Any ideas how this is happening

[roks]

Hi All,

Not sure how this is happening, I clean then few months later it reappears. I thought it was leaking water from wiper hose so removed insulation and tested the wipers, no water leaking.

This white sand/grit like build up on the metal parts I thought was oxidization but its also on the plastics parts too and its like dripping marks of water, pictures attached.

Also, is there supposed to be a plastic cover at the front where the bonnet release lever is?

Thanks

[Mooly]

My first guess would be road salt and grime (dry dust) that accumulates and then at some point gets wet such as when driving fast on wet roads.

Can't say on the cover although the earlier version (2010) does have a plastic cover  in that area but of course that means nothing in itself.  

[furtula]

That's a nice salty car. Something that would happen if you use mottorway daily, with a bit of rain, there's a constant fog there' with some road salt.

As for the plastic, looks like the diesel one and hybrid have it, but the gasoline version does not, bit strange, but i saw multiple ads of gasoline ones for sale, none had it.

[frankie406]

Looks like road salt as others have said, clean with the likes of wd40.

[TonyHSD]

Agreed, salt and grit from the motorway driving, mine is the same exactly, I am waiting for another few weeks before they stop salty us and will give a good engine bay clean, I do every year, and wash the car every week plus undercarriage spray with water. It’s just nonsense of using that much salt for that long time in temperatures that are not that low and theres is no risk of ice. The salt simply destroys the cars and roads. 

[roks]

Thanks guys for your inputs, only  drove twice on the motorway, London to Northampton round trip, once in January and once in March this year, that's it, rest is local.

I would have thought since this car is almost sealed under side (compared to my old Corolla 🙂 ) it would be less messy, never mind, guess I'll just have to clean it up.