[JerryHonolulu]

I just purchased a 2006 Honda Element with just under 21,000 miles on it. This car has serious filiform corrosion on all four wheels. Is this corrosion going to progress to cause a structural failure of the wheels? Since this is a manufacturing defect, what is Honda doing about it?

Thank You,

JerryHonolulu

 

[marvin the marshen]

wheel

My 07 EX is doing the same thing, all 4 corners.?? I keep them clean so why is this happening??

 

[exskwid]

Filiform

I think what happens is one of two things. One, the coating on the wheels is not completely sealed and allows water, etc. to intrude into the area between the coating and the wheel. Two, that a rock hit dings the coating and allows capillary action to pull water into that space between the coating and the wheel. Then the centrifugal force moves the water as the corrosion etches the aluminum face.


Happened on my 1984 Subaru turbo wagon, but...knock on wood, Nothing on my sold 2003 or my new 2009 Element. I live in mountains of NC and salt is a problem, so, I have my snow tires (2 studded, 2 non-studded) on steel element wheels. That way corrosion can eat away at steel and leave my aluminium ones alone.

 

[GaryS]

Is this corrosion going to progress to cause a structural failure of the wheels?

No it is not going to cause wheel failure.

 

[Gilboy]

PennDOT brine

My 07 EX is doing the same thing, all 4 corners.?? I keep them clean so why is this happening??

Mavvin, the brine (liquid salt) solution that PennDot sprays on the roads before snow is very corrosive. Check out my wheels off my 07. They did this while still under warranty and Honda would not cover them. All four are the same. Now; they are my winter wheels with snows on them. I've never cleaned them with anything else but Griots wheel cleaner

 

[Dom.five]

My Wheels look the same !

Dom

 

[WRShields1]

07 wheel corrosion

My 07 EX with 20K miles shows similar damage. The dealer says it's "normal" and not covered under warranty. I believe it may be caused by putting the center cap in the wheel after the wheel has been clear coated. This damages the clear coat at the center opening edge and allows intrusion of water/salt/whatever under the clear coat on the wheel.

 

[kitkat123474]

My 07 EX with 20K miles shows similar damage. The dealer says it's "normal" and not covered under warranty. I believe it may be caused by putting the center cap in the wheel after the wheel has been clear coated. This damages the clear coat at the center opening edge and allows intrusion of water/salt/whatever under the clear coat on the wheel.

you sure?

usually, they dry the clear coat before they put on the caps.

btw, they powder coat the wheels at the manufacturer.

I think what happens is one of two things. One, the coating on the wheels is not completely sealed and allows water, etc. to intrude into the area between the coating and the wheel. Two, that a rock hit dings the coating and allows capillary action to pull water into that space between the coating and the wheel. Then the centrifugal force moves the water as the corrosion etches the aluminum face.


Happened on my 1984 Subaru turbo wagon, but...knock on wood, Nothing on my sold 2003 or my new 2009 Element. I live in mountains of NC and salt is a problem, so, I have my snow tires (2 studded, 2 non-studded) on steel element wheels. That way corrosion can eat away at steel and leave my aluminium ones alone.

you are correct my friend.

your wheels gets a lot of damages from rocks and stone, whether it be mountain, or just daily driven. then, it comes into contact with moisture, whether that be moisture in the air, puddles, rain, brine, snow etc. have you ever wondered what happens to aluminum (or in the case, aluminum alloys) put into salt water?

 

[ilenedream]

What about it possibly having to do with wheel corrosion due to dissimilar metals coming into contact with each other and/or the salt getting on both of them and making a connection between the two???


Also... what if you took off the Honda emblem center piece? Would that prevent the corrosion?


Does anyone know what the center emblem is made out of and if its the same for the 2010 models???

 

[desinia]

My Wheels look the same !

Dom

Mine are doing it too, all four of them, and in the same place. NOT liking it!

The wheels on my old GMC were 13 or 14 years old and just beginning to show any problems at all.

 

[ilenedream]

Has Honda addressed this issue yet and what to do to avoid it from happening on newer models???
:twisted:

I found this but don't understand it really.
Filiform corrosion of aluminum and of chrome-plated steel is prevented by covering the surface of the bare metal with a powder coating containing a major amount of a thermosetting resin selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, polyesters, and acrylics; a minor, adhesion promoting amount of an epoxy resin; and either an ultra-violet light absorber or a hindered amine light stabilizer or a mixture of both, and baking the coated article to give a clear coating on the metal.

 

[ilenedream]

I just found more of this online... http://papers.sae.org/970021/

Effects of Alloy Composition and Condition on Filiform Corrosion Performance of Cast Aluminum Wheels

The movement towards extended warranties in the automobile industry has focussed attention on corrosion performance of many components, particularly cast aluminum wheels. Filiform corrosion is of particular concern since it can severely affect the appearance of the wheel. The appearance and the choice of wheel design are the most attractive features to customers. In order to enhance the filiform corrosion resistance of cast aluminum wheels, cleaning, pretreatment, coating and alloy parameters are critical and need to be optimized. In this paper, the effects of alloy composition and condition on filiform corrosion are reviewed. A series of cast discs were prepared with variations in iron, zinc and copper levels around the standard A356.2 alloy composition. Apart from composition, certain specimens were subjected to different heat treatment and aging conditions. The effects of porosity and different machining procedures were also evaluated. All samples were cleaned and powder coated identically and although the primary focus of this study was on the alloy, selected samples were given a below normal level of chromium pretreatment. Filiform corrosion performance was evaluated using these different test procedures. Relative performance of these compositions and the effect of process variables are discussed.

 

[ilenedream]

wait, this is better and more thorough..
http://www.jcse.org/volume2/paper1/v2p1.php

 

[desinia]

wait, this is better and more thorough..
http://www.jcse.org/volume2/paper1/v2p1.php

Well and fine, but what I want to know is how to FIX it. I know Honda is supposed to be soooooo reliable but my wheels aren't even 2 years old yet and they're already splotched with ugly corrosion.

 

[ilenedream]

I have found no evidence that this issue has been brought to Honda's attention or that they are addressing it.

Corroding wheels is something that seems to be happening on all Elements. Perhaps someone could begin a group effort to address this to Honda and then you could all join in .

 

[racerc2000]

from what ive seen. honda is not the only company dealing with corroding wheels.

ANY metal finish wheel that is clearcoated is the most susceptible. next in line or tied would be chrome.

i would doubt any honda wheels are powder coated. i know for a fact MY SC wheels are painted. but refinished honda wheels from keystone are really powdercoated.


you could. before it gets really bad on the clearcoated wheels. scrape the centers wet sand polish to match and re clearcoat. or strip all the clear and re polish the wheels every so often

 

[ct-vt-trekker]

Interesting that Honda did cover this under warranty.

The same corrosion happened on 2005-2009 Subaru Legacy GT wheels arround the center cap. Subarau would replace all wheels under warranty.

This corrosion around the center cap has happened on every car I've have owned. Now I usually run different wheels in Winter.
Some poeple have had luck by removing the center caps in Winter. It's the center cap that holds the moisture that causes the corrosion.

 

[jiminwantagh]

How do I get the center caps off?????

 

[07lmnt]

Yikes.. Mine started to look like that before the winter of '07 bought it new nov 06.. I do my my best to avoid driving on salted roads, but this is nuts.

 

[ct-vt-trekker]

How do I get the center caps off?????

I haven't looked at the Element wheels center caps yet but on most wheels they simply push out from the inside.