Rusting Z06 Steel Rotor Hubs
08-30-2016, 09:44 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Rusting Z06 Steel Rotor Hubs
My 2016 Z06 has about 14,000 miles. I have always hand washed my car myself. I recently took my car to a Chevy dealer to get a hand wash thinking they knew how to properly wash the car. I picked the car up and everything seemed OK, but when I drove the car the next day I noticed the rear brake rotors were starting to rust around the hub area. I took the car back to the dealer and learned that wheel cleaner had been used on the wheels. I told the service manager that the manual specifically states not to use wheel cleaner. The acid in the cleaner appears to have removed some of the gray coating on the rotor hub resulting in rust on the unprotected metal. The service manager agreed and said they would replace the rotors. He told me it would take two weeks to get the rotors and he would call me when they came in.
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Prior to the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Prior to the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
08-31-2016, 08:58 AM
#2
Intermediate
My 2016 Z06 has about 14,000 miles. I have always hand washed my car myself. I recently took my car to a Chevy dealer to get a hand wash thinking they knew how to properly wash the car. I picked the car up and everything seemed OK, but when I drove the car the next day I noticed the rear brake rotors were starting to rust around the hub area. I took the car back to the dealer and learned that wheel cleaner had been used on the wheels. I told the service manager that the manual specifically states not to use wheel cleaner. The acid in the cleaner appears to have removed some of the gray coating on the rotor hub resulting in rust on the unprotected metal. The service manager agreed and said they would replace the rotors. He told me it would take two weeks to get the rotors and he would call me when they came in.
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Before the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Before the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Again, sorry to hear about your situation, but glad I read about it, I will make sure to note that wheel cleaner is a big NO-NO!
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conlaurant (08-31-2016)
08-31-2016, 09:05 AM
#3
Melting Slicks
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I'm guessing wheel cleaner at a Chevy dealer was not the worst thing they did while washing your car. I can only imagine the number of brushes and dirty towels used to clean the vehicle...
08-31-2016, 09:15 AM
#4
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It doesn't matter whether it is a $100K car, a $15K car or a $400K car cast iron/steel rotors rust. Almost every car on the planet has them and every one of them rusts. That coating seen on the rotors goes away over time anyways and they will rust. The SM is correct the warning about wheel cleaners is to avoid damage to the wheels that can occur if the cleaner is left on the wheel too long.
Bill
Bill
08-31-2016, 09:37 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
My 2016 Z06 has about 14,000 miles. I have always hand washed my car myself. I recently took my car to a Chevy dealer to get a hand wash thinking they knew how to properly wash the car. I picked the car up and everything seemed OK, but when I drove the car the next day I noticed the rear brake rotors were starting to rust around the hub area. I took the car back to the dealer and learned that wheel cleaner had been used on the wheels. I told the service manager that the manual specifically states not to use wheel cleaner. The acid in the cleaner appears to have removed some of the gray coating on the rotor hub resulting in rust on the unprotected metal. The service manager agreed and said they would replace the rotors. He told me it would take two weeks to get the rotors and he would call me when they came in.
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Prior to the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Prior to the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
08-31-2016, 09:47 AM
#6
Drifting
My 2016 Z06 has about 14,000 miles. I have always hand washed my car myself. I recently took my car to a Chevy dealer to get a hand wash thinking they knew how to properly wash the car. I picked the car up and everything seemed OK, but when I drove the car the next day I noticed the rear brake rotors were starting to rust around the hub area. I took the car back to the dealer and learned that wheel cleaner had been used on the wheels. I told the service manager that the manual specifically states not to use wheel cleaner. The acid in the cleaner appears to have removed some of the gray coating on the rotor hub resulting in rust on the unprotected metal. The service manager agreed and said they would replace the rotors. He told me it would take two weeks to get the rotors and he would call me when they came in.
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Prior to the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Fast forward three weeks. I called the SM to inquire about the new rotors and he said the dealership would not replace the rotors. His explanation is the use of wheel cleaner applies to only the wheel and the wheels are fine. I explained that if you use wheel cleaner on the wheels it will also be sprayed on the rotors. His offer is to remove the wheels and brush the rust off, but they will not apply anything to the bare metal such as paint. Obviously, this procedure will do nothing to fix the problem.
Note to Self ... Take care of your car Yourself! A $100k car with rusting rotors. Prior to the dealer car wash, everything looked great. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
08-31-2016, 09:50 AM
#7
Unbelievable.....
