Rust like stain on hood of car

[Dent95]

Hello,

New here and looking for some advice on the brown/orange like stain on the hood of my car. The stain is smooth I can`t feel it at all. The paint is not cracked or bubbling. The car is a 2018 Mazda CPO that i just purchased last month. I missed this in my inspection pre-purchase. I just noticed it yesterday while washing and detailing the car.

I am trying to figure out what the hell this is. Washing did not remove it, as I said it is smooth like the rest of the paint. It is very smooth, tried to get it out with a clay bar and also some rubbing compound.

Not sure what to do here, it seems the stain is embedded in the paint, but the paint itself is not cracked or pitted and is super smooth like the rest of the paint in the area.

Can someone please give me some ideas on what to do. The spot is small enough where I would not want to get the hood repainted.

Link to photo below.






https://photos.app.goo.gl/n4c5pCzH2CKMbu5NA




Thanks

[ShaneB]

Looks like iron fallout/contamination

Try an iron remover, pretty much every brand has their version of one. Small spots like that I like to use Iron-X Paste

[Dent95]

Thanks for the reply! Could that be iron fallout/contamination with the paint being super smooth in the area? I can`t feel anything and after using clay the hole area is super smooth. The spot did not change though.

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the reply! Could that be iron fallout/contamination with the paint being super smooth in the area?..

Yes. That certainly appears to be oxidized ferrous contamination, and the way to deal with it is with a chemical made for the job. Don`t keep compounding/etc. as the [stuff] is in the micro-fissures/pores of the paint and the chemical is the only way to fix it. Hopefully it hasn`t been like that for so long that it`s now beyond fixing...

Oh, and Welcome to Autopia!

[Ron Ketcham]

Ford Technical Service Bulletin #99-12-10 explains ferrous metal/rail dust and how it generates acids which eat down into the paint film.
Can be read at Valugard`s website under the Engineers section

[Dent95]

I read that the site you gave me about Ferrous Metal/Rail Dust and it specifically says the rail dust is rough to the touch. The stain on my car is smooth as the rest of the hood. Possibly it is permanently stained? I am not going to do any repainting because it is a small blemish and the paint is perfect in every other way.

Should I try Iron X anyway as long as it doesn`t damage anything, even if it does not work, nothing to lose right?

It does not look like Acid Rain etching either.

As I said this thing is smooth like the rest of the paint. I wonder if it is an old burn mark? The article specifically says the Rail Dust/ Ferrous Metal is rough to the touch. Not true here. No bubbling, cracks, pitting, or anything . Could a cigarette or something similar do this?

[Ron Ketcham]

TSB addresses the general problem, however there are times the actual generating particle has detached but leave behind the discoloring created "down" in the porosity of the paint film.

[Dent95]

Which means that it is permanent I am assuming. I still think it might be some kind of burn.

[Ron Ketcham]

What ever.

[ShaneB]

I see this kinda stuff all the time. Iron X or similar product should remove it. I use an iron remover on every exterior detail I do, it will not harm anything.

[GearHead_1]

Trying IronX or something similar is a no brainer. Chances are good that it will help, if not you’re not out much they won’t hurt your paint when used as directed.

[Dent95]

Thanks for the replies! I guess I will give Iron X paste a try. This spot seems like a permanent stain though. I will order some and post results here.

Thanks again

[Stokdgs]

Thanks for the replies! I guess I will give Iron X paste a try. This spot seems like a permanent stain though. I will order some and post results here.

Thanks again

When I look at your picture and enlarge it, there are also a couple of lighter brown spots, to the right, lower, corner out a little bit, and below, see them??

Could be that this stuff was "whatever"rough or ?? before, and when someone compounded, polished, etc., over it, it made it smoother, but of course, did not fix the problem..

Did you mention this was a recent pruchase??? Did you go back to the people and show it to them??? What did they say ??
Dan F

[Dent95]

I did see that. I don`t know about that, I would think if they did that that the staining is permanent. The whole thing is smooth and the paint is not damaged. As I said the paint is not cracked or pitted in any way. Possibly it was a shoddy detail job of trying to get the stain out. I have not taken it back, this was purchased used and I missed this when I was looking over the car, I don`t think I have much recourse. I am willing to live with it because it really isn`t noticeable unless I point it out. I will try the Iron X paste, I don`t think this will work though. Doing some internet research I did run into a few other threads about a similar problem with a stain and the whole thing was smooth and paint perfectly intact. I have no idea. It seems this stain is under the clear coat.

[Billy Baldone]

I find this thread funny. You came here asking for a solution. It was given to you several times, but you are convinced it is permanent. If Iron X doesn`t remove it, which I think it will, It can be machine polished off. It is not under your clear coat.