com |
| 1988 Pontiac Grand Prix | djp@wizvax.net | |
| 1990 Firebird Formula | Black | Risdo@AOL.com |
| 1992 Firebird | Green | radams@ionet.net |
| 1988 Chevy Pickup | douglas@snowcrest.net | |
| 1990 Buick Skylark | Blue | kstevens@luminet.net |
12) Who makes the paint?
According to some newspaper articles, the 'big three' paint manufacturers are DuPont, PPG and BASF. It is not known if GM buys from all three of them, or just one of them, or if they rotate. We do not know if the paint is tainted at the source, although it could be possible. Nobody knows. If someone has more information, please post or email it.
13) Is this only in certain parts of the country?
Nope. We have people here from all over the US and Canada. Plus, remember that not everyone has net access yet and I am only able to compile the data from the people who have responded.
14) What can I do?
Well, call GM. But, be prepared to be told "We cannot offer any assistance at this time." Translated into English: "Get lost." In fact, one user was told to "feel free to go to outside sources to rectify this problem." In other words, don't hold your breath. If that doesn't work, I would suggest you write to your local Congressman and State Attorney General.
You can also write to the Better Business Bureau and to the Bureau of Consumer Protection in Washington, DC. Also write a letter to the head of the GM division from which you purchased the car. Be prepared: one user did so, and received a call from them. They proceeded to yell and berate him. Don't give up.
You might also wish to try the following: a) Call the Auto Safety Hotline at 1-800-424-9393. They have information recalls, record information about safety problems and can even fax the information to you. They also have a site on the web. b) Write to AUTOCAP. They are an arbitration comitee specializing in automobile disputes between consumers, dealerships and manufacturers. AUTOCAP, 8400 Westpark Drive, McClean, VA, 22102. (703-821-7144) c) Write to the Center for Auto Safety and request the document "GM PAINT (1985 - 1995). Include a SASE for 55 cents, and your vin#, year/make/model of your car. Center for Auto Safety, 2001 S St. NW, Suite 410, Washington DC 20009-1160. d) Write to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They investigate defective vehicles and equipment. Address: 400 7th St. SW, NOA-40, Washington DC, 20590.
Documents Available for Order from the CAS:
|
Title |
| V17 | Chrysler Paint and Water Leaks |
| V35 | Ford Paint |
| V16 | GM Paint |
The following are available for their listed cost:
Information Sources on Vehicle Defects $25.00
Ford FTC Paint Petition $25.00
GM Paint Package $10.00
Magnuson-Moss Litigation Manual $95.00
Little Secrets of the Auto Industry $16.50
Below is some information and advice from the Center for Auto Safety:
Dear Consumer:
"Thank you for contacting the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) regarding the paint problem on your General Motors (GM) vehicle. As CAS' urging, in January 1993 GM adopted the most comprehensive paint policy within the industry. GM will repaint vehicles with defective paint for free for six years and unlimited mileage, regardless of whether you bought the vehicle new or used. GM will pay for all the cost of repair except for dents, scrapes and other similiar damage. A copy of GM's announcement is enclosed.
In March 1995, GM secretly reneged on this policy by cutting the limit to five years. However, GM still honors the 6-year unlimited mileage program if pushed and many consumers have sued GM in small claims court to get free paint jobs beyond 6-years if they show the paint defects first surfaced within 6-years."
"The most common paint defects seen in GM vehicles are paint peel and severe flaking, conditions in which a vehicle's colorcoat (e.g., blue, gray,silver) literally lifts away from the underlying anit-corrosion primer coat, which is generally a dull gray color. On vehicles suffering paint peel, the colorcoat peels off on horizontal surfaces (hood, cowl and roof) first. On severely affected vehicles, the vertical surfaces will also peel with the passage of time. The best analogy for the paint peel condition is the after effects of a bad sunburn. Following a sunburn, the skin often blisters and then peels away. Paint peel is analogous to a suburn in that the paint literally peels away in patches."
"If you GM vehicles suffers from the condition described above, CAS suggests you take the following action to obtain free repairs beyond the express warranty period.
1) Contact the service manager at your local GM dealership. The dealership service manager has specific authorization to paint your vehicle for free from GM as shown in the enclosed Pontiac letter. All GM divisions except Saturn received similiar letters.
2) If the dealer or service manager's offer is unsatisfactory or you are denied a refund for a previous paint job, call your GM customer assistance division at the following numbers: Buick 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet 1-800-222-1020, GMC 1-313-253-7164, and Pontiac 1-800-762-2737 Oldsmobile 1-800-442-6537. Use the enclosed survey form to alert us if GM does not follow its policy."
[FAQ Author's Note: You can get an original copy of the letter by writing to the CAS. See above for the address. You will also get the customer form mentioned above. I'd advise anyone having this problem to fill it out and send it in. Maybe the CAS needs to know GM is back at screwing customers again.]
