Fuel filler well corrosion and paint issues

[She-Ra]

Hi to everyone!

Just wondering if any one has experienced any of the folowing issues (have done a serch but not found anything)

Basically I have owned my 1.6 C+C for about 6 weeks now. It's a 55 plate so not new, but new to me.

When filling up for the first time I noticed a small rust spot in the filler well. I thought maybe the last owners had caught it with a filler hose, but on closer inspection and trying a few different configurations, I could match it's location to any filler nozzle! Also the spot is perfectly round in shape.

The other week when giving it a good cleaning I also noticed something wrong with the paint on the near side door and roof panel. Basically it's as though the metallic layer has lifted off to reveal silver patches.

I took my car in to my local dealer (WestWay, Wolverhampton) for both of these issues (along with an annoying engine management light that keeps coming on despite no problem symptoms!)

The dealer said he had never seen anything like the paint work issue before so would have to put a call into warranty. The filler well however he said was down to 'external factors' ie that an owner had done it.

However, I asked him to check a couple of other models that were on the forecourt. Low and behold! a 56 plate had exactly the same issue! And an 07 plate was showing signs of a similar problem starting!

He was really surprised by this and promissed to chase it up for me.

However he called yesterday and basically fobbed me off.

He said that the silver flecks on the near side was 'paint flop' and natural in metallic paint and despite two other vechicles having the rust spot in EXACTLY the same place as mine, it was owner damage.

I've done some research into 'paint flop' and I'm certain that it's not what the problem is, as that is more about how metallic paint looks different from different angles, not about pure shiny patches!

I'm also at a dead end with the filler well as the dealer refuses to do anything.

So I was wondering, has anyone else experienced this as I really would like to put some pressure on Nissan.

Thanks in advance.

C

 

[frank]

she-ra

hi, ithink you will get nowere fast with the paintwork issues, do the blemishes look like the laquer has lifted ?
that engine management light would worry me tho, if you can ask them what fault codes were coming up, someone on here might be able to get to the bottom of it!

 

[She-Ra]

Hi Frank,

I'm hoping to get somewhere with the paint issues, as the dealer service I have recieved is just awful (That's WestWay Wolverhampton by the way!), so I'm not giving up just yet!

Yes, it basically looks like the metallic layer has lifted to reveal an undercoat of silver.

On the engine light, this is the third time in six weeks that it has come on (actually its return today makes it the 4th!)

The first time, I had it booked in but it went off so they said they couldn't trace any faults without it on. Then is came on for half a day and went off and then came back on last week.

It went in on Saturday to get sorted... they had it all morning and said the only code was a 'past fault' so they couldn't find anything wrong with it apparently.

It doesn't cause me too much concern as the car still drives fine and pulls 41.2 mpg. It's just more annoying than anything!

Should I be more worried?

 

[frank]

she-ra

no that light does,nt sound serious to me now, hopefully one of the k12 lads will advise.
usually a metalic car has a base coat of silver,say and then a coat of clear lacquer on top, sometimes the lacquer will lift off, bird poo has been known to cause it!

 

[banksy]

The paint used on K12 is 'environmentaly friendly' (i was going to say Organic, but that would've been ridiculous).

anyway, i've seen it chip and peel and discolour in (some) of the ways you describe (although not as widespread) so i'd say it's a fairly weak material.

the filler well thing.. damn, i've got that too

 

[frank]

yes i think the factorys have to use water based paints nowadays, the old solvent based paint had voc,s which are pretty poisonous but they were more durable eh

 

[She-Ra]

Hi People,

Thanks for replying.

The more I hear, the more I'm convinced I have dodgy paint and want Nissan to put it right!

Without sounding like I'm on a crusade (which actually I suppose I am!), I'm going to post a picture of my rust spot on here, and I would really appreciate it if anyone with a matching spot would do the same!!

I hate being fobbed off and what makes it worse is one of the other cars on the forecourt had been sold, and I'm guessing that the dealer has no intention of pointing out the rust spot to the new owner.

 

[leroyboi22]

yup got the rust spot too!!along with a door handle that lets water into the door sensor so the keyless entry wont work

 

[She-Ra]

Hi Leroyboi,

Thanks for posting. So you have it too!

As i said in my last post, I'm going to put a picture online shortly. If you have one too that you could post, that would be great.

 

[nissanmicrak12]

yep i got a spot too very small noticed it the other week?very strange i will look in to this one

 

[She-Ra]

Hi everybody,

Right, here is the update...

Took my car back in last Monday as the engine management light had come on AGAIN!

Basically they took out the oxygen sensor near the Cat, as apparently these have been a common fault over the past few months.

However it wasn't at fault... instead they found that the Cat had packed up (internal malfunciton apparently).

Had to replace the whole thing... under warranty.

I know from others that the Renault have a real problem with Cat's so wasn't really that surprised. The service guy however looked quite worried as he said he has never really known a problem with Nissan Cat's but knew that Renault do, so was hoping it wasn't the start of something!

Anyway, seems to have fixed it... for now! Just hope it hasn't screwed anything else up!

On the paintwork front, Nissan Customer services have agreed to look at the problem again... just have to send some pics over.

Will also get one posted up here, but haven't had chance yet as I've been away with work.

Would be good to know if anyone has had similar problems.

S