Bubbles In Clear Coat

[Whiplash Willy]

There are a couple of places on my 2001 Toyota 4Runner (Black) where the clear coat looks like it is bubbling, and is deteriorating. What can I do to repair this, or at least stop it from getting any worse? It isn't too bad now, but I see all of these older cars with the clear coat completely gone, and I don't want my car to end up that way!

Here is a picture:

[Setec Astronomy]

It's a little hard to tell from that picture, but that looks like a bird poop etch. If that's the case, the good news is you don't have to worry about large scale clearcoat failure, but the bad news is the paint is still damaged in that area.

[Whiplash Willy]

I will try to get a better picture. If it is bird poop etch, what can I do to get rid of it?

If it isn't, what can I do to stop the damage from spreading?

[Setec Astronomy]

If it's a bird etch, the paint is damaged (and that looks pretty bad). If the etching is minor, it can be removed or made less noticeable by polishing. It looks from the picture like you won't be able to do much for that spot.

If it's some other sort of paint failure...it shouldn't really spread, and if it's going to spread, there probably isn't anything you can do about it.

[Whiplash Willy]

Here is a better picture of another problem spot:

[Whiplash Willy]

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

If it's a bird etch, the paint is damaged (and that looks pretty bad). If the etching is minor, it can be removed or made less noticeable by polishing. It looks from the picture like you won't be able to do much for that spot.

If it's some other sort of paint failure...it shouldn't really spread, and if it's going to spread, there probably isn't anything you can do about it.

Can bird etch be so bad that it completely eats through the clear? Is it the longer it sits on the paint, the worse it gets?

I have about 5 bad spots, some probley are bird etch, but others could be clear coat failure...it really sucks that I can't do anything about the clear coat failures. I guess I just have to hope things don't get any worse!

[Setec Astronomy]

Boy, that picture looks familiar...was that in another thread? When a car isn't cleaned often, it gets spots on it where the paint is just damaged, from bird poop, tree stuff, and other environmental fallout.

I try to do a walkaround once a day and take off any offending contaminants, but on a hot day a good bird poop can etch your paint almost immediately. If you've already got the spots, you polish them a bit to make them look the best they can, and live with them. The other answer is a repaint so you can start the cycle all over again.

[Whiplash Willy]

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Boy, that picture looks familiar...was that in another thread? When a car isn't cleaned often, it gets spots on it where the paint is just damaged, from bird poop, tree stuff, and other environmental fallout.

I try to do a walkaround once a day and take off any offending contaminants, but on a hot day a good bird poop can etch your paint almost immediately. If you've already got the spots, you polish them a bit to make them look the best they can, and live with them. The other answer is a repaint so you can start the cycle all over again.

Nope, I just took the picture right before I posted it. Yea, I always clean off any poop, leaves, sap, ect. as soon as I see it, unfortunately the person who owned it for the first 9 years obviously did not.

As soon as I have time, ill going to clay, compound, polish and wax it then hope for the best!

Thanks for your help!

[Anthony Orosco]

Sorry to say but your paint is toast. It can be wet sanded and polished but that will do very little to correct it.

The clear coat and most likely base coat have been etched. It will need to be repainted to fix it completely. Touch up can work but again its just not a total fix but a band aid.

Good look,
Anthony

[Setec Astronomy]

Anthony Orosco!