What's happening to my paint?

[hooked]

I have 96 Honda Accord and it's been parked outside for the past 3 years in the South Florida sun and heat. I'm embarrassed to admit that I haven't been keeping up with maintenance. I've been washing and applying a spray wax maybe every four months.

The car is parked in the driveway and the rear is exposed to the sun most of the day. The picture below are of the rear bumper. The fine lines look like scratches and cracks. I've tried correcting it with a couple of passes with Menzerna medium grit polish and a yellow foam 3 inch pad on a Porter Cable RO, but it didn't make much difference.

Is this the beginnings of Clear Coat failure? Is there anything I can try other than repainting?

 

[Just02896]

Yes sir, That I believe is checking in the CC and cannot be corrected without a repaint. I believe the expansion and contraction of the plastic bumper has a hand in it as well. Hate giving news like this! Is it just the bumper?

 

[Evan.J]

Here you go:

Clearcoat Fracturing versus Clearcoat Failure


Pictures courtesy of Jacob aka timaishu
The term Clearcoat Fracturing by Dave aka tuscarora dave


Clearcoat Fracturing

Clearcoat Failure

More clearcoat fracturing pictures by Jacob

Problem
When you diagnose paint with clearcoat fracturing, this is an indicator of a problem with the clear layer of paint.

Clearcoat Fracturing cannot be fixed by machine compounding and polishing as the fractures are like millions of stress cracks that run throughout the entire matrix or thickness of the clear layer of paint. Abrading the paint will just make the pant thinner and expose a deeper portion of the fractures.


Solutions

Live with the defect
Best recommendations are to prep the paint accordingly to insure the surface is clean and smooth, that is clay an polish if needed, and then maintain what lifespan is left in the paint using a premium quality wax, paint sealant or coating.

Repaint
The other option is to have the panel or component re-painted.​

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?

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.

 

[HateSwirls]

Typical Honda clear coat for that year, I see so many on the road that looks just like yours.
Not a car to fair well being parked in the sun all day, everyday.

 

[rolop6]

It's dying! You have to put it down!

 

[hooked]

Yes sir, That I believe is checking in the CC and cannot be corrected without a repaint. I believe the expansion and contraction of the plastic bumper has a hand in it as well. Hate giving news like this! Is it just the bumper?

Sigh. Thanks for theverification. The checkering is just on the rear bumper. The plastic section beneath the license plate is showing the classic spots of CC failure as well. I havent noticed any other damage on the hood, roof or trunk. This morning I went out in the cool air, and I noticed that the dew seems to accumulate along the damaged surfaces. Could the moisture and the sun in combination hastened the damage?

 

[Just02896]

Sigh. Thanks for theverification. The checkering is just on the rear bumper. The plastic section beneath the license plate is showing the classic spots of CC failure as well. I havent noticed any other damage on the hood, roof or trunk. This morning I went out in the cool air, and I noticed that the dew seems to accumulate along the damaged surfaces. Could the moisture and the sun in combination hastened the damage?

I would venture a guess that moisture could also play a part if its able to get below the CC. In your case it doesn't look like the moisture is penetrating since I am not seeing any corrosion stemming from the "cracked" areas. At least it's just the bumper that needs a respray. Can't see it being more than $150-$200 for nice new paint.

 

[timaishu]

Can you feel it with your finger nail? The pictures of the pewter car is mine. Its my spoiler.

I cannot feel anything, its smooth. I would also like to note that it has not got any worse since I posted them(like 2 years ago-ish maybe?) and nothing has peeled off or anything like that. Its very stable. Looks no different even 2 years later.

 

[hooked]

It does feel smooth if I run the tip of my fingernail gently on the surface. I'm guessing the the colored paint underneath the clear coat is what's fracturing.

Someone mentioned that Honda paint seems to be susceptible to this. Do you think I could have prevented it if I had been more diligent in my paint care? The Honda was kept in the garage for 6 years and lost its home 3 years ago when the new car took its place. I'm surprised that the paint died in just 3 years of exposure. Or is it just that the paint is 9 years old and "drying out" or something like that?