Nothing like buying a brand new car; enjoying the quite ride; the pride of your set of wheels; the clean, new feeling, only to discover tiny orange spots (rail dust) on the shiny new paint or chrome. ….ugh!
What should I do if I find tiny orange spots, rail dust, on a brand new car? Contact your dealer immediately as rail dust may be covered by your warranty. Large automakers, like Ford, have specific language written into the warranty about rail dust coverage within the initial time frame of owning the vehicle. However, if you put it off, you are likely to find yourself without warranty coverage for rail dust.
“File a warranty claim immediately!’
…but how?
…is rail dust covered?
Will Ford repair the orange spots on my vehicle under warranty? The 2013 Model Year Ford Warranty Guide states: “For damage caused by airborne material (environmental fallout) where there is no factory-related defect involved and therefore no warranty − our policy is to provide free repair of paint damage due to the airborne material for 12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first.” The warranty information suggests that Ford WILL repair the orange spots under warranty within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles.
Please note that the quote above is from the 2013 Ford Warranty Guide. You’ll need to read the rest of the warranty carefully. There are a few other sections that clarify Ford’s warranty policy on vehicles that are not within 12 months or 12,000 miles. My orange spots did not appear until after the first 12 months.
Two other time periods are noted in the warranty: one week and five years. I mention this because there are many details listed in the Warranty Guide. Here’s an entire article on this website that explains the other sections of the of the Ford Warranty Guide that could pertain to rail dust.
How do other top automakers address rail dust on brand new cars?
Is rail dust covered by the Toyota warranty? No, Toyota specifically states in the 2018 Toyota Tundra Warranty and Maintenance Manual that rail dust is not covered by warranty.
Specifically, what does the Toyota Tundra warranty manual say about rail dust? The the 2018 Toyota Tundra Warranty and Maintenance Manual states: “This warranty does not cover damage or failures resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following: …Airborne chemicals, tree sap, road debris (including stone chips), rail dust, salt, hail, floods, wind storms, lightning and other environmental conditions…”
Toyota has an interesting take on Rail Dust. You can actually buy supplemental warranty coverage from Toyota Dealers that DOES cover rail dust. It is explained in this article on this site. This coverage actually made me very interested in buying a Toyota!
Why are new cars more likely to have rail dust and orange spots? New cars may have orange spots or rail dust for many reasons: the new vehicle was transported to the local dealer by rail car OR by a tractor trailer using a high ferrous metal brake pad; or the new car itself may be at greater risk because of the vehicle’s own brake pads; or the dealer may be located in an area where there is fallout present in the atmosphere that settles onto the new vehicles. This fall out could be temporary due to local construction or other projects.
To understand the answer above, you need to understand the source of rail dust. An article on this website explains the source of rail dust. This article is titled: WHAT IS RAIL DUST? WHAT CAUSES ORANGE SPOTS? THE SECRET IS….
Could new brake pads and rotors or disc cause rail dust? Yes, a month after I changed brake pads and rotors on one of my cars, I found orange spots, rail dust, on the paint. I concluded that the cause of the rail dust in that case was ferrous particles from the break in period of the brake pads and discs.
What is in a brake pad that could cause orange spots on my paint? Two common categories of brake pads are semi-metallic and ceramic brake pads. All brake pads include some amount of metal. The brake drum or rotor itself is composed of ferrous metal.
The semi-metallic brake pads are the most versatile for all braking characteristics, so more popular. Semi-metallic pads contain anywhere from 30-65% metal by weight Semi-metallic brake pads consist of steel, iron, copper, etc.
Copper-Free Brake Initiative: In 2015, the EPA, several states, and the automotive industry signed an agreement to reduce the use of copper and other materials in motor vehicle brake pads. The agreement calls for reducing copper in brake pads to < 5 percent by weight in 2021 and 0.5 percent by 2025. In addition to copper, this voluntary initiative reduces mercury, lead, cadmium, asbestiform fibers, and chromium-six salts in motor vehicle brake pads.
Wow! I didn’t realize there was so much metal in a brake pad. Granted, the brake pads have to wear and need to withstand intense temperature due to friction. However, that is a significant amount of metal! Actually, the amount of ferrous (iron oxide/rust) producing metal is notable.
What are ferrous metals? Ferrous metals are highly vulnerable to rusting and corrosion when exposed to moisture or an acidic or corrosive environment due to the high content of carbon molecules. Commonly used ferrous metals are: Steel, Carbon steel, Alloy steel, Cast iron, and Wrought iron
Ferrous metals are those metals that are primarily composed of iron and have magnetic properties. Some common ferrous metals include alloy steel, carbon steel, cast iron and wrought iron. Iron forms Iron Oxide, or rust…..or orange spots on your paint.
The dealer could be a victim of fall out caused by temporary or permanent sources.
What is industrial fallout? Industrial fallout is not a common term to most of us. However, it is a very common term used by environmental protection professionals who either measure pollution or develop technologies to protect the environment. Sometimes, the environmental protection applies to wild life. Sometimes, it applies to humans. Sometimes, it applies to the painted surface of our vehicles!
The Chroma System Low VOC Technical Manual Glossary (2015), by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company defines industrial fallout as:
“Chemical compounds present in the air which are deposited on the horizontal surfaces of vehicles and which may damage the finish.”
Industrial Fallout can include any material that can come from a manufacturing/industrial process. This could be ferrous metal particles from a foundry or sawdust from a saw mill. Industrial fallout could be any airborne particle that originates in an industrial facility. In the 2004 Technical Service Bulletin, Ford put this into perspective when it defined Industrial fallout as:
“Ferrous metal particles( hot iron dust) are generated by manufacturing facilities, rail shipments, Etc. Moisture and heat combine with particles to create a chemical reaction. This reaction creates an acid causing the iron to corrode and etch into the paint surface.”
The dealer said that they’ve never had a problem with rail dust on a new car! Well, this car salesperson may not be straying far from from the truth. (That is, if you believe a car salesperson! LOL!)
Cars are moved between dealers. Have you ever heard a dealer say “I found a car for you at another dealer. We can have it here in a few days”? In this case, the dealer who you bought the car from may have have had much of a problem with rail dust on new vehicles. However, the vehicle could have been exposed to something that caused the rail dust while sitting on the other dealer’s lot. Or, the vehicle could have been exposed to a rail dust cause while being delivered to the dealer where you purchased the vehicle.
Now that you’ve learned how new vehicles could develop orange spots, or rail dust, you have two choices: 1. Open the warranty guide in the glove box right away and follow the company’s instructions to open a warranty claim – if applicable. 2. Click on the Resources tab and learn how we remove orange spots from a vehicle in far less than an hour.
Of course, if you choose number two, you’ll want to understand HOW To REMOVE orange spots, rail dust. In that case, click on the Video Case Studies. Here you’ll learn the simple techniques used to remove orange spots from white paint! That sounds like our website name!