Causes and Effects of Corrosion Relating to Exterior Trim on Automobiles

The corrosivity of the automotive environment has become more severe in recent years due to increased use of road salts and acid precipitation. Corrosion problems associated with exterior automotive trim include I 1) effect of the trim on the auto-body steel and, 2) corrosion of the trim material itself. In addition to the corrosivity of the automotive environment, factors which cause these problems for a given material include the inherent crevice geometry, attachment requirements and susceptibility to paint damage in this area. Corrosion performance of an exterior trim depends heavily on the material choice.