fgn

have got some corrosion on my wrx MY05 wheels already, just starting to go on the edges of the spokes (under the paint)...

Is this normal, anyone else with the same problem??

1yr old and 7000 miles

not too happy.... warranty????????????????

jd5217

have you used a corrosive wheel cleaner on them?

EVOLUTION

its either that or they have had baked on brake dust to them for long periods of time.


Very difficult to go at them with that one i would imagine


john

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

Definitely warranty.

The lovely lady who sits across from me at work got a couple of her MY04 STI wheels replaced for nowt.

stilover

Oh, I think I'd better check on the alloys I took off mine in August. they had a bit of brake dust on them, and have been kept in a container at work ever since. Kept on meaning to get them out and clean them, but couldn't be bothered. I'll have a check next week.

EVOLUTION

if there scuffed in the slightest they wont entertain a claim.


im guessing it would be how well you get on with the dealer. Ie, washing them with wonder wheels will over time damage them....

that isnt the dealers fault, if what you washed the wheels in caused it.


let me know how you get on, i may consider washing my car with acetone, i could do with some stone chips repainting under warranty lol


john

MTR

Its because the back of the wheel isn't painted.
Oxidation starts on the unprotected surface and travels under the painted outer face.
Looking from the outside they appear to have paint on them, but is merely overspray caught on the machined finish.
Remove the wheel and look from inside and they are shiny silver aluminium in colour, no paint at all.
Its not how you have treated them.

I have removed the wheels on four of the last five new Imprezas I have bought as soon as I get the car home on the first day, to brush paint the backs.
On my first MY98 I didn't bother as I assumed they were painted.
They soon started looking tatty, hence I routinely paint immediately from new.
For interest MY06 STi wheels are painted on the back face, but not on the inner most vertical flange, where the knock on balance weights would go, but MY05 STi wheels weren't painted.

I think a warranty claim should be upheld, but I would paint the new wheels immediately to maintain their condition.

Cheers
MTR

EVOLUTION

well in that case, all wheels would be like that, i never clean them, and my last 3 sets have not suffered from corrosion.

I had a 306 rallye with the standard cyclone alloys on, it took 5 years for corrosion to start, clean only ever with soapy water. This should not under normal conditions happen to a car which is at worst case, 1 year and a few weeks old

I do aggree with the finish, its only on the front, but it takes time for this to normaly happen. unless you are using a chemical that accelarates the corrosion.

If the corrosion has clarly started from the inside edge of the wheel, you might have a case if your prepared to push and push the dealer

fgn

so, its just me then...

you are right about no paint on the inside of the wheel though, it looks like just primer or overspray on the inside so the corrosion is just creeping around the edge of the spokes under the paint...

does everyone on here on use soap and water to clean wheels then. had loads of other cars and not suffered the problem including another scoob.


?????

EVOLUTION

if it starts from the edge, ie, looks like its comong from the back of the wheel, you may well be in with a shout. but if its localised corrosion surrounded by a good finish, it will be difficult.

it could simply have been a stone chip and the wheel cleaner has got underneath that way. But you wouldnt be able to claim a stone chip on the wheel any more you would with one on the bonnet.


can you post pics of the corrosion?


And yes, its correct about the finish not covering the whole wheel. most are like that im affraid, its weight saving, helps you go faster lol.... or it could be cost cutting which i think is far more likely


john

richs2891

Well these are the inside of my wheels MY05 @ 11K miles
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...irtyWheel3.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...irtyWheel2.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...irtyWheel1.jpg
You can see that that they are clearly not painted (or finished like the front face) and can see the light pitting on the surface where dirt has become embedded. And cant seem to shift the dirt !
Hopefully getting a sample of Meguiars Wheel brighter to clean them up them with !

MRT what paint did you use on your wheels ? Might be tempted with this route- especially if can paint them anthraite or such colour !

MTR

rsarjantson,
I have used Halfords silver enamal paint for my silver wheels and Hammerite Smoothrite Gold for my STi wheels.
It helps slow down the oxidation considerably, but some pitting will be evident after a while.
To clean your wheels, buy a couple of paper masks, and a scotchbrite wheel for your drill, and do them outside, not in the garage.
They will come up quite well, with some effort.
The only way to remove corrosion on alloy is to phsically remove it. Or that is the accepted method in aerospace.

Evolution,
some of my collegues have in the past had their wheels vacu blasted, degreased, sprayed with aircraft epoxy primer, then silver top coat.
They won't corrode again in a hurry.
I work at BAE as a senior manufacturing engineer, but I didn't fancy lugging 4 wheels around the factory, each time I changed cars, I couldn't really pass them off as RJ or MRA4 wheels.

Cheers
MTR

EVOLUTION

all the wheels i have ever had are like that mate. the backs are rarley painted, on saying that, the OZ ones my dad has are.....


the corrosion on the inside is the same as mine after about a month or two, its just surface and with a good bit of hard work they can be cleaned well. I never bother though, mine are an anthricte colour, WR1 wheels so a bling bling look on the inside will look odd.

Is the corrosion on the painted surface on the outside? i though it was, not on the insinde, appoligies if i have got that wrong.


MTR, you should switch your place of work then mate, i get away with doing it all the time at my place. I cant pass them off as shells mortas or any other kind of land system missile. I just think there not to interestred lol

lol

Turbo_T

iTrader: (7)

i fit alloys and tyres for a living and i see so many cars 3 years and under with wheels doing the same normaly if u go back and say that u have been losein pressure in the tyre and had a garage check the wheel and say its due to the problem thay will replace them under warranty ford and bmw are very prone for this ive found and mercs as well se ewhat thay say is the best thing

fgn

Hi,

well heres the pictures what do you think?

If it was not a lack of paint on the back of the wheels then why only on the spokes towards the rear edge

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...osion00018.jpg

mitchster26

My impreza has only done 22k and the wheels should look newer than they do, i think subaru need to spend a bit more money on paint at the factory.

fgn

do yours look this bad...

mines an import from alliance do imports have inferior paint quality so they corrode quicker???!!!!!!

Bugatti

Mine is a uk car, 1 yr and 4 months old and the edges of the spokes are also starting to corrode from the inside out, so i dont think the problem is on imports alone.

Naz.

carlem

I had a similar problem on my Civic Type R (before switching to the WRX PPP). The car was 2 years old, had done 26,000 miles and I has used Wonder Wheels on the alloys every 4 weeks or.

Took the car into Honda, they took some pictures which they then sent off to Honday themselves and 2 weeks later it had all been sorted out and I had 4 new wheels.

Result!

girl-in-a-scoob

MY04 wrx going in under warranty to have wheels replaced, theres a thread on here somewhere I started about this, mine had started to 'pit' so took it back and photos hot footing it to japan to get them changed under the warranty.

wrxseeker

iTrader: (1)

Err no.

Picture the scene at the Subaru factory when they guy/machine says "Hang on a minute this cars going to Cyprus - I must put less paint on this wheel than a UK car " !!!

My Alliance WRX is 1 year old now and the wheels appear ok - at the moment !!!

But my wifes 206cc had a wheel replaced under warranty due to corrosion after 12 months from new. I think it is just bad luck as the other 3 were perfect.

fgn

so its not just me then...
hope they agree to my warranty claim or I will be real fed up!!!!!!

my other scoob's havent done this!!!!