Bubbling Paint

Paul S Lacey · Mar 10, 2003

My 1999 Viper GTS has just started to paint bubble on the rear wing (fender).

Area is 1/4" wide and about six inches long just behind the rear wheel about 2 " from the fender to tub joint.

Is this common?

We have one other UK owner that is having the same trouble.

Vehicle is only two years old.

Thanks guys

Got Venom · Mar 10, 2003

Paul,

My 2001 Sapphire Blue RT/10 has some small bubbles the size of pin heads coming up on both sides about half way between the cooling ducts and the windshield. I had about 20 on the right side, and showed them to my dealer, and he had their paint shop buff them out. Well, they have reappeared, and now there are about 10 on the left side of the car??? You can really see them under flourescent light, but not so well out in direct sunlight. I'm not sure what I should do if they are going to reappear every time after they buff, because eventually there will be no paint.

Chuck 98 RT/10 · Mar 10, 2003

I discovered some small bubbles behind the rear glass on my RT/10, but with 60k miles I'm more concerned with the sandblasting the front has taken. Regardless, I'd like to know the source of the bubbles. I thought it might be the slow curing of the resin body but that's just a guess. If that’s the case then I won’t worry about it until I do a complete nose to tail paint job. I figure in about 40K miles it’ll need it.

Jerry Dobson · Mar 10, 2003

Yep, this is a very common problem. In my garage I can find them. But in sunlight or standard lighting, they are harder to find.

Waxing and sealers seem to cause the bubbles to be more apparent. Don't wax the bubbling area, let them breath out.

Chuck is correct. The bubbles are caused by resin. The body is not dry when painted. Repainting won't fix it.

The only true fix is to sand all the paint off the problem area. Then put a heat lamp on the panel for 3+ days. Then Prime and Paint.

Vic · Mar 10, 2003

Does everyone who has bubbles also use the same wax?

I would hate to find out that it is caused by Zaino or McGuires'.

But if it is only caused by the resin, like stated above, then it wouldn't matter what you waxed it with, I guess.

Jerry Dobson · Mar 10, 2003

Vic,

Good question. Lets find out. Maybe some waxes look good but don't allow the paint to breath and the resin to dry.

Me:
Bubbles=Yes
Location=Gas Cap Area
Wax=Zaino

malcoll · Mar 10, 2003

I have these same "bubbles" on my 1996 RT... they are on the sides of the sport cap... and on the deck lid.

Wouldn't these be covered under warranty? Sounds like a manufacturer's defect if it is caused by the resins not being dry when DC paints the vehicle?

Any thoughts about being covered under warranty or extended service plan?

My RT only has 31,000 miles... the paint should still be PERFECT as it has always been garage kept!

Lance

GR8_ASP · Mar 10, 2003

Sounds like an excellent question for a poll. Anyone know how to conduct one?

I for one do not have any bubbles on my '95. I used Maguire's wax the first 3 years and then switched to Zaino.

I do have little depressions that look a little like chicken foot markings on the hood. I believe they are the result of shrinking filler in the hood. I had them repaired and repainted once but they returned (or others just like them) a year or 2 later.

Vic · Mar 11, 2003

I posted a quickie survey in this forum, lets see if people want to help. Maybe we'll get some input, I hope.

ZX1100 · Mar 11, 2003

My friendly Dodge dealer took care of my paint bubbles by replacing the sport cap where it was happening. He did mention that it needed to be replaced to fix it correctly and yes it was under warranty

Nadine UK GTS · Mar 11, 2003

Metallic paint will bubble if moisture / damp gets under it, are any of you putting your snake away under cover in the garage for the winter I wonder? With out a dehumidifier, you can't be sure of moisture free, air does not circulate under covers!

DEVILDOG · Mar 11, 2003

No bubbles here. 5 years old, 8393 miles, waxed every two years whether it needs it or not, so far, twice w/ Meguiar's Gold.

VENM8R · Jun 3, 2004

It would be nice to see how many cars have been afflicted with this problem.

My car has just started to bubble this month. The blisters are just above the corner tips on each side of the hood and on the roof top. You can see them very easy in any light. Not to gross anyone out, but they look like little pimples (on the roof).

I have misplaced my copy of the chrysler extended warranty and wonder if anyone was able to get their car repaired for this problem under the extendend warranty.

BigCarrot · Jun 3, 2004

I have them on my back fender. They look like [******]!

KenricGTS · Jun 3, 2004

I have a '96 GTS and I have 9K miles and it has been waxed a ton of times with Zaino. I have no bubbles at all thankfully. I really thought the paint on Vipers are impressive. It suprised me that this is happening on other Vipers. It should be covered under warranty.

Kenric
642rwhp
814rwt

Jerry Dobson · Apr 21, 2005

I am still fighting this problem.

ViperLB · Apr 22, 2005

I got too. Around gas cap and drivers door near the top stretching down the hatch, rear fender line.

We should compile a list.

ViperLB · Apr 22, 2005

I got it too. Around gas cap and drivers door near the top stretching down the hatch, rear fender line.

We should compile a list.

Got Venom · Apr 22, 2005

I fixed mine, and I hope this is not a jinx, and that they might come back, but the first time the dealership buffed them out, they came back a couple of months later. I finally went to a custom paint shop, and they told me that the material that are car is made out of, under the paint is not fully cured. So it will keep out gasing until you open it up and let it breath. So they took my hood down under the paint and let it sit for a few days, and then repainted my hood, and it looks great, and I had this done about a year or so ago now, and it still looks great with no bubbles. Dodge covered my hood under warranty, and I had a wing and the front fascia done at the same time on my dime ;-)

Jerry Dobson · Apr 22, 2005

The PPG rep said the same thing. That the car needs to be taken down to the fiberglass (in the problem area) and put a heat lamp on it for three days.

Has anyone done the heat lamp and then still have a problem?

GTS Bruce · Apr 22, 2005

Sounds like poor resin mix/temp/humidity/curing conditions.Common in low end or poorly mnfg. boats. GTS Bruce

Bubbling Paint

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

VCA Venom Member

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

VCA Venom Member

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

VCA Member North TX

Viper Owner

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Viper Owner

Viper Owner

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Enthusiast

Similar threads

Forum statistics

Share this page