Anyone else have rust on 2007 Corolla

[Bee44]

The rust is on door(s) near body side molding and behind wheels. It is size of a pen tip or a little bigger, but its rust, so it is disappointing and shocking!

Please let me know what you guys and gals think? Do you think it is normal for a 2007 car (owned new for 1 year 8 months) only... to be getting rust on it.

Can you get rock chips on the doors, I mean these are smaller than other rock chips I have had on the hood. And they are too small to be dings from other peoples doors??

Doesn't everyone just love checking your Corolla for rock chips? There are always some, and I just hate fixing them. Especially when my paint pen has dried ( which is usually after I only use it twice.)


I'm not sure what I should do, take it back to the dealer and have them sand and repaint (my beautiful car) which I hate to have messed with, but I guess I have no choice? I'm sure now that there is rust that will affect the trade value. (which I think Toyota's paint stinks anyways)

I could always trade it for a 2010 Corolla.


Any responses as to what you guys think and would do would be REALLY appreciated as I am pretty upset and not sure the best thing to do.

Thank you all, Bee

[JasonA]

I wouldn't over-react. You had a few rock chips that didn't get touched up and the bare metal started to get some surface rust on it. It's not a big deal. For rust spots that small, just touch them up with the correct touch-up paint for your color. Your Toyota dealer will have some. Don't use the pen side of the little paint tube -- use the brush. Get a very small amount on the tip of the brush and just dab the rust spot a few times. If it's a REALLY big rust spot, like, a pencil eraser size or more, you can tightly sand the rust with some 1000 grit or 2000 grit sandpaper. Use a VERY small amount of sandpaper, and sand JUST inside the rust area. If you hit the rest of the paint with it, it'll dull the paint and you'll be able to tell it. Just be careful with it.

[Bee44]

I never thought about putting the touch up paint over the "already rusted spot" because rust will just keep forming and become larger won't it? I thought that you could not stop rust once it has started?

Thanx, and ya I already got over it, decided there are plenty more important things to worry about... you know how it is when you have a brand spanking new car all shiny and clean, any little mark just gets to you.... One hour after I bought my car, some guy was mowing his lawn (which had a pile of rocks on it for some landscaping thing) and well you know....boom and I had a quarter size bare metal dent....Now that killed

Thanks Jason

[JasonA]

If it's a very tiny pin-prick size of rust, just cover it with touch-up paint. If it's large enough for you to get a small piece of sandpaper in there, go ahead and try to scratch the rust away. It doesn't sound like it's enough rust that it would perforate through the panel. For that small amount of surface rust, covering it up with paint should stop its spread, for the most part.

[Jeddak]

Just sold my 05 Taco. Might end up picking up an 07 Corolla to replace it, so I've been reading thru the Corolla forum.

I always use rust-converting paint before any touch up paint.
One, touch up paint will not adhere to bare metal or rust.
Two, if rust is not eliminated, it will continue to spread under the paint.
Buy a can of Krylon Rust converting paint. Spray it in the shallow glass jar (like baby food). Using toothpick, touch up the rusted spot. Let it dry for 2 days at least. I usually do it on the weekend and I wait till the next week end.
Then touch it up with a body-colored paint. Again toothpick works better than a brush.

Alaska uses pea-sized gravel on the roads, not sand, so there are always chips on the cars. My method served me well for the last 10 years.

[c_huynh32]

I don't think it's normal .. but rusting at at stone chips on the hood is normal.

My mom has a 2007 Toyota Corolla S and it's spotless with no rocks or stone chips or rust anywhere and the car has been bought brand new and sat outside from day one. But we have cleaned the garage to park the car inside in a couple days.

Where are you located in Canada? maybe the weather could affect the condition. If you decide to go the trade in route and you are located somewhere in Ontario and close to Mississauga ... I may buy if off you to upgrade from my 96 corolla