As a body shop that repairs over a hundred cars each month, we at 3D Collision Center can actually spot trends that affect certain models of cars. Usually, these trends are specific to one make or model and can be traced to a manufacturing defect and end up becoming a warranty fix or a “quirk” of the particular model.
This peeling paint issue, however, is the first time we can remember a quirk actually affecting a color. And it’s not just one particular paint code, it covers many paint codes across several manufacturers. The one similarity is the color known as “snow white pearl”. If you are reading this post, you are likely frustrated with this situation yourself. Here is what we know so far:
Back in March of 2016, 15 individuals, all from different states, sued Hyundai Motor Co., Ltd and Hyundai Motor America, Inc. These individuals were current owners of 2006-2016 Hyundai automobiles who all had same paint defect. According to the allegations, the paint would bubble, peel, and flake over time. Each one of these Hyundai owners felt they were misrepresented on what they were purchasing and that Hyundai fraudulently concealed this paint defect.
Then a year later in 2017, a class action lawsuit was filed against Hyundai after they allegedly sold cars with the same latent paint defect, causing the “self-healing paint to bubble, peel, and flake.” The court dismissed the claim, but what was the reason behind these lawsuits in the first place?
Fast-forward to today: April 2019. More and more complaints about peeling paint on vehicles have emerged on more than just Hyundai. These include Chevrolet, Toyota, and Kia. The crazy thing is every single one of these cars who are facing the same peeling paint problem all have one major similarity: they are all white (aka “snow white pearl”).
Technicians claim it’s because there’s not enough protection in the clear coat from the sun’s UV rays to prevent the paint from peeling. Check out these pics below taken from technicians:
Each one of these car brands claim this paint issue is not under warranty and/or they refuse to pay for the repair on what was a manufacturing error in the first place. Therefore it comes down to being an out of pocket expense.
Good News and Bad News
The good news is that we can fix it. The car can be sanded and we can blend in the new paint for a virtually imperceptible repair. You won’t need a complete repaint.
The bad news is that it will not be covered under your warranty unless the car is still in the 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. And so far, very few cars have experienced this defect in that time. It usually happens a year or two later. So if you’d like this problem fixed, you will need to pay out of pocket.
We here at 3D Collision Center have been serving Pennsylvania in 7 different locations and can answer any question you may have regarding the paint on your car (or any auto repair question for that matter). Give us a call at (877)-692-7776 and we can provide you with a free estimate in as little as 15 minutes! Or, if you’d like to call a location that is nearest to you, click here to view a list of our locations. We look forward to hearing from you!
