Corroding Wheel Centre Caps

[Englishtony2002]

Colored caps on mine and 1 started to peel at a few months old. Replaced under warranty.

Thx

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[Slappy_G]

Unlikely to be corrosion of the base material. Those caps are typically aluminum and plastic. What can happen is that they get pried off using steel tools which can deposit metals that can rust on them. Very likely only a surface condition that can be removed with proper cleaning.

Potentially stupid question: on non-center-lock wheels like we have on Taycans, why would the center caps ever be pried off at a dealership or at a tire place?

 

[Ross]

Unlikely to be corrosion of the base material. Those caps are typically aluminum and plastic. What can happen is that they get pried off using steel tools which can deposit metals that can rust on them. Very likely only a surface condition that can be removed with proper cleaning.

Shouldn’t be damage from prising out from the front. They have to be tapped out from the back after the wheels have been removed. Trying to to prise them out from the front would damage them but would only be done by someone who hasn’t a clue what they are doing. Even budget tyre guys know this.
It’s just the plastic delaminating.
Acid alloy wheel pre treatment cleaning spray is a possible culprit?

 

[Ross]

Potentially stupid question: on non-center-lock wheels like we have on Taycans, why would the center caps ever be pried off at a dealership or at a tire place?

To balance the wheel

 

[f1eng]

Unlikely to be corrosion of the base material. Those caps are typically aluminum and plastic. What can happen is that they get pried off using steel tools which can deposit metals that can rust on them. Very likely only a surface condition that can be removed with proper cleaning.

I don’t think so.

IME many lacquered aluminium wheel parts get this white aluminium oxidation under micro cracks in the lacquer.
It is why I never buy wheels with diamond turned highlights, the lacquer tends to get very thin on the sharp edges and that is where the oxidation usually starts.

For me it is a general problem with lacquered ally wheels and wheel parts which I have seen on most makes of car for many years.

 

[The Riddler]

If you ever visit a manual car wash (to be found in the car park of your local garden centre across the UK...) they use pretty corrosive wash solution on the wheels to quickly remove the brake dust build up. I think that can linger in the void behind the wheel centre caps and just has longer to activate against the edges, delaminating the material...

 

[RAHRCR]

If you ever visit a manual car wash (to be found in the car park of your local garden centre across the UK...) they use pretty corrosive wash solution on the wheels to quickly remove the brake dust build up. I think that can linger in the void behind the wheel centre caps and just has longer to activate against the edges, delaminating the material...

This is also my assessment based on the 2nd set of photos in this thread.

 

[gtataycanturbo]

What's the proper way to treat that white stuff? I used 10% household vinegar and that did not work. Is it even possible to wipe it off as opposed to sanding it off?

 

[whitex]

One of my center caps (monochrome) also developed this kind of "corrosion". It looks like something leaked out of the center cap (similar to post #10) I just chucked it up to Porsche's cheapness in choosing materials - they just sell you $2 plastic pieces for $150 "because it's Porsche".

My car has never been through a commercial carwash (unless the dealer took it through one, the car spends about a month a year there).

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