303 aerospace protectant stained the plastic in my vehicle. How to fix?

[briarpatch]

what kind of car is this? what year?

[The Guz]

I can't pull them out, they are a composite piece. My vehicle is under warranty and I went to the dealer about it and they said that the entire rear hatch needs to be replaced because it is a single "part" you cannot buy just the plastic separately or replace it separately. They also denied my warranty claim since they believe it was due to something being put on the plastic. All I put on it was the 303 I never did anything else to it, and I don't know for sure if the 303 caused the problem. If you look carefully you will notice that the pattern is a mirror image left vs. right side. I find that particularly interesting.

What model vehicle is this? Could you also include a full image of the interior hatch?

[Bruno Soares]

How can the images be mostly a mirror if it was something you did to it? That dealer is full of crap.

With it being a single piece like you say I think that makes it even more likely that there's a leak somewhere and the pattern you see is due how each side is glued in similar ways. Maybe try another dealer? Don't mention trying to fix it or dress the plastic.

[sqenixs]

How can the images be mostly a mirror if it was something you did to it? That dealer is full of crap.

With it being a single piece like you say I think that makes it even more likely that there's a leak somewhere and the pattern you see is due how each side is glued in similar ways. Maybe try another dealer? Don't mention trying to fix it or dress the plastic.

2019 Jeep Cherokee. I don't trust the dealers to replace my entire rear tailgate since they said they have to repaint the new panel and transfer the glass, wiring, etc. The part alone is $1200. They did say that I can take it up with Chrysler customer service if I want to push the issue. It wasn't the dealer that denied my warranty claim, it was Chrysler. To make things more interesting, my vehicle was actually an executive demo/press car owned by Chrysler prior to being sold at auction to a dealer that I purchased from.

It seems like a different type of plastic/composite than the other trim panels, it is very hard.

[PaulMys]

....I went to the dealer about it and they said that the entire rear hatch needs to be replaced because it is a single "part" you cannot buy just the plastic separately or replace it separately. the pattern is a mirror

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. That dealer is full of crap. The gate is made from separate parts, and it certainly was not stamped as one piece containing glass, rubber, plastic, and wiring. If it was assembled, it can be disassembled.

By their logic, if your rear wiper motor or taillight went bad, they would have to replace the entire gate?? BS.

Find another dealer that doesn't lie to the customers.

[sqenixs]

I don't think they are lying. Sometimes the manufacturer only sells the part all together. For example there are some removable clips I broke taking off another trim panel and I found out from the parts department (they called Chrysler) that you cannot get them separately and have to buy a new panel, even though they are "removable clips", meant to be replaced when you take off the panel. I have gone online and you cannot buy just the plastic part. See the attached picture:



I agree it is totally stupid.

[PaulMys]

Chrysler dealers can get them.

I work for a Ford dealer, and I see the techs disassemble tailgates almost every day.

If Chrysler is different, then I agree with your "totally stupid" assessment.

[The Guz]

I find it hard to believe that they have to replace the entire thing.

I did a quick search and found this 2019-2020 lift gate on eBay. Looks like it comes apart.

[sqenixs]

It probably does come apart. It is just not sold separately.

[57Rambler]

I don't think they are lying. Sometimes the manufacturer only sells the part all together. For example there are some removable clips I broke taking off another trim panel and I found out from the parts department (they called Chrysler) that you cannot get them separately and have to buy a new panel, even though they are "removable clips", meant to be replaced when you take off the panel. I have gone online and you cannot buy just the plastic part. See the attached picture:



I agree it is totally stupid.

Here's the deal. OEM's have modularized things like door assemblies, tailgate assemblies, etc., to decrease assembly time on the final assembly line. Many times these modules are assembled (ie. subcontracted) to outside suppliers and thus the OEM's may not have direct access to components used in the modules. This creates a pain not only for customers trying to get an individual component, it also sometimes creates a headache on the final assembly lines as well.

I helped design the initial door assembly modules used in several GM cars (E/K body, L body, & W body) and then was the lead onsite engineer assigned to oversee the module production at a subcontractor's facility. We constantly received requests from the assembly plants (and dealers) for things like the "christmas tree" plastic clips used to hold wiring in place in the module. But we couldn't fulfill those requests because they were part of an assembly within the module assembly that had been subcontracted out (by the overall subcontractor for the module). I made a lot of "supplier visits" on the pretense of quality control, etc., just to steal a box or two of clips to share with others.

Moral of the story is that many things in today's manufacturing world are not as simple as they seem. Vertical integration was phased out as a "bad thing" but the reality is that it created many new problems that couldn't be solved as easily as when you had total control over everything from top to bottom.

Some other people I have talked with believe it wasn't the 303 that did it and instead was a defect in the plastic from manufacture, called blooming where the release agent causes a staining of the plastic. I'm not sure either way.

That's not a result of mold release agent. For starters, it does not stain plastic ... molders wouldn't use it if it did so. It can be hard to get off without the right "cleaner" but it doesn't stain. It's mostly silicone. Also, you wouldn't get that mirror imaged pattern from mold release agent, normally the entire mold is sprayed/coated.