Paint bubbling

[jdl71]

First off I am posting this here because I feel I get good, informed advice on this forum. so go ahead and begin the lashings for me posting a pic of a Dodge I am prepared. But here's the issue:









Hopefully these pics come out ok. Is there any way to fix this besides sanding and a repaint or am I pretty much stuck with it? This is an '03 I've owned since '05 with 77,000 miles. I've taken good care of it, don't drive it much in the winter and if I do it gets washed promptly. I'd pretty disappointed that this is happening.

[jaredts]

I don't see any way around sanding it off and repainting/clear coating.  There's probably rust behind there.  I know it wasn't old when you got it, but have you looked carefully for signs that its been painted on that bedside?  Have you ever pushed on it a little to see if its crunchy underneath?  It probably wouldn't cost that much to fix if you're not a body man.

[onelow84]

Its rust behind there and if you pick at it, it will become a hole. I work at a body shop for a dodge, chrysler, jeep, toyota, scion dealer. We have fixed quite a few of them. There is foam behind there that holds in moisture.they are rotting from the inside out, they sell patch panels for those aftermarket. We charge 550 per side. Check with Chrysler and depending on the year it might be covered under warranty. if you sand it and repaint it will be back within a few days. The correct way is to cut it out and panel bond a new piece in.

[VileZambonie]

If it's a repaint and body work was done there it can be a couple of things. Rust as mentioned, but water or body filler without hardener used are other possibilities. Poke a hole in it with a pin and see if any water comes through.

[Blazin]

There is a little rust hole behind there, I'd bank on that.

[jdl71]

If I push on it, the paint will go back down. The paint feels rubbery and spongy but the metal feels solid behind there. It seems like the paint is lifting from the surface, not that there's something behind it pushing it out. I will get a pin and pop a hole in it and see what I come up with. $550 isn't too bad I guess. Unfortunately our Dodge dealer shut down 2 years ago during the auto debacle. As did our GM dealer and our Ford dealer.

[jmj6879]

Once in a blue moon, something (ie oil from the assembly line) drips on a body panel before paint and you'll get a spot where the paint didn't adhere properly.. Could also have happened during a repaint.. or it could be rusting back there and you can't tell yet. Only real way to find out is to sand it down with 600, look for signs of rust and if all you see is clean sealer, rattle can prime it and wait and see if anything comes back before spending a couple hundred getting it repainted..

[jmj6879]

First off I am posting this here because I feel I get good, informed advice on this forum.

Btw, this is probably one of the best forums I've been a part of. The guys around here will give you a straight answer and try to help you as much as they can and without a lot of the cocky attitude you get in most forums. This forum is more like talking to the guys at work and when it comes to the square body Chevy's, I honestly think this is the best site out there..

[Blazin]

Been doing body work for a long time. I would put money on it there is a little rust spot under there.

[jdl71]

Been doing body work for a long time. I would put money on it there is a little rust spot under there.

I poked a hole in it and water did come out. The bare metal that I can see behind it looks good though. I poked around in there with the hole I made in the paint and didn't feel anything soft. Seems strange this would happen after 6 years or more if it's not rust.

[jdl71]

First off I am posting this here because I feel I get good, informed advice on this forum.

Btw, this is probably one of the best forums I've been a part of. The guys around here will give you a straight answer and try to help you as much as they can and without a lot of the cocky attitude you get in most forums. This forum is more like talking to the guys at work and when it comes to the square body Chevy's, I honestly think this is the best site out there..

Exactly why I did post here. I belong to a Ram forum also, but unless it's a Dodge specific question, I usually will get better info here without all the attitude.

[onelow84]

it is rust... and its coming from the back side. you will be wasting money if you sand it down and repaint it. Once you break the paint, and dont properly fix it it will spread a lot quicker too. I have had planty of these open. what looks like a little rust on the outside is usually about a foot of rust on the inside of these.

[VileZambonie]

Water can get trapped below the paint/clear people. I had a guy paint my truck years ago and it did exactly the same thing. He bet his life it was rust and didn't want to fix it. Explain to me how it's rust on a fiberglass hood please. Yeah - guess what it was water

[slammed79]

. Explain to me how it's rust on a fiberglass hood please.

LOL!!!!

[VileZambonie]

True story: When I showed it to him I pressed the bubble and the water squirted him in the eye. lol