08-31-2016, 11:28 AM
#8
Instructor
Thread Starter
The C7Z06 uses the two piece rotors. I have the Steel Rotors with the steel hubs. The wheel cleaner applied at the dealer etched the paint on the 'Hub' as noted in the attached photo. Prior to the dealership wash job, the rotor assemblies looked perfect as I do not use wheel cleaner on my rims and rotors. The front brakes have a black painted hub that so far looks OK, but you can see the rust on the rotor between the painted hub and rotor surface that is swiped by the brake pads . It is mainly the rear brakes that look terrible.
If the dealership had not used the wheel cleaner, this problem would not have happened. The SM acknowledged the problem initially but now will not stand by his agreement to replace the rotor assemblies. They will remove the rust that they created, but will not repaint the hubs to prevent future rusting that will probably be worse after they remove the current rust.
I am not a Happy Camper after this ordeal. I have owned three Vets and this is the first issue I have had with rotors looking like a 1996 ford pickup.
If the dealership had not used the wheel cleaner, this problem would not have happened. The SM acknowledged the problem initially but now will not stand by his agreement to replace the rotor assemblies. They will remove the rust that they created, but will not repaint the hubs to prevent future rusting that will probably be worse after they remove the current rust.
I am not a Happy Camper after this ordeal. I have owned three Vets and this is the first issue I have had with rotors looking like a 1996 ford pickup.
08-31-2016, 11:33 AM
#9
Burning Brakes
well ****, that must be some unusually strong stuff. I'd be calling the general manager. Do you have a picture of them before they washed it?
FWIW, I use Sonax wheel cleaner, and it has not affected the rotors like this.
FWIW, I use Sonax wheel cleaner, and it has not affected the rotors like this.
08-31-2016, 11:37 AM
#11
[QUOTE=Bill Dearborn;1592960760]It doesn't matter whether it is a $100K car, a $15K car or a $400K car cast iron/steel rotors rust. Almost every car on the planet has them and every one of them rusts. That coating seen on the rotors goes away over time anyways and they will rust. The SM is correct the warning about wheel cleaners is to avoid damage to the wheels that can occur if the cleaner is left on the wheel too long.
Bill[/
Yep I agree, that's why I powder coat them!! Problem solved
Bill[/
Yep I agree, that's why I powder coat them!! Problem solved
08-31-2016, 03:35 PM
#14
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St. Jude Donor '05
at least it wasnt a fingerprint
08-31-2016, 03:40 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
08-31-2016, 04:07 PM
#17
Melting Slicks
08-31-2016, 08:13 PM
#18
Le Mans Master
The C7Z06 uses the two piece rotors. I have the Steel Rotors with the steel hubs. The wheel cleaner applied at the dealer etched the paint on the 'Hub' as noted in the attached photo. Prior to the dealership wash job, the rotor assemblies looked perfect as I do not use wheel cleaner on my rims and rotors. The front brakes have a black painted hub that so far looks OK, but you can see the rust on the rotor between the painted hub and rotor surface that is swiped by the brake pads . It is mainly the rear brakes that look terrible.
If the dealership had not used the wheel cleaner, this problem would not have happened. The SM acknowledged the problem initially but now will not stand by his agreement to replace the rotor assemblies. They will remove the rust that they created, but will not repaint the hubs to prevent future rusting that will probably be worse after they remove the current rust.
I am not a Happy Camper after this ordeal. I have owned three Vets and this is the first issue I have had with rotors looking like a 1996 ford pickup.
If the dealership had not used the wheel cleaner, this problem would not have happened. The SM acknowledged the problem initially but now will not stand by his agreement to replace the rotor assemblies. They will remove the rust that they created, but will not repaint the hubs to prevent future rusting that will probably be worse after they remove the current rust.
I am not a Happy Camper after this ordeal. I have owned three Vets and this is the first issue I have had with rotors looking like a 1996 ford pickup.
08-31-2016, 08:25 PM
#19
Melting Slicks
It doesn't matter whether it is a $100K car, a $15K car or a $400K car cast iron/steel rotors rust. Almost every car on the planet has them and every one of them rusts. That coating seen on the rotors goes away over time anyways and they will rust. The SM is correct the warning about wheel cleaners is to avoid damage to the wheels that can occur if the cleaner is left on the wheel too long.
Bill
Bill
Bing Bango Bongo, its steel its going to rust. That gray coating will wash away and rust will occur, its inevitable. Its the same paint they've been using since early 2006 production. Very sad to see they accelerated process. Just pull the wheels off, tape around the calipers and spray them with a Duplicolor 500 degree light gray paint. Take the car down the street with a couple of hard stops and the paint will be gone off the brake surface of the rotor. Take a little bit of lacquer thinner to wipe the rotor bolts. They will look great for a long time and last much longer then the factory gray paint.
Last edited by LPE385; 08-31-2016 at 08:27 PM.
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