"Rail dust" on my rig - wtf

[Ashley2013]

2013 GMC Sierra 1500, I bought it brand new less than a year ago, 16,000 miles, white...

 

Noticed rusty specks all over it last week after washing it. Drive to dealership, "oh yeah, that's rail dust. Nothing we can do about it. You need to just wash it off and then wax it to prevent it from happening again."

 

WTF! It looks like crap!

 

Any chance there is a TSB out there that says the dealership has to clean it within a certain timeframe?!

 

Chrome bumper is also all rusty where it's bolted on in the front. I pointed that out while I was there, and lo and behold, there is a recall on those, they will replace the bumper. I wanted them to replace it with a painted bumper, but they can't, only can replace it with the same thing. Handy.

 

The rubber piece on the extended cab window, on the bottom of the window, is falling off too.

 

I missed my Ford the day I traded it for this thing...

 

So, GMC folks, any help getting me some backup to try to get the dealership to wash the rail dust off?

 

It goes in Wednesday for the bumper replacement and the window piece. It would be nice if they would clean the rail dust off and wax it while it's there.

[TimmyG]

Rail dust is common on all cars, iron helps remove it along with clay baring. My 11 had the rear bumper replaced under warranty for rust

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[NitroCherokee]

ALL vehicles have it, just shows more on white paint. Clay bar and wax it. It WILL happen again. It is small pieces of metal from the brake pads that sticks to the paint and then rusts. Ford does it too! My White F250 has it

[KMGZ400]

My truck had the little rust spots all over it when I first got it. I buffed them all out and waxed the truck and it was done with.

[RyanbabZ71]

It's common, I have noticed even with claying, sealing, , and waxing I occasionally get small specks in my silver paint. Will have to clay and seal again in the spring

 

 

Ryan

[txab]

2013 GMC Sierra 1500, I bought it brand new less than a year ago, 16,000 miles, white...

 

Noticed rusty specks all over it last week after washing it. Drive to dealership, "oh yeah, that's rail dust. Nothing we can do about it. You need to just wash it off and then wax it to prevent it from happening again."

 

WTF! It looks like crap!

 

Any chance there is a TSB out there that says the dealership has to clean it within a certain timeframe?!

 

Chrome bumper is also all rusty where it's bolted on in the front. I pointed that out while I was there, and lo and behold, there is a recall on those, they will replace the bumper. I wanted them to replace it with a painted bumper, but they can't, only can replace it with the same thing. Handy.

 

The rubber piece on the extended cab window, on the bottom of the window, is falling off too.

 

I missed my Ford the day I traded it for this thing...

 

So, GMC folks, any help getting me some backup to try to get the dealership to wash the rail dust off?

 

It goes in Wednesday for the bumper replacement and the window piece. It would be nice if they would clean the rail dust off and wax it while it's there.

Feel better now?

 

 

Time to get over it and move on. Common occurrence on vehicles. Wash, clay bar, seal etc......

Edited January 27, 2014 by txab

[Chris]

Medicine has nothing to do with it. Granted waiting a year is wrong it shouldn't have had any on it at time of delivery

[Ashley2013]

So you have a 1 year old truck that you put 16k miles on & you want your dealer to cover a detail under warranty because you just found some rail dust? Are you from Colorado?

 

I am from Vermont, as noted under "Location" on my post.

 

Medicine has nothing to do with it. Granted waiting a year is wrong it shouldn't have had any on it at time of delivery

 

I didn't wait a year before going to the dealership to ask them to fix it. I bought the truck in the spring 2013, after "salt season" and this is the first winter with it. I'm assuming the rail dust is just showing up because now is the first winter it's had salt on it, and the salt is causing the specks to turn rust colored.

 

I called the dealership back yesterday and told them that when it's in on Wednesday for the bumper replacement and rubber window gasket fix, that I want them to address the rail dust. A less than one year old truck shouldn't have rust on it anywhere, no matter what they are claiming its from. I could see if I had wrecked the truck, or had dents, that would allow entry for corrosion but that's not the case. The truck is kept in pristine shape so for it to have rust of any kind after less than a year is unacceptable.

[NitroCherokee]

 

I am from Vermont, as noted under "Location" on my post.

 

 

I didn't wait a year before going to the dealership to ask them to fix it. I bought the truck in the spring 2013, after "salt season" and this is the first winter with it. I'm assuming the rail dust is just showing up because now is the first winter it's had salt on it, and the salt is causing the specks to turn rust colored.

 

I called the dealership back yesterday and told them that when it's in on Wednesday for the bumper replacement and rubber window gasket fix, that I want them to address the rail dust. A less than one year old truck shouldn't have rust on it anywhere, no matter what they are claiming its from. I could see if I had wrecked the truck, or had dents, that would allow entry for corrosion but that's not the case. The truck is kept in pristine shape so for it to have rust of any kind after less than a year is unacceptable.

IF they address it and detail your truck for you it will look nice for a minute, it WILL be back.

[TimmyG]

Yup it comes back, google it every car has it. Sometimes makes me wish I didnt buy white! A quick wash with ironx will take. Most of it away. You spray it on and it turns bright purple with it hits rail dust as it loosened it from thr paint btw it also great on rims

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[Scott P]

I'd rather clay it myself than let the dealer's hack of a detailer remove it and probably install some swirls with the dirty wool pad on his buffer. You need to clay it off. Simple washing really isn't enough.

[AdamsPolishes]

I'd rather clay it myself than let the dealer's hack of a detailer remove it and probably install some swirls with the dirty wool pad on his buffer. You need to clay it off. Simple washing really isn't enough.

 

DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!

 

Your rail dust will probably be gone, but you'll have a ton of swirls and scratches in their place. If you care enough about your truck (which I have the feeling you do) you'll attack it on your own, not let the 16yr old "detailer" at the dealership do it.

[Btuggle88]

I would do the work myself most dealership detail shops are filled with minimum wage workers that don't care about nothing but getting paid. You might can sand it with some ultra fine and then buff it, have done this in the past and it worked but if you don't want to do it yourself find somebody you trust or you really will have a messed up truck.