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Automotive Manufacturer Recall Indicates Cars Still Prone to Rust

24 December 1998

Automotive Manufacturer Recall Indicates Cars Still Prone to Rust, Reports Ziebart

                 Leading Aftermarket Rust Protection Provider
                Encourages Consumers to Inspect Their Vehicles

    TROY, Mich., Dec. 23 / -- A recent vehicle recall by one of The Big Three
car companies due to potential corrosion of subframe supports caused by road
salt and moisture indicates that despite advancements in engineering and
materials cars are still prone to rust.
    According to Tom Walker, vice president of product development for Ziebart
International Corporation, "Despite the fact that today's new cars are built
from more durable materials, they still are subject to rust, which forms most
often around the bottom seams on doors, the front seam on hoods, the lower
seam on trunk lids, radiator support frames, fender attachment points and
gasoline filler door areas.  Most of this rusting occurs before the problem is
noticed, and then the damage has been done."
    Walker encourages owners of the recalled vehicles to take the car back to
the manufacturers for an inspection, but advises consumers that the
manufacturer inspection is limited to the specific corrosive area in question.
"Owners need to know that there may be rust throughout the vehicle, and for
that reason, the vehicle should have a complete inspection," adds Walker.
    Ziebart International Corporation, the world leader in car care solutions
to maintain and enhance vehicle appearance and resale value, will assist
consumers in checking their cars for rust by offering free rust inspections at
300 stores across North America.  Ziebart technicians will check all parts of
the car, including the underside, door panels, trunk panels, seam areas, hood
edges, rear edge of the trunk lid, lower seams, and wheel wells.
    For a complete listing of Ziebart stores, consumers may log on to the
company's web site at http://www.ziebart.com, or call 888-CAR-RENEW.

    Ziebart offers these tips about rust and rust protection:
    *  Aftermarket rust protection can prevent rust from forming in the first
place, enhancing the car's appearance and resale value.
    *  The best time to apply rust protection is when the vehicle is new,
before exposure to weather, salt and dirt has occurred.
    *  The best rust protection process is one that applies rust protection in
accordance with the Ziebart specifications of individual vehicles, ensuring
that the particular model receives the protection it needs.
    *  Consumers should seek out highly trained technicians to administer rust
protection to ensure that sealants penetrate 100 percent of the critical seams
on the vehicle, creating a barrier against rust for total protection in all
crucial areas.
    *  Consumers should also look for a comprehensive rust protection warranty
that complements a manufacturer's rust-protection warranty.  The warranty
should provide protection to the entire vehicle, bumper-to-bumper, including
all areas not covered by the manufacturer.  The warranty should be good for as
long as the consumer owns the vehicle.
    *  A Ziebart survey in Midwestern cities of cars just two to four years
old found that 44 percent of them already were rusting.
    *  Even in newer vehicles, rust is forming on the inner surfaces of steel
panels and eventually make its way through to the outer surfaces, bubbling the
paint and eating through the metal.
    *  Most late-model cars already have hidden rust.  Owners of used cars
should have their vehicles inspected and, if necessary, treated for rust.

    Ziebart has more than 35 years' experience in protecting and enhancing
cars and trucks through approximately 600 stores in 44 countries.