My front bumper looks like abstract art

[REM]

46050

I know the Yaris paint isn't the best and people have reported problems, especially with the front bumper, but I think my car might be an unusual case. It's been progressively getting worse for a few years (it just flakes off), but now it's getting embarrassing. I've been told by people with painting experience that this is due to improper preparation/application, but my car is well past the warranty (it's an '07 with over 70,000 miles). Should I bother taking it to Toyota or make other arrangements?

[ROCKLAND TOYOTA]

^^ send that photo to toyota and see what they say. document any time you went to dealer to complain about problem.....

[CTScott]

46050

I know the Yaris paint isn't the best and people have reported problems, especially with the front bumper, but I think my car might be an unusual case. It's been progressively getting worse for a few years (it just flakes off), but now it's getting embarrassing. I've been told by people with painting experience that this is due to improper preparation/application, but my car is well past the warranty (it's an '07 with over 70,000 miles). Should I bother taking it to Toyota or make other arrangements?

Is the backside of the bumper white or black? The real OEM ones are black, and although that white may be primer under the red, it almost looks like that is an aftermarket bumper, which was improperly prepped.

[REM]

Is the backside of the bumper white or black? The real OEM ones are black, and although that white may be primer under the red, it almost looks like that is an aftermarket bumper, which was improperly prepped.

It must be primer because it's the original bumper.

[MadMax]

I gotta admit, it looks kinda cool but I can understand why you wouldn't be happy with it!

If Toyota doesn't respond, park it at the dealership where you bought it for a few days and I'm sure they'd rather fix it than want the bad publicity...:biggrin:

Cheers! M2

[WeeYari]

Something sure smells like fish 'cause that most definitely looks like a repaint. I've never seen primer that looks like an exact match to Polar White.

[REM]

Something sure smells like fish 'cause that most definitely looks like a repaint. I've never seen primer that looks like an exact match to Polar White.

I love being called a liar on the internet. Nope, the car has not been repainted. It's original factory paint, what's left of it, anyhow.

[REM]

I gotta admit, it looks kinda cool but I can understand why you wouldn't be happy with it!

If Toyota doesn't respond, park it at the dealership where you bought it for a few days and I'm sure they'd rather fix it than want the bad publicity...:biggrin:

Cheers! M2

I like this idea. Maybe I'll start a Facebook group, too.

[WeeYari]

I love being called a liar on the internet. Nope, the car has not been repainted. It's original factory paint, what's left of it, anyhow.

Not calling you a liar. I'd be suspicious of the dealer pulling a fast one. New cars have been known to have damages caused in transit repaired and not disclosed.

[REM]

Not calling you a liar. I'd be suspicious of the dealer pulling a fast one. New cars have been known to have damages caused in transit repaired and not disclosed.

Interesting. Is that legal?

[REM]

Not calling you a liar. I'd be suspicious of the dealer pulling a fast one. New cars have been known to have damages caused in transit repaired and not disclosed.

I just did a Google search and found this:

"I feel your pain!! I have a red 2007 Toyota Yaris and the paint on the bumper is peeling off in massive strips, my bumper is pretty much white now. I have taken it back to Toyota and they tell me it's does not have Toyota factory paint on it and the that basically I've had it re-sprayed since purchasing it brand new,which is NOT true,"

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1691162

It probably won't help my case that I have some front end damage because I did hit something, but it was a fender bender and I didn't have any repairs done. I have the worst luck with cars. I bought a Toyota because I thought it would run forever, and it has been good mechanically, at least. Frustrating.

[CTScott]

Just to verify, you bought it brand new?

[REM]

Just to verify, you bought it brand new?

Yes.

[yarisugi]

Looks hot.

[devinlamothe]

This happened to me too, but after I had my front bumper replaced by Toyota. A few days after they had installed + painted it, it was flaking off like that (but since I have blue, it was black underneath).

Guy said it was because they didn't "bake" it enough so they repainted the whole bumper for me free and it has been fine ever since (2+ years).

[vten]

Oh crap my red Yaris is starting to peel off too !! I thought its only on my car ...

[Hamster]

I'm beginning to wonder if the red paint used to paint the bumpers is simply poor quality. First you, then that post from Australia. I saw vten's Yaris at a recent meet, and I was surprised by all the white splotches on the front bumper of his car. My Yaris is meteorite metallic, and the factory paintjob on my car is amazing. I mean, I can count on one hand the number of rock chips on my front bumper, and I do mostly highway driving. The paint on my car holds up extremely well. For example, recently, I was driving along and a rock hit one of my doors real hard. However, there was not a single scratch. There are so many threads on this forum about people complaining about the poor quality of the paint, and I couldn't figure out what the big deal was. Now, I'm beginning to think it's because the supplier can manufacture certain colors well, but apparently they can't get other colors right.

