Wrangler, Civic, Escape, Silverado, Focus, Golf, Mini Cooper, and the MX5 Are Just a Few Cars Known For Factory Paint Issues

Automotive paint has improved by leaps and bounds over the years. Clear coats and finishes tolerate harsh UV light, bad weather, bird poop, sap, and many other things that can damage the paint. Periodic car washes and waxing are all most people have to do to preserve the shine on their brand new painted vehicle.

However, sometimes cars leave the factory with various paint problems, including peeling, flaking, over-spray, stripes, chipping, and more. Upon closer analysis, there are certain models that tend to have more paint issues than others.

How Do Factory Auto Paint Issues Happen?

If you visit automotive review sites, you’re sure to find threads of angry owners complaining about the paint defects in their new vehicle. How do these defects happen? Are manufacturers using bad materials? Are they cutting costs by shortening the procedure? The answer is actually a bit different. Most paint defects have nothing to do with bad production methods or low-quality materials. What is usually happening is that the mandatory repairs made on the car after it leaves the factory have not been done or they have been done poorly.

The very best automakers have a no-touch rate of 75%, which means cars that don’t need any repairs after leaving the production line. About 20% of cars require spot touchups or panel repair. A total of 5% of cars require a total repaint job.

Another area where new vehicles get damaged is en route to the dealership or at some point while they sit on the lot waiting to be sold. A lot can happen to a vehicle between the time it leaves the factory and when it gets sold to a customer.

Which Vehicles Are Most Commonly Prone To Paint Issues?

Many times, vehicles with paint issues are limited to specific model years, which is why it’s good to do your research when shopping for used cars. The following are some vehicles notorious for various paint issues.

Jeep Wrangler TJ Paint Defects

The Jeep TJ or more commonly known as the 1997-2006 Jeep Wrangler has its share of known defects. Although it’s largely regarded as a cult classic among enthusiasts for its mechanical reliability and fantastic off-road ability, one of its issues is paint peeling that eventually leads to rust. One of the top concerns given on TJ forums when looking for a used TJ is rust. Paint issues on the TJ are common in just about every area of the vehicle, including the hood, painted fenders, and door frames.

2013 Honda Civic Paint Defects

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular cars on the market and has been for a long time. Despite a generally solid reputation for reliability, some Civics have problems. The 2013 Honda Civic suffered from some pretty persistent paint problems, which led to the release of a technical service bulletin. Some of the common issues included cloudy paint on the trunk and hood, chalky paint on the roof and trunk, and cracks in the hood and fender paint.

2017 Ford Escape Paint Defects

Ford’s popular compact SUV has its share of problems when it comes to paint. The 2017 Escape suffers from paint bubbling that leads to flaking and eventually large pockmarks all over the vehicle. This complaint is most prevalent in vehicles with white paint. The areas affected include the hood, roof, and spots around the windshield. The persistent flaking also leads to metal exposure. Ford has not addressed this problem to date.

2014 - 2019 Chevy Silverado

Once again, this is one of the most popular vehicles in America and one of Chevy’s top-selling models. The paint on the 2014-2019 Chevy Silverado is known for peeling and chipping within a short time. The paint peeling appears to affect areas like the bumper, the doors, and the inside of the bed. Many owners report similar problems with brand new Silverados as well.

Ford Focus Paint Defects

Like the Ford Escape, many years of the Ford Focus has problems with paint chipping. Owners report various areas affected by the chipping issue, including inside the doors, on the hood, and on the trunk or hatchback. Flaking paint seems to be an issue with several popular Ford vehicles.

2007 - 2008 Volkswagen Golf Paint Defects

The 2007-2008 VW Golf also has common issues with the paint peeling prematurely. Although this car is pretty old now, the peeling paint started for most owners in the first few years of its lifespan. If you’re looking at a used Golf, you might encounter some rough-looking paint.

2007 Mini Cooper S Paint Defects

Similar to the Golf, the 2007 Mini Cooper S is a pretty old car at this point. It also suffered from paint issues that included peeling and premature fading. Apparently, blue models of the Mini Cooper S were particularly prone to severe fading and color-changing.

Mazda MX-5 Paint Defects

Finally, there’s the Mazda MX-5, which is also known as the Mazda Miata. The Miata has factory paint defects from unreliable paint that is easily chipped with rocks and debris. Common owner complaints about the MX-5 include thin and non-durable paint that quickly builds up chips and microabrasions. The prime areas for these chips include the hood and fenders.

What To Do About Factory Auto Paint Problems

Many times, as mentioned earlier, paint problems don’t cover the whole car. They often start on certain areas and body panels. Obviously, if these aren’t taken care of, they can lead to rust, which can spread. If your car is still under factory warranty, it’s likely that you can get paint problems taken care of that way. In fact, some vehicles have so many paint problems that it can lead to an active recall.

If you don’t have a warranty, there’s still some good news. You don’t have to spring for an entire fresh paint job. You can get prepainted replacement auto body parts by looking for your vehicle and model year at Paint A Part. Our replacement auto body parts are designed to meet or exceed factory expectations. You can get most of the common body parts with issues, including replacement bumpers, replacement hoods, and replacement fenders.

Are you an owner of one of the cars mentioned? If you are, then you might be experiencing paint issues. Fortunately, Paint A Part has you covered with the largest selection of prepainted car parts. You won’t have to invest in an expensive whole-car repaint when you replace your car’s problem areas with factory-matched prepainted parts. Contact Paint A Part at 713-588-0248 if you have questions or need help finding a replacement auto body part.