Anyone have corrosion on "chrome" body molding strips?
06-28-2007, 01:28 PM
#1
AudiWorld Member
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Anyone have corrosion on "chrome" body molding strips?
I took delivery of my 2007 A8L in August of '06 and noticed in January '07, after a ton of snow, what appeared to be corrosion on the chrome body molding strips on all three pieces on driver and passenger side. Front and rear is fine. Audi is replacing, no charge-kudos to them, but wanted to know if anyone else had this problem.
06-28-2007, 05:25 PM
#2
AudiWorld Senior Member
Yes
I just got a CPO'ed '06 A8 SWB sport with only 7700 miles on it and it has the same stuff on the side molding and as yours, the front and rear molding is fine. I couldn't get it off with regular cleaning materials either. Never thought of having them replace them. Hope my dealer doesn't fight it- sometimes when they try and "fix" something they make it worse than it was in the first place!
It looks like pitting- strange?
It looks like pitting- strange?
06-28-2007, 05:59 PM
#3
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Re: Anyone have corrosion on "chrome" body molding strips?
Does the corrosion you're talking about look sort of like a white "frosting" or clouding of the chrome? If so, the strips around small rear quarter windows on mine have it.
06-28-2007, 08:23 PM
#5
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Not cloudy, more like skl1 desciption of pits
Wife's '01 A6 has the "cloudy" look on rear chrome section and I have been unable to clean hers. Mine looks like the result of mag-chloride that is used on the roads in Colorado this past winter and strips not bing up to standard to handle it.
06-28-2007, 11:36 PM
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BTW whatever you do DON'T use chrome cleaner. The strips are Ali and
chrome cleaner will ruin them. The cloudy finish is a common problem that does not have a fix, apart from replacing the trim. Being oxidisation under/in the laquer.
Whatever happened to real trim with real chrome... I guess that's progress right?
Whatever happened to real trim with real chrome... I guess that's progress right?
06-29-2007, 03:27 AM
#7
AudiWorld Senior Member
Cloudiness can be caused by chemicals used by automatic car washes.
I had all trim on an A6 replaced because of this (by Audi under warranty) and now rarely use car washes. THe A4 cab is extremely vulnerable to this, especially the large trim panel ahead of the trunk lid but the A8's have been far more resistant
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06-29-2007, 05:33 AM
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As V8growler mentions, the strips are aluminum, in keeping with the all-aluminum theme of the A8
and unfortunately, it oxidizes much like steel. Many D2 A8s have the same problem, and we've found no easy solution short of replacement. You'd have to remove the clearcoat, polish the metal, and reapply a clearcoat.
06-29-2007, 11:28 AM
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Re: Anyone have corrosion on "chrome" body molding strips?
Hey walko789
My '04 is very heavily pitted and looks as though it has rust spots. How did you approach Audi to have yours replaced?
My '04 is very heavily pitted and looks as though it has rust spots. How did you approach Audi to have yours replaced?