A Comparison of Corrosion on Passenger Car Bodies in Europe and USA

A field survey by Ford of Germany has investigated the differences in corrosion occurrence between one European and two US locations on the same car.

The results indicate that type and severity of corrosion differ between the two areas. Certain local regions in the USA, considered to be ‘severe’ by European engineers, proved to be similar in corrosivity compared to highly corrosive European environments. The study also addresses the influence of climatic conditions on the type and sources of corrosion phenomena.

The results have generated a basis for a comparative USA-Europe corrosivity map and a ranking scale which can serve as a guideline to the automotive corrosion engineer with worldwide design responsibility.