Strange stains/marks on the plastic rear lower spoiler

[MardyMarvin]

Anyone know what and how to get rid of these strange stains on the rear plastic spoiler under the rear window. They almost seem to be etched into the plastic.

I have tried washing them but no joy they appeared there after using my rear wiper washer when it was raining and noticed them the next day but just thought it was muck so thought I would wash the car. It seems almost like what you would get if you leave salt to evaporate on the path is the only way I can really describe it. They are not great pictures a bit hard on reflective plastic to get a good picture. The car is only a few months old so I would not expect plastic to turn strange after that and I only use normal screen wash same as my wife and she has no marks like that on hers so dont think its that and its the same brand I have always used.

[152bobby]

Do you live in a hard water area ? I get marks like that on the black shiny black bits of my car if I don't dry it almost immediately with a microfibre cloth after washing it !!

I swear I would never buy a black car unless I lived in Scotland were the water is soft and pure (no joking).

In the Thames Valley area were I now live, the water is as hard as it gets !!  Close to Hard or Very Hard on the UK hard water scale . 

It could also be that if you live in a area which has lots of building work or a quarry nearby, when it rains, it simply dumps all the dust and crap that's in the air on your car and everything else.

[hind]

Check this out, might help you choose the "tool" to get rid of them 🙂

 

[152bobby]

There are loads of products out there.  I even tried a so called top both white spot shampoo decontamination remover (detailers call these marks white spot).

For me on my metallic red Aygo X, it was a real job and a half to keep on top of these marks and my car had a ceramic coating !!

I have now went back to "white" cars (on my current YC), which I prefer and have done for decades.  I just wouldn't have a dark coloured car again (well, certainly not in the Thames Valley Area!!)

[Ralph H]

It’s a fault with the lacquer there’s another thread about it 

 

[152bobby]

I don't want to know 😭 

I had a bad experience with my brand new Aygo X because there was a problem with the paintwork on the bonnet !! It was a happy ending, as I got a brand new replacement car for my one with the faulty paint which was only a month old !!  It was just the hassle and then the wait for the new car !!

[MardyMarvin]

1 hour ago, Ralph H said:

It’s a fault with the lacquer there’s another thread about it 

 

thanks for that I have found the thread and how annoying that something simple like this can happen. Looks like off to the dealer then to see if they give a whats it.... and try and fix it.

[MardyMarvin]

well been to my dealer who has a body shop attached and the main body shop person came out and looked at it. He said "they dont have lacquer on and are just plain plastic" but then did remark that its very strange and not seen it before and it should not really happen on a 24 plate but suggested that its the type of screen wash and that because its been hot that perhaps the chemicals reacted to the plastic in the heat and caused it to stain.

I did mention that I had read that others had had this issue so he did then go and check on the computer to see if there were any known issues logged with toyota and said there were none for this issue. He then said he could buff it out and if it happens again to go back and they will take photos and see if they can either claim a new part under the Toyota service warranty or under the Main toyota warranty but that could take some time.

I was pleased he took the time to look since I literally just dropped in on them.

So we shall see, but for now I think I will remove the current screen wash and just go with water and washing up liquid that wont ever freeze in winter 🤪 and if I put in enough washing up liquid I can have a mobile foam party.

[dash]

If you can get your hands on deionized or filtered water for the washer bottle then that will further reduce risk of staining.
The guy who detailed my car confirms there is no clear coat or paint on the lower spoiler.

[Cyker]

42 minutes ago, MardyMarvin said:

well been to my dealer who has a body shop attached and the main body shop person came out and looked at it. He said "they dont have lacquer on and are just plain plastic" but then did remark that its very strange and not seen it before and it should not really happen on a 24 plate but suggested that its the type of screen wash and that because its been hot that perhaps the chemicals reacted to the plastic in the heat and caused it to stain.

