What is this?

[OCD Detailing]

These apeared on 2 cars we did this weekend. A Dodge Durango hood and a Honda Odyssey hood. Both were pretty neglected. At first I thought I was causing it because they would appear as I went over the paint. But that only happened on the hoods. Then I figured they must have been there but hidden under the very dull clear. They are deep enough to feel with your finger nail. I was using XMT 360 with the Rupes 21 with the Megs MF finishing pad.

Thanks

 

[expdetailing]

Maybe the polish filled the cracks and now that's what you're seeing.

 

[1fastTbird]

Looks like the beginning of clear coat failure.

 

[FUNX650]

Looks like crow's feet...a type of paint failure.

Hi Mike,

How about this?

*** Image taken from: Cracks in paint(crows feet)? - 8th Generation Honda Civic Forum

It seems like they are calling it crows feet. Now would you consider that clear coat fracture or clear coat failure?

Thanks.

I would continue to call the defect in the above picture and link you shared crows feet or in the old days it was called lacquer checking, or lacquer cracking.

Both Lacquer Fracturing and Crows Feet are both a type of crack or fracture in the paint but have a very different appearance.

 

[HUMP DIESEL]

Yep, Crow's feet. I worked on an Acura MDX that had these on the hood. I traded fully correcting the top for coating on the hood to keep it for as long as possible.

This is the paint going back though.

HUMP

 

[davidc]

Looks like crow's feet...a type of paint failure.

Yes on the crows feet, my daughters 02 ford has the same thing. Using a sealant hides the problem to some extent.

Dave

 

[OCD Detailing]

Is it caused by neglect or a paint defect?

Thank you for the responses.

 

[swanicyouth]

Looks like a crow stepped in some paint and did the Chicken Dance on the hood.

It's caused by a low quality / low durability factory paint job. The degradation or cracks are accelerated by UV exposure and general exposure to the elements. Seems to show up more on dark colors, which I hypothesis may be related to the paints being at higher temps on sunny days.

Yes, it's Crow's Feet.

 

[Garyhw48]

We used to see this on most all GM cars made in the sixties, crows feet or checking, after they got some age on them. I asked many experts at the time and most said that it was in the metal used on the cars and not the lacquer that GM used. I never thought that was accurate but I'm no expert.

At that time the consensus was that the car had to be taken down to the metal and repainted.

I remember talking to some professionals that said after a repaint the checking came back. That's why they thought the problem was in the steel.

I sanded all of the checked paint and primer off of my sisters '64 Red Impala and repainted it with enamel instead of lacquer and the checking never came back while she owned the car.

IMHO a repaint is the only thing that will fix that problem.

 

[OCD Detailing]

So it's a good opportunity to up sell them on monthly wax's as apposed to the every 5 year wax's they have been doing? lol

Kind of strange I got two cars in one weekend with them. The Durango was that dark maroon color.



Here is a photo of the Durango hood as we got it.

 

[SonOfOC]

You won't be able to polish out crow's feet in your post #1. As matter of fact, they become worse when you polish the area because clarity to the clear coat will enhance the crow's feet. It most common on the hood and is attributed to the additional heat from the motor and "possibly" from repetitive hood shutting. Extremely common in Hondas and Acuras.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

You won't be able to polish out crow's feet

Extremely common in Hondas and Acuras.

Completely agree.

I owned a Honda Pilot, bought it brand new, gave it the best of care and it happened to the paint on the hood. Have seen this "issue" pop up on forums for over a decade now.


For reference... good pictures in this one....

Clearcoat Fracturing versus Clearcoat Failure

 

[HUMP DIESEL]

So it's a good opportunity to up sell them on monthly wax's as apposed to the every 5 year wax's they have been doing? lol

Kind of strange I got two cars in one weekend with them. The Durango was that dark maroon color.



Here is a photo of the Durango hood as we got it.

If the customer has gotten this far with the paint getting like this, I am not sure they will upsale to anything more. Waxing will not prevent this from happening or getting worse.

HUMP

 

[OCD Detailing]

You won't be able to polish out crow's feet in your post #1. As matter of fact, they become worse when you polish the area because clarity to the clear coat will enhance the crow's feet. It most common on the hood and is attributed to the additional heat from the motor and "possibly" from repetitive hood shutting. Extremely common in Hondas and Acuras.

Yea I didn't even see them until I started the 360.

But thanks everybody. I learned something new that will help me going forward.