New truck, rust... Do I stand a chance?

rmemedic

rmemedic

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So, I bought a 2012 Ram brand new last spring. It has just over 40,000 on it. When I bought it, I paid extra for their "lifetime" rust protection underspray... I also got one of the further extended warranties that includes repair on rust, but that's for actual perforations from the rust.

Yesterday, while getting out of the truck I noticed some funny colored dust on the door sill of the drivers door... I checked with my finger and it's rust! The rust is coming from underneath the plastic door sill that covers the pinch welds in the body. Then I decided to check the other doors... All of them the exact same thing.
I didn't pull up the plastic plate to see what's going on under there, as I want to bring it in to the dealer and see them lift it for the first time knowing that there is no way they can say I messed with it.

I wash my truck through the winter to get the salt off. I also clean the inside of the doors and the body where the external wash doesn't get to. I'm a little bit ticked off, considering how new the truck is, and that I bought a new truck to not have issues. My Canyon was 8 years old and was only just barely starting to get this type of rust and it had never been undercoated.

So plan to show the dealer. What I want is the rust cleaned up (proper rust repair at the body shop) and a re-spray of the under coating. Do I stand a chance or are they just going to tell me to get lost?
 
Most warrantys only repair rust if it has perforated a panel. They will most likely tell you your out of luck, unless something is actually perforated. However tha being said the squeaky wheel gets the grease. By all means complain about it every time your truck is in. Call the Chrysler customer care number and plead your case to them. Rust is rust. To me it should be covered. There is no excuse to have any rust on a new vehicle.
 
Forget the dealership bs. Get that truck to krown ASAP. If you have CAA you get a discount.

For $140 ish / year For that ram....it's worth it.

You cannot prevent rust - you can only slow it down. I generally oil down my door bottoms and the tail gate right before winter. Wipe it all off in the spring. Even with heavy oiling they will eventually show a slight bit of rust. But it's very slight surface rust.
 
Check out other Ram's to see if they have similar problems, or if its just unique to yours.
 
If you use twitter tweet it and mention ford Canada. They hate bad PR. But make sure to tweet a positive comment if/when they do come good. Worked for me with my Chevy on a mechanical issue I was having that they were giving me the run around on.


#146
 
I paint cars for a living, the dodge ram has a spray foam type product they use inside the door bottoms, rocker panels, front fenders, and box side wheel arches. they hold moisture and rot out the truck, I have repaired (cut out and replaced) many of them, even an 09.
Dodge trucks are nice looking but in time, it will rot from the inside out.
On that note Krown or rust check are very good products that will soak the foam with oil and help huge.
 
frekeyguy said:
Forget the dealership bs. Get that truck to krown ASAP. If you have CAA you get a discount.

For $140 ish / year For that ram....it's worth it.

You cannot prevent rust - you can only slow it down. I generally oil down my door bottoms and the tail gate right before winter. Wipe it all off in the spring. Even with heavy oiling they will eventually show a slight bit of rust. But it's very slight surface rust.
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+1 for Krown.
 
Wingboy said:
+1 for Krown.
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+ 2

I used Krown on my 93 Accord until I traded it for another Honda in 2010. It had no rust except for a very small spot on one of the rear fender lips.
 
09SV650S said:
If you use twitter tweet it and mention ford Canada.
Click to expand...
But its a Dodge, Ford won't do #$#% for you :P Other than offer you a good trade in and say we saved this man from Dodge POS.

Rust this early is probably a bad design, water sitting in the door too long will rust it. As said Krown or RustCheck will help out a bit. The vehicles I have treated with Rust Check have never had bad rust issues, the ones I have not have developed rust issues and once they start its like a cancer.
 
Just my opinion and experiences. Rust proofing whether it's from the dealer or aftermarket are all just a waste of money. The biggest factor on how good or long a car will deter rust is the original design of the vehicle. I've had cars that were rust proofed using krown etc and they all rusted just as fast as someone who didn't. In fact my last two vehicles I didn't do any rust proofing and they held up longer than the ones I did in the past.
 
00ninja said:
+ 2

I used Krown on my 93 Accord until I traded it for another Honda in 2010. It had no rust except for a very small spot on one of the rear fender lips.
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because that spot has foam behind it. if it didnt it would still be mint
 
carboncat said:
because that spot has foam behind it. if it didnt it would still be mint
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Foam in fender lips? What could possibly be the purpose of foam in fender lips? Never heard of this. How can you tell if you have fender lip foam? Can you feel the fender lip foam?
 
I've taken my 99 Acura TL to KROWN since I first bought it in 1998. Not a hint of rust anywhere. Don't waste money with stealership rust programs.
 
OP, take lots of pictures and go see Dodge. None of the manufactures are very pleased about rust on new vehicles and will usually try and find an appeasement.
Its a sad display that they still dont get that trapped water will cause rust, all those pinch seams left unsealed...... primer isnt water resistant like paint.
I can remember the hemp sound panels on floor pans, 1/2" thick sponges
 
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