I did mention that I had read that others had had this issue so he did then go and check on the computer to see if there were any known issues logged with toyota and said there were none for this issue. He then said he could buff it out and if it happens again to go back and they will take photos and see if they can either claim a new part under the Toyota service warranty or under the Main toyota warranty but that could take some time.

I was pleased he took the time to look since I literally just dropped in on them.

So we shall see, but for now I think I will remove the current screen wash and just go with water and washing up liquid that wont ever freeze in winter 🤪 and if I put in enough washing up liquid I can have a mobile foam party.

Now that's the sort of customer service we need to see more of!

Straight to the point, no having to drink 5 cups of coffee waiting before someone bothers to see you, and defining some sort of plan to escalate if just buffing it off doesn't work, without trying to fob you off or extract more money out of you first!

Well done that man!  

[Graham47]

3 hours ago, MardyMarvin said:

think I will remove the current screen wash and just go with water and washing up liquid that wont ever freeze in winter 

Certainly wouldn’t be using washing up liquid (contains salt) in the screen wash.  By all means try and remove as much of the old fluid then refill with a decent concentrated windscreen washer fluid.   

[MardyMarvin]

12 minutes ago, Graham47 said:

Certainly wouldn’t be using washing up liquid (contains salt) in the screen wash.  By all means try and remove as much of the old fluid then refill with a decent concentrated windscreen washer fluid.   

o darn no mobile foam parties now then 😉

[Tyfan]

On 8/13/2024 at 3:48 PM, MardyMarvin said:

well been to my dealer who has a body shop attached and the main body shop person came out and looked at it. He said "they dont have lacquer on and are just plain plastic" but then did remark that its very strange and not seen it before and it should not really happen on a 24 plate but suggested that its the type of screen wash and that because its been hot that perhaps the chemicals reacted to the plastic in the heat and caused it to stain.

I did mention that I had read that others had had this issue so he did then go and check on the computer to see if there were any known issues logged with toyota and said there were none for this issue. He then said he could buff it out and if it happens again to go back and they will take photos and see if they can either claim a new part under the Toyota service warranty or under the Main toyota warranty but that could take some time.

I was pleased he took the time to look since I literally just dropped in on them.

So we shall see, but for now I think I will remove the current screen wash and just go with water and washing up liquid that wont ever freeze in winter 🤪 and if I put in enough washing up liquid I can have a mobile foam party.

Hi I am not sure if you are serious regarding "washing up liquid," I was always of the belief that it was a big No No, as it degrades rubber?

[jthspace]

18 minutes ago, Tyfan said:

Hi I am not sure if you are serious regarding "washing up liquid," I was always of the belief that it was a big No No, as it degrades rubber?

Just ask Nanette Newman......

[MardyMarvin]

4 hours ago, Tyfan said:

Hi I am not sure if you are serious regarding "washing up liquid," I was always of the belief that it was a big No No, as it degrades rubber?

I had heard the same from people washing their house PVC windows in it and it rotting the rubber seals so not really no as its very strong stuff and just as bad as washing the car in it.

I have always thought that the only point of screen wash if you like was to stop it freezing within the system which might cause damage as it expands when freezing so might break things like pumps etc. To me plane old water is enough to clear a mucky screen.

 

Perhaps a couple of calgon tablets in the bottle, if washing machines live longer with calgon then would not my car 🙂

[TonyHSD]

Windscreen wash is a specific thing and only this should be used , no anything else except pure water. All jokes and stuff on the side I can see how people will take it seriously and put anything that forms foam in the tank including alcohol to prevent from freezing then the problems will begin. 
 

[Rhymes with Paris]

Not read through the whole thread,has anyone pointed out that washing up liquid in windscreen washers clogs the jets and pipes?

I remember in my Anglia van with side windows ,the aftermarket windscreen washers with hand pump on the metal dash clogging up when I took advice from an out of work fake electrician.

I was very naive then, and believed the seller (not the daft sparky) that the dripping engine oil and rust behind the headlamp cowls would not get worse.