"If you find GM's response unacceptable, sue GM itself in small claims court. In most states, GM's agent for service of process is CT Corp. More information on this simple procedure is found in the enclosed pamphlet. (If the vehicle is less than 5 years old, you may also arbitrate through the Better Business Bureau by calling 1-800-995-5100.) As a practical matter, try to get your small claims case scheduled for a Friday Afternoon or early Monday morning. Most GM field representatives have "travel zones" requiring them to drive or fly out to their zones on Monday and return home on Friday. By scheduling your case against GM on a Monday morning or a Friday afternoon, the factory representative has additional incentive to settle with you out-of-court. Furthermore, most GM representatives hate spending half a day in small claims court. Many will settle with you before court, upon receipt of the small claims court documents. Be sure and list your phone number on the court papers so the factory representative can contact you more readily."
[Author's Note: If you don't want to spring the 55 cents to get the original letter and form, write to the CAS and complain about GM. I think a new influx of letters in needed to motivate the CAS to look into this again for us.]
"If your case will not be settled without a court hearing, it is important that you know a couple of legal terms that may come in court. One term is 'statue of limitations (SoL).' This concept means, in general, that a given number of years, usually four, have elapsed since the purchase date of the vehicle, and the passage of time precludes one from suing in court. If you ever hear SoL mentioned, respond by stating that the "discovery rule" should apply in your case. The discovery rule is a legal concept that "tolls" (suspends) the SoL given it was impossible to discover the matter being sued over within the satue of limitations time period. In this instance, you will be suing over a latent paint defect. As a consumer, you could not have known of GM's latent paint defect until the paint literally started peeling/flaking off your vehcile. Arguably, even if the paint started peeling flaking years ago, you did not learn of the paint defect until January 1993 [Author's note: I sure as hell didn't hear about this back then!] when the media publicized CAS' action regarding the paint peel defect. Some judges may decide that the statute of limitations did not commence running until you actually learned that the paint defect was the result of a concealed, latent paint defect."
"If you are beyond the six-year limit, GM should still reimburse you if the paint defect first appeared during the six year period. After all, GM should not benefit from its delay in implementing this policy until after the arbitrary limit expired. If GM refuses to voluntarily pay for repainting, take them to small claims court. Similiar to the statute of limitations above, argue that this was a concealed latent defect. Use the enclosed survey form to tell us about any problems with the six year limit."
15) SECRET WARRANTIES
A user on the net (THANKS SUMO RABBIT!) gave me probably the most valuable tip. He told me to look up a book by JACK GILLIS entitled The Truck, Van and 4X4 Book 1996. I RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE. There is also a book called The Car Book 1996 also by Mr. Gillis. Look at page 59. Mr. Gillis states: "Manufacturers deny the existence of secret warranties. They call them good-will service, or policy adjustments." According to the book, many manufacturers are not obligated to tell the consumers about the warranty adjustments. It seems like in CA, CT, VA and WI there is legislation that requires consumers to be notified. Several other states have introduced legislation that may affect you. Call your State Attorney General and ask if they have a consumer division. Perhaps they can tell you more.
The Truck, Van and 4X4 book talks specifically about GM paint warranties and mentions that GM will paint cars up to six years old, regardless of mileage. Please check these books out. They are worth it.
16) Ok, so they will repaint my car, now what?
Well, make sure they do it right. They need to STRIP the car down to the bare metal and repaint the whole car. Painting over the bad paint will just cause the new paint to crack and peel off. You don't want GM/Dealer/whoever to blame the new paint job, which they could do. Then, you'll be screwed.
17) Ok, so what about Foreign Cars and paint problems?
Aaaah! Perhaps a key to the unlocking the puzzle! Certain foreign cars and cars made by Ford and Chrysler are starting to show paint problems as well. Perhaps they all purchased paint from the same supplier? A 91 Nissan Sentra (Gray) was reported to have these problems here on the net, but the car was made in the US. Did the paint come from the US? And from where? Anyone with any further information, please post or email!
18) Where can I get more information?
From rec.autos.misc. Keep watching this newsgroup. Post your questions or problems regarding paint problems and I am sure you will get an answer. Of course, if you have any information, you should post it as well and help your fellow car buyer!
19) I have some really good pictures of the paint peeling off my car, and I'd like for others to see them on this page. Where should I send them?
If you have some means to scan them in or otherwise save the photo(s) in digital form, please e-mail them as attached files to tmccartney@home.com. Please include the year and model of your car, along with your name and e-mail address. IMPORTANT: Please make the pictures as small as possible Kb-wise. I heartily recommend jpegs that are no more than 256 pixels wide.
20) To whom should I send comments / corrections / hate mail?
Send it to me, spomo@optonline.net. I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for reading this.