Ugh! What are those tiny, orange spots on my white car? They show up on aluminum as well as metal and I just cannot scrub them away!
What is rail dust? Rail dust is commonly used to describe the cause of orange dots (rust specs) on the painted surface of a car. “Rail Dust” describes specs of any ferrous material that lands on a car’s painted surface and creates orange dots of rust. Automobile manufacturers originally coined the term when it was believed that the process of delivering the cars to the dealer by rail was caused by these orange spots (rail dust.) Industrial fallout or fallout are also common terms to describe these small ferrous particles.
Rail dust is the alleged cause of orange spots on white painted vehicles. When I first heard the Ford Service Manager mention the term rail dust, I thought to myself, I don’t live near railroad tracks. How could rail dust be a concern?” I do park my truck within 100 yards of a rail road track. The track may see two or three trains pass while my truck is in the parking lot. But….really?
I have a hard time believing that specs of iron could come off of the rail in sufficient quantities to cause Orange spots to form on my and other vehicles within a hundred yards of the track.
Through all of my research, I discovered that rail dust goes beyond steel particles originating from steel rail cars wheels contacting the railroad track. Or even rail car brakes that activate to slow the rail car. There’s much more that falls within the definition of rail dust, then just Railroads.
What causes rail dust (orange spots) on white cars?
The orange spots on a white car are rust stains (iron oxide stains). Tiny metal particles settle on to your car or truck paint. These particles begin to rust and create an orange spot of rust on and around the spec embedded into the paint.
There are many names for the orange dots that appear on white cars. My local dealership refers to this as rail dust Some call this industrial fallout, or just fallout. Brake dust can be a cause of the orange specks. Any particle that can form rust, iron oxide, could cause the orange dots to appear on your white car The orange spots are created when particles from the atmosphere land on a car’s surface and embed themselves in the paint.
So who would be at a higher risk of having orange dots created on their car?
The term rail dust implies that people who parked their car near a railroad line are the most susceptible to orange dots. Although railroads could be a cause of the orange specks, they are not the only cause. People who spend a lot of time driving on freeways could notice an increased number of orange dots on their cars because of brake dust particles settling on the cars. People who work an industrial parks could be at a higher risk. Articles from the industrial park can be swept into the air, then settle on to the surface of a car’s paint
Why is the back of the car more susceptible to orange spots?
I first discovered orange dots on the tailgate of my white F-150 Ford pickup. I couldn’t understand how material kicked up from the road could hit the tailgate and cause a rust spot. However, after researching the cause of the orange dots, I’ve come to realize that small particles are more likely to land on the back of the car due to the airflow as the car drives down the road. The air flow around a car creaks and edy at the back of the car. The air movement could dry ice particles to collect there. Another post on this website explains this in more detail.
Why do the orange spots only show up on white cars?
Orange spots show up on white cars because it is easiest to see on a white car or other light colored car. The orange spots would be nearly invisible on an orange car. Orange spots would be present on a dark-colored car, but more difficult to see.
What do the “car guys” say?
Initially, I spent a lot of time with Google. At that time, forums were the only source of information. Once I researched “rail dust”, Orange spots, industrial fall out, etc. I realized that was the proper text to type into the Google search box to find quality information. This is why I kept the name of the website very simple: “orange spots on white paint.”
I remember what it was like when I was hearing all kinds of explanations about the source of the orange spots and “rail dust.” So, I wrote this information to pull together many resources.
The information in the next couple of paragraphs came from multiple car forums. I’ll include these in order for you to gain the context of the problem and allow you to make your own conclusions:
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.”
Considering the state and federal (EPA) requirements to minimize air pollution, I question whether industrial fallout is a strong source for orange spots. In my particular case, there is no industrial fallout within miles of my workplace, yet my truck developed orange dots.
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.
What do the experts say?
In 2004, Ford published Technical Services Bulletin titled Body–Iron- and- fall out Fallout acid Rain neutralization article number 04- 9- 6. Within this document, Ford list the following cause of orange spots under the “Concern Description” section of the technical service bulletin:
Light colored Vehicles: small orange stains the size of” mechanical pencil lead” lead. The surface is rough to the touch
Dark Colored Vehicles: small white or silver appearing dots with rainbow ring around the. The surface is rough to the touch
Industrial Fallout: water spots containing ferrous metal are present in the surface is rough to the touch
Under the” identification” section of this Technical Services Bulletin, Ford States:
“ 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. Additionally, industrial fallout and acid rain generate corrosive compounds that fall on the vehicles painted surfaces. When subject to moisture and temperature, chemical compounds are created that the paint surface period to assist in identifying service contamination use a (Tandy – Radio Shack# 6 3- 851) 30X lighted magnifier”
How does Ford recommend that these orange spots be removed?
According to the technical services bulletin mentioned above, Ford recommends the following procedure to decontaminate:
Decontamination Procedure:
Use Motorcraft Acid Neutralizer, Alkaline Neutralizer, and Detail Washto decontaminate and neutralize the paint surface. Perform the procedure only on vehicle when the paint surface temperature is cool. Follow the step-by-step procedure listed below to perform this service operation.
NOTE:
Use a separate mitt for each product. Do not intermix mits.
4. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with cold water to remove Motorcraft Acid NEutralizer.
5. Dry only the horizontal surfaces of the vehicle at this time. Do not dry glass.
NOTE:
Motorcraft Alkaline Neutralizer is ready to use. Do not mix with water. Do not spray MOtorcraft Alkaline Neutralizer on the painted surface.
6. Pour the Alkaline Neutralizer into a dispenser (squirt bottle). Squirt the neutralizer directly onto a clean wash mitt. Apply the product to the vehicle, keeping the areas wet and lightly agitated for five to seven (5-7) minutes.
7. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly with cold water.
8. Prepare Motorcraft Detail Wash by mixing 29.5 ml (1 ounce) of Detail Wash to 3.7 Liters (1 gallon) of water
9. Shampoo the vehicle with Motorcraft Detail Wash using a clean wash mitt. Rinse the vehicle with cold water and dry the vehicle completely.