Small rust spot found. Need opinions

[TTO5]

Seeing what you've got there. I believe the issue is simply surface paint wear from rubbing of the plastic trim. Then it got chronically wet and rusted from the top.

If it were me (and I'm a little weird about this kind of thing):
1. Tape off the area within a few mm of the rusted areas with blue painters tape.
2. Use 1000 grit sand paper and sand down all the rust bubbles to bare shiny metal as best as possible. You won't be able to get it all, but get as much as you can.
3. Treat the residual rust with a rust converter paint or Evaporust
4. Buy a can of matching touch up spray from automotivetouchup.com. Use a primer first and then coat the area with the spray touchup, keeping the painted area as small as possible. In this area, it won't be very noticeable at all, but best to minimize any paint work.
5. Either reattach the trim and call it good or put down a strip of clear paint protection film between the trim and paint. It isn't clear to me why it rubbed off so much paint in the first place. My guess is the prior owner was a big ol feller who stood on that area when getting in and out.
6. Now you can treat the whole chassis with Surface Shield if you think rust is a concern for places other than just under this trim, but that's a whole other topic.

Great info I'll get on it. Thanks

 

[stonepa]

How long will the fluid film last? How often do I need to re apply? Would I be better with sprayable rust encapsulator with the 360 nozzle like Eastwood has?

I do it once a year in the warm part of the fall.

 

[bj70bc]

Sell it

 

[gasman4u]

Seeing what you've got there. I believe the issue is simply surface paint wear from rubbing of the plastic trim. Then it got chronically wet and rusted from the top.

If it were me (and I'm a little weird about this kind of thing):
1. Tape off the area within a few mm of the rusted areas with blue painters tape.
2. Use 1000 grit sand paper and sand down all the rust bubbles to bare shiny metal as best as possible. You won't be able to get it all, but get as much as you can.
3. Treat the residual rust with a rust converter paint or Evaporust
4. Buy a can of matching touch up spray from automotivetouchup.com. Use a primer first and then coat the area with the spray touchup, keeping the painted area as small as possible. In this area, it won't be very noticeable at all, but best to minimize any paint work.
5. Either reattach the trim and call it good or put down a strip of clear paint protection film between the trim and paint. It isn't clear to me why it rubbed off so much paint in the first place. My guess is the prior owner was a big ol feller who stood on that area when getting in and out.
6. Now you can treat the whole chassis with Surface Shield if you think rust is a concern for places other than just under this trim, but that's a whole other topic.

2. could also be done with a Dremel sanding wheel and a steady, patient hand.

 

[mitch186]

Our 2021 has the same thing, although not quite as advanced. I knew to look for it because I noticed the same on our 2010 4R earlier this year. On the 4R, Toyota had installed a thin film between the trim and the paint, which eventually wore through and allowed the trim to crack the paint, causing a good amount of rust to form underneath the trim. I sanded that down, taped off the sanded area, sprayed rust-converter extensively, and added a strip of thick, clear adhesive tape before reinstalling the trim piece.

I didn't care too much about appearances on the 4R since it's now just a car the kids drive, but I've been debating having the LC professionally done so that the door sill looks correct. Either way, I will apply the same clear tape once before reinstalling the trim piece. Seems like that would be a good preventative measure for those in salted areas that don't yet have this issue.

 

[TTO5]

Our 2021 has the same thing, although not quite as advanced. I knew to look for it because I noticed the same on our 2010 4R earlier this year. On the 4R, Toyota had installed a thin film between the trim and the paint, which eventually wore through and allowed the trim to crack the paint, causing a good amount of rust to form underneath the trim. I sanded that down, taped off the sanded area, sprayed rust-converter extensively, and added a strip of thick, clear adhesive tape before reinstalling the trim piece.

I didn't care too much about appearances on the 4R since it's now just a car the kids drive, but I've been debating having the LC professionally done so that the door sill looks correct. Either way, I will apply the same clear tape once before reinstalling the trim piece. Seems like that would be a good preventative measure for those in salted areas that don't yet have this issue.

I plan to do that with the tape. Can you share info about the tape please.

 

[mitch186]

I plan to do that with the tape. Can you share info about the tape please.

Here's what I used. I'm not sure of the exact thickness, but it is pretty thick. Way beefier than what was on the 4R, which lasted ~ 10 years.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07X9XNV3K?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1

 

[gasman4u]

XPEL makes some paint protective film strips you can buy for this too. I don’t know how thick they are though.