What Is A Recall?
A recall occurs when a request is issued by a manufacturer to its clients to return a product. This happens when there are product quality issues or due to safety concerns in the product. Usually, paint-related issues are excluded in a recall, but in 2020 Toyota announced a recall due to increasing consumer complaints.
Which Models Are Covered by Toyota’s Paint Recall?
The issues began around the 2009 model year, and the complaints plagued the company ever since, prompting the paint recall service. It seems that Toyota sent out letters and/or emails to its customers, informing them of the warranty, and calling it the “warrant enhancement program.”
Models that meet the requirements are as follows:
2008 to 2019 Toyota Camry and Camry Hybrid2008 to 2019 Toyota Corolla2008 to 2019 4Runners2008 to 2019 Avalon2008 to 2019 RAV 42008 to 2019 Toyota Scion xB and Scion iQ
The repairs can be done at your dealer at absolutely no cost to your wallet.
How Do I Have My Car Admitted To A Recall?
If you report your car to have it admitted, things may take a while to get moving, and you might not even get the results you want. Dealerships are not the best in keeping track of recall statuses
The best thing to do is to wait for a recall to be issued. DoNotPay is a website that helps you keep track of whether there is a recall for a product or car you own and offers you other related services.
If you receive a letter or an email from Toyota, you can schedule an appointment with a Toyota dealership, and they will have it repaired for free. There are still disadvantages, including the fact that the dealership will not fix any other damage on the body of the car, not all colours will qualify for a repair, and your warranty still has an expiry date, meaning if you bought your car in 2008 your warranty might have expired by now.
How To Prevent Paint From Peeling Off
Now it is good to know all that information if your car paint is peeling off, but what if you have not had any problems with it? There are some techniques that you can use.
But first, what causes car paint to peel off?
The most common culprit is prolonged exposure to the sun. Another would be a repaint shortly after leaving the factory, without adequate time to cure.
Dents and scratches also play a major role in disturbing the paint layers. One small, singular, and seemingly harmless chip can have moisture and air contaminants sip underneath the layer of paint, kickstarting the process of “de-lamination.”
Using incompatible chemical agents to clean your car can also be bad. A bad paint job, whereby the paint does not correctly bond, will quickly show bad results over a short while.
How to maintain car paint
Protect your car from the environment’s elements, especially when you live in an area where it is particularly cold and wet. Although you may find it time-consuming, applying a wax coat one or twice a year has been shown to insulate well against contaminants and dirt. A coat of paint sealer is also advised.
If you see any dents or scratches, attend to them quickly to eliminate the chance of the damage spreading. Make regular inspections of your car’s exterior.
Keep your car away from too much sunlight. The sun’s ultra-violet rays are just as harmful to you as they are to your car. Park it in the garage if you have one, or use a car cover.
If the paint is starting to fade, polishing your car with a compatible chemical cleaner can be a good cure to stop the paint from deteriorating further.
Toyota’s extended fourteen-year warranty comes as welcomed news. However, it certainly causes an inconvenience to a consumer to have their car momentarily away to be fixed. It would be better if Toyota simply prevented the whole issue somehow by coming with up a permanent solution to its paint problem before the cars even go into the market. Nevertheless, the warranty is good.
