Paint blistering on the Rear Quarter Panel...!!! Am I the first??

[Man.v.Cars]

The panels are manufactured and coated with conductive primer in Portugal by Teijin Automotive Technologies, a Japanese company.

The SMC raw material (sheet molded compound) is made in Teijin's factory in France before being shipped to Portugal.

Teijin is providing the doors, rear quarter panels, and the inner, outer and lower shells of the tailgate.

So all the panels that are failing.

 

[Nick in Sydney]

So all the panels that are failing.

Looks like it. I haven't heard of blistering on the front panels or the hood/bonnet. Suggests there is a manufacturing/storage/handling issue at Teijin rather than a problem with the way Lotus paints them. Also raises doubts about whether a repaint actually solves the underlying problem.

 

[Man.v.Cars]

Looks like it. I haven't heard of blistering on the front panels or the hood/bonnet. Suggests there is a manufacturing/storage/handling issue at Teijin rather than a problem with the way Lotus paints them. Also raises doubts about whether a repaint actually solves the underlying problem.

I spoke with the paint shop yesterday to book my car in and was informed that it was a problem with the base primer used. I would assume they would have been delivered to Lotus with a primer/sealer.

I've posted on another thread how my daily, a Toyota IQ/Scion, had a similar problem. White pearlescent painted cars of 2009 had an incorrect base primer applied that resulted in paint bubbling and lifting. The difference being it took about 7 years for it to come to light. Pics attached. Toyota US resprayed, Toyota UK said tough unless you'd always had the car serviced with them. The panels were steel not composite.

 

[freefall_junkie]

I spoke with the paint shop yesterday to book my car in and was informed that it was a problem with the base primer used. I would assume they would have been delivered to Lotus with a primer/sealer.

This tallies with what we've heard from a couple of other sources. It sounds like Lotus have improved the drainage of the doors on later cars, but the root cause seems to be faulty primer/sealer. What no one seems to know, including the dealers, is whether all cars before a certain build date are affected or just some batches. No one except Lotus of course and annoying they are not doing the right thing and recalling all affected cars. I have a November 22 build car. No blisters so far but I'd really like to know either that it is not affected, or if it is that it will be fixed within the warranty period.

 

[Nick Sticks]

This tallies with what we've heard from a couple of other sources. It sounds like Lotus have improved the drainage of the doors on later cars, but the root cause seems to be faulty primer/sealer. What no one seems to know, including the dealers, is whether all cars before a certain build date are affected or just some batches. No one except Lotus of course and annoying they are not doing the right thing and recalling all affected cars. I have a November 22 build car. No blisters so far but I'd really like to know either that it is not affected, or if it is that it will be fixed within the warranty period.

It's been posted on this forum back in July that modified doors have been fitted since 14/06/2023. The later specification doors have a black/blue primer on the inside. If it's white primer you have the older doors.
I had a Lotus employee say this to me also in September.

The post is here:

Poll for Those with Paint Blistering / Bubbling Defect

So cars booked in 29th July, first service £430 and then getting both doors replaced for the blistering. Also had quote for the car getting paint correction and ceramic coated again and lotus have agreed to cover cost and pay invoice issued to them. Car likely be with them 1-2 weeks and been...

www.emiraforum.com

 

[NigeT]

It's been posted on this forum back in July that modified doors have been fitted since 14/06/2023. The later specification doors have a black/blue primer on the inside. If it's white primer you have the older doors.
I had a Lotus employee say this to me also in September.

The post is here:

Poll for Those with Paint Blistering / Bubbling Defect

So cars booked in 29th July, first service £430 and then getting both doors replaced for the blistering. Also had quote for the car getting paint correction and ceramic coated again and lotus have agreed to cover cost and pay invoice issued to them. Car likely be with them 1-2 weeks and been...

www.emiraforum.com

Is there any way to tell from the outside of the door ?