Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures

AH98.00-P-8070-02SM Damage And Stress Caused To Paintwork By External Influences


Stress to paint
^ Temperature (cold, heat)
^ Humidity and UV rays
^ Aggressive pollutants
^ Mechanical effects such as dust, sand, scratches

Structure of a one-coat finish







1 Painted part
2 Dip prime coat
3 Filler,
4 Top coat

Structure of a two-coat finish







1 Painted part
2 Dip prime coat
3 Filler,
5 Base coat
6 Clear lacquer

In addition to the effects caused by chemical or biological substances such as sulfurous acid (acid rain), oil soot, road salt, surfactants, tree resin, insects, bird droppings and mechanical damage caused by washing brushes and stone chipping, damage can also be caused by moisture and UV radiation from the sun.
The pigmented standard finishes are particularly endangered by the type of damage mentioned last. The fine plastic film of synthetic resin surrounding and protecting the coloring pigment particles is destroyed in the course of time by the effect of UV radiation exposing the coloring pigment. This makes the paint surface dull.
When the pigment protecting synthetic layer is removed by polishing with products containing abrasive agents, even on new vehicles, the pigment weathering process begins even earlier.
The degree of damage depends on the intensity and duration of the UV radiation which cannot be avoided even with the best paints.
For this reason, careful care of the paint repeated at proper intervals as well as technical maintenance helps preserve the value of the vehicle. With good paint care, the beauty of the new paintwork can be maintained significantly longer.