Alloy white spots puzzle

wesleyad

Hi guys,
I cannot find anything on the net anything like this, I just noticed my two rear alloys have loads of white spots on them (fronts a little but nowhere near as much).

It looks like overspray from someone using some white paint, but it cant be as its on both rears in the same places.

It's only around the rim, the ends of the spokes and the centre (see my excellent paint skills). The spokes themselves are completely untouched (very strange).

I've driven nowhere new, haven't used any new cleaning products, nothing has changed.

I've tried using a compound to see if they come off (same compound has removed genuine overspray before) and nothing.. its just polished them up!

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

casseus

wesleyad wrote: »

Hi guys,
I cannot find anything on the net anything like this, I just noticed my two rear alloys have loads of white spots on them (fronts a little but nowhere near as much).

It looks like overspray from someone using some white paint, but it cant be as its on both rears in the same places.

It's only around the rim, the ends of the spokes and the centre (see my excellent paint skills). The spokes themselves are completely untouched (very strange).

I've driven nowhere new, haven't used any new cleaning products, nothing has changed.

I've tried using a compound to see if they come off (same compound has removed genuine overspray before) and nothing.. its just polished them up!

Anyone got any ideas?

Cheers

Solvent pop they have been repainted. paints failed.

wesleyad

Why would they all go within a few days of each other? Do you think its something to do with air temp?

I've had them from new for 2 years so it's strange all 4 went within a week (front 2 not as bad though)

Just to add these are completely flush to the surface, doesnt solvent pop normally have texture to it?

casseus

wesleyad wrote: »

Why would they all go within a few days of each other? Do you think its something to do with air temp?

I've had them from new for 2 years so it's strange all 4 went within a week (front 2 not as bad though)

They would have been little bubbles to start with, then over time with washes and elements and heat cycles, the paint flaked off, leaving the paint underneath exposed, the white your seeing is actually the silver paint underneath. its the effects from solvent pop (trapped VOC's in paint).
Its sure can have a texture, or its covered with a lacquer and so is smooth.
Another possibility is that you have run through some acidic substance. either way they require a refurb now if you want to smarten them up.

wesleyad

Yeah I get what your saying but I don't understand how this can happen pretty much overnight with 4 different wheels, all in the same place. I had the rear right off two weeks ago for a close up wash and detail and there was literally nothing on it. And today it's like they've been painted!

I can try a fine grade sandpaper on an inconspicuous part.. I shouldn't be able to sand back to black in theory?

wesleyad

I'm thinking if it is paint at fault then they are still in warranty so that would be good

casseus

If they are under warranty (doubt it) you will need to make a claim with Audi so you next step is contacting your local dealership. You never know a dealership may have repainted them as they got kerbed damaged in transit when it being shipped to the UK.

angrycrow

Have you used a hand car wash place recently. It's not unheard of for some of these hand car wash places to use unusual chemicals to make their life easier.

I used one near me a couple of times until I realised the chemicals they put in the spray bottles had stripped all the layers of wax off my paint in one go. The stuff they sprayed on my alloys stripped all the brake dust off instantly so suspect it was something like brick acid rather than wheel cleaner.

wesleyad

casseus wrote: »

If they are under warranty (doubt it) you will need to make a claim with Audi so you next step is contacting your local dealership. You never know a dealership may have repainted them as they got kerbed damaged in transit when it being shipped to the UK.

They are still under warranty, they aren't Audi, I bought them new and fitted them, just checked it was only 18 months ago, and warranty is 2 years. Of course the hard part will be proving the problem is with the wheel and not something I've done. Might pop down to my local wheel specialist.

angrycrow wrote: »

Have you used a hand car wash place recently. It's not unheard of for some of these hand car wash places to use unusual chemicals to make their life easier.

No nothing, been using the same wash I have used for years (meguiars).

My current theory is it is popping as casseus says, and possibly recent cold weather has exacerbated it, hence why its appeared so suddenly.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

It certainly looks like a bad case of solvent blistering or solvent pop.

After 18 months, you will be hard pressed to get any company to accept this is a failure of the paint (it would have been evident when you purchased the wheels if you know what your looking for), to me this looks like it has been festering for a while and you have only just noticed due to taking off a wheel for a detail.

Any good independent body shop would do a strip and referb for around £179-£240 for all four. NARDO GRAY!!!!!

wesleyad

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

It certainly looks like a bad case of solvent blistering or solvent pop.

to me this looks like it has been festering for a while and you have only just noticed due to taking off a wheel for a detail.

Any good independent body shop would do a strip and referb for around £179-£240 for all four. NARDO GRAY!!!!!

That's the thing, I think you misread my previous post, I did have the wheel off about 3 weeks ago, I had it on the dining room table (much to the wifes disgust!) and it was immaculate (spend about 30 mins cleaning and waxing and was very...intimate with it). So it's definitely happened within the last few weeks, and happened simultaneously on all 4 wheels.

Silly question, but if its solvent pop isn't this by definition a failure of the paint? There's a 2 year warranty, what else would it be for?

Yeah I could get them refurbed but I shouldn't have to be refurbring new alloys after 18 months surely?