£90 to buy, and £4 back from the scrappy, that would be around the time I started learning that most things connected with the motor trade were based on dishonesty.

 

 

[Jimota]

On 8/13/2024 at 12:03 PM, MardyMarvin said:

Anyone know what and how to get rid of these strange stains on the rear plastic spoiler under the rear window. They almost seem to be etched into the plastic.

I have tried washing them but no joy they appeared there after using my rear wiper washer when it was raining and noticed them the next day but just thought it was muck so thought I would wash the car. It seems almost like what you would get if you leave salt to evaporate on the path is the only way I can really describe it. They are not great pictures a bit hard on reflective plastic to get a good picture. The car is only a few months old so I would not expect plastic to turn strange after that and I only use normal screen wash same as my wife and she has no marks like that on hers so dont think its that and its the same brand I have always used.

Has the paintwork been affected as well?  I live in a soft water area but I got some stains on the plastic section of the boot which was difficult to remove.  After trying several products I finally got rid of the stains by buffing a little bit of RainX onto the affected area.  The paintwork was unaffected but I still don’t know what caused the actual staining.  However, if your paintwork is affected as well, I wouldn’t recommend using RainX on these areas.

[MardyMarvin]

15 hours ago, Jimota said:

Has the paintwork been affected as well?  I live in a soft water area but I got some stains on the plastic section of the boot which was difficult to remove.  After trying several products I finally got rid of the stains by buffing a little bit of RainX onto the affected area.  The paintwork was unaffected but I still don’t know what caused the actual staining.  However, if your paintwork is affected as well, I wouldn’t recommend using RainX on these areas.

no the paint work was not effected and luckily the garage just buffed it out of the plastic with what ever white stuff they used. But I shall bear the RainX in mind if it happens again

 

[RBofClee]

Hi All,

This happened from new and with screen wash which came in the car from Toyota so obviously an issue they should be addressing rather than shrugging shoulders and blaming products and water sources customers are using.

Having tried White vinegar, WD40, Lemon juice and 70/30 IPA I have found White vinegar and Bi-carbonate is the most effective for removing the stains. Not fully removed yet as I had just washed the car which belongs to my daughter and decided to tackle this issue afterwards. I will lay soaked tissue on the stubborn bits before the next wash to remove them fully.

I have applied a coat of Collinite 845 Insulator Wax to prevent the water settling on the spoiler, this is a super-hydrophobic wax which I use on my alloy wheels to prevent brake dust clinging to them.  (FYI, After applying to alloys brake dust comes off with just a pressure washer for up to 9 months.)

I will keep an eye on it and give you an update in a couple of months, please feel free to give me a nudge for an update as I will most likely forget.

Good luck with yours!

[Guest]

On 8/20/2024 at 12:43 PM, jthspace said:

Just ask Nanette Newman......

Some yeas ago A German man successfully sued Procter & Gamble for misuse of his name.

His name?  Hans Dat Dudishus.

[MardyMarvin]

18 hours ago, RBofClee said:

I have applied a coat of Collinite 845 Insulator Wax to prevent the water settling on the spoiler, this is a super-hydrophobic wax which I use on my alloy wheels to prevent brake dust clinging to them.  (FYI, After applying to alloys brake dust comes off with just a pressure washer for up to 9 months.)

have to say not seen any brake dust on my allows yet as I am suprised when I wash it how they have not looked mucky yet but I guess its only 4 months old and the discs dont even look like they have been used. I put it down to the fact the motors must be doing most of the breaking.

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, MardyMarvin said:

have to say not seen any brake dust on my allows yet as I am suprised when I wash it how they have not looked mucky yet but I guess its only 4 months old and the discs dont even look like they have been used. I put it down to the fact the motors must be doing most of the breaking.

Brake dust reddish colour on Toyota hybrids alloys means issues with the brakes, stuck calliper pistons or stuck slider pins. 👌