Discoloration of plastic moulding - are other owners seeing this?

[4thPcar]

I've had my vehicle since February - it spends most of its time in a garage, and when I saw these blemishes I thought maybe I touched them with sunscreen on my palms, however the locations are near the bottom of the car and not a place I'd touch. I hit the spots with Armor All but the blemishes returned. I may be seeing this also on the inside but I can't say for sure. This is a bit distressing - anyone else seeing it on their vehicle? Its a lot more pronounced than the pics reveal.

 

[satchurator]

Is this perhaps stray product from cleaning / detailing? If you have had the car detailed, I’d suggest you bring it back to them and see if they can identify and remedy.

 

[4thPcar]

Is this perhaps stray product from cleaning / detailing? If you have had the car detailed, I’d suggest you bring it back to them and see if they can identify and remedy.

Never detailed. Was taken in for PPF but these blemishes were not there when I collected the car.

 

[satchurator]

Never detailed. Was taken in for PPF but these blemishes were not there when I collected the car.

From the looks of the spot on the right monkeybutt cheek (part of forum vernacular thanks to @ciaranob), I’d guess sunscreen. Perhaps you ruled that out too quickly? It’s easy to imagine a person’s leg rubbing against that area and depositing sunscreen. Same for someone entering / exiting the car and touching against the running boards trim.

 

[4thPcar]

From the looks of the spot on the right monkeybutt cheek (part of forum vernacular thanks to @ciaranob), I’d guess sunscreen. Perhaps you ruled that out too quickly? It’s easy to imagine a person’s leg rubbing against that area and depositing sunscreen. Same for someone entering / exiting the car and touching against the running boards trim.

Except its on both sides of the car in the same place. I don't travel as a passenger and very rarely carry one. Wife has her own car and when we travel together we aren't wearing sunscreen (I don't wear much either).

 

[W1NGE]

I've had my vehicle since February - it spends most of its time in a garage, and when I saw these blemishes I thought maybe I touched them with sunscreen on my palms, however the locations are near the bottom of the car and not a place I'd touch. I hit the spots with Armor All but the blemishes returned. I may be seeing this also on the inside but I can't say for sure. This is a bit distressing - anyone else seeing it on their vehicle? Its a lot more pronounced than the pics reveal.

Simple to restore I would have thought with the correct detailing product - plenty to choose from.

 

[4thPcar]

Simple to restore I would have thought with the correct detailing product - plenty to choose from.

something other than armor all? can you give me an example? I really have no clue and with the PPF and ceramic coating on painted areas I was not planning to detail the car at all.

 

[RingoDingo]

something other than armor all? can you give me an example? I really have no clue and with the PPF and ceramic coating on painted areas I was not planning to detail the car at all.

Maybe Black Wow?

 

[4thPcar]

Maybe Black Wow?

thanks I'll look into it. If sunscreen were the culprit, I wonder what that stuff is doing to my skin...

 

[satchurator]

Except its on both sides of the car in the same place. I don't travel as a passenger and very rarely carry one. Wife has her own car and when we travel together we aren't wearing sunscreen (I don't wear much either).

If there were a flaw in the plastic, I would imagine that an oxidation issue would exhibit more broadly. Yet these are localized.

Either this mystery white material has been deposited onto the trim, or something has been deposited that reacted with the trim.

The fact that it’s on both sides at points of entry/exit, that is information. Even if you have total certainty that it’s not sunscreen, wouldn’t you agree that there is a non-zero chance that whatever it is, it originated from human contact?

Plenty of folks who have PPF and Ceramic still get their cars detailed. Even if you cannot deduce what it is or what caused it, a detailer will have the tools and know-how to deal with it.

 

[NJ-Taycan]

Treat them with CQUARTZ ceramic coating. It does an amazing job restoring and protecting black plastic trim.

 

[satchurator]

Treat them with CQUARTZ ceramic coating. It does an amazing job restoring and protecting black plastic trim.

Aren’t both Armorall and Ceramic additive products? This stuff needs to be removed before adding protectants, clear coatings etc.

 

[Satiger]

I've had my vehicle since February - it spends most of its time in a garage, and when I saw these blemishes I thought maybe I touched them with sunscreen on my palms, however the locations are near the bottom of the car and not a place I'd touch. I hit the spots with Armor All but the blemishes returned. I may be seeing this also on the inside but I can't say for sure. This is a bit distressing - anyone else seeing it on their vehicle? Its a lot more pronounced than the pics reveal.

Armol All doesn't carry a good reputation among auto enthusiastics. Reviews can be checked online .

I have good success using Zymol products . Zymol vinyl is worth trying . I use that on my all cars as a part of reg maintenance.

 

[satchurator]

1. Start with virginal black matte HDPE plastic with moulded textured surface.
2. Apply sunscreen, seagull poop, parking lot fender bender deposit from a jealous white Tesla / whatever, and allow to bake.
3. Slather it with a clear film of silicone gel (Armorall or equivalent) or ceramic silica coating.
4. Wonder why the white stain didn’t go away but take consolation that the surrounding trim is shiner and more lustrous.

C’mon folks, let’s not be leading this fellow astray by debating what to slather on top of this when it’s already been established that a clear conditioner/protectant didn’t help.

 

[4thPcar]

I appreciate the advice offered and this is why this forum is the most valuable social media site I use.

@satchurator I do agree there is a non-zero probability that the blemishes are from my own actions, however I also thought there was considerable non-zero possibility this was a manufacturer's defect as we've all experienced more than a few minor problems with the vehicle, right? (stressing minor as my vehicle hasn't had any major issues). So....I was expecting to hear from others that they've seen something similar emerge on their moulding.

Absent that, I'll have to accept "I did it" and look for solutions for removing the blemishes. Thanks again.

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