[CTScott]

I'm beginning to wonder if the red paint used to paint the bumpers is simply poor quality. First you, then that post from Australia. I saw vten's Yaris at a recent meet, and I was surprised by all the white splotches on the front bumper of his car. My Yaris is meteorite metallic, and the factory paintjob on my car is amazing. I mean, I can count on one hand the number of rock chips on my front bumper, and I do mostly highway driving. The paint on my car holds up extremely well. For example, recently, I was driving along and a rock hit one of my doors real hard. However, there was not a single scratch. There are so many threads on this forum about people complaining about the poor quality of the paint, and I couldn't figure out what the big deal was. Now, I'm beginning to think it's because the supplier can manufacture certain colors well, but apparently they can't get other colors right.

Reminds me on the issue GM and Ford had in the late 70's with the light blue and light green paint. It turned out that a pigment (derived from fish scales) used in those two colors caused an adhesion issue over time. I had a 78 Buick Skylark in the light blue where the hood flaked like crazy.

Perhaps it's a similar issue with the Yaris red.

[why?]

i have a few tiny spots like this on the rear hatch of my yaris.

[xtremist]

46050

I know the Yaris paint isn't the best and people have reported problems, especially with the front bumper, but I think my car might be an unusual case. It's been progressively getting worse for a few years (it just flakes off), but now it's getting embarrassing. I've been told by people with painting experience that this is due to improper preparation/application, but my car is well past the warranty (it's an '07 with over 70,000 miles). Should I bother taking it to Toyota or make other arrangements?

hhmmm...this is one of a rare case that toyota got this problem. we have yaris here in Saudi Arabia w/c I can say has one of the worst weather in the world...Extremely Hot:evil: plus a terrible sand storm that sandblasted your paint and your plate number. Our piant becomes dull because of this weather but pealing off the paint is unusuall... the OEM bumper is black and I think the primer used is the plastic (clear) primer, I got scratches before and I cannot see the white primer on it, insted a layed body color paint and the black... maybe, you need to show this to toyota on where you bought it and ask ...whhhyyyy???:help:

[xtremist]

hhmmm... after I've read all the post here, I wonder also why is that it is only on red color cars? when this peeling off start? I have a friend here using yaris sedan color red and since he bought it 6 months ago his paint is still amazing even after several driving w/ heavy sandstorm.

[Hamster]

Somebody could jump in and correct me, but I believe that the colors used on the sedans are different from the colors on the hatchback (aren't the sedans and the hatchbacks assembled in different factories in Japan?). Maybe that's why your friend's red sedan is holding up nicely....the sedan has a different color of red than the OP's, who has a hatchback. So, I guess the lesson here is, don't get a red hatchback?

[WeeYari]

I've never seen this happen and there are gobs of red HBs 2006+ running around southern Ontario.

[vten]

so will it covered by the warranty ? my car has 28xxx miles with the extended up to 7 yrs bumper to bumper waranty ..

[Golddeenoh]

I would think that defective paint will be covered in the warranty.

I guess I am luck because some kid hit my front right fender in his mom's excursion so i got that repaired and they had to repaint the front bumper as well so i might not run into this and if i do i take it to the place that painted my car and they will fix it.

back the to the last question, go and ask is the best way to find out for sure but it should be. might even count as part of the lemon law.

[RedRide]

I had the same problem wth the front bumper lip on my Celica. Fortunately, it was still under warranty.

The problem seems to be as said.... just improper prepping of the pastic part and it not unheard of. My co-worker had the same type of problem with a new Nissan.
I would contact Toyta coporate and see what they say as it was obvoiusly defective from day one.

In my case, the dealer simply replaced it with another pre painted new lip as the car was only a few monts old.

[Rikki]

Whew! I'm not alone... I had been having alot of white chips show up on my red '06 Yaris on my car bumper and it has been getting progressively worse over the last few months but then today I took it into the car wash- DIY wand wash and poof - it started peeling away like a banana skin! But only on the bumper. - My bumper looks like yours REM! I purchased it brand new from the dealership showroom floor. Never had any fender benders in the front although I have had someones clutch release and tap my rear bumper - no damage there and paint back there is all intact. I'll be calling the dealership shortly...when I purchased the car I even had an additional paint protection coat done with a lifetime warranty of course the fine print says there should be an annual inspection but since I have all my maintenance done there... I will see what they say.