Hi,
Edited - Please goto 11:18pm 25.07.13 update and questions

Should I be concerned about a few pinhead blisters on the public facing side of the upper tailgate, right on the lip?

On noticing it today, I opened the upper tailgate and saw that on the corresponding internal weld seam channel there were similar signs of rust coloured oxidisation around blistering paint finish, albeit the paint doesn't appear to be broken (this is to the rear offside but the nearside appears to be unaffected).

I applied Iron X, Tardis and AG SRP to clean off the oxidisation.

Iron X claims to stop rust?

Any thoughts on whether or not I might have caught this in time to keep failing paint at bay with good cleaning/ maintenance or whether a paint job is inevitable?

Thanks

Last edited by pld118 on 25th Jul 2013 11:09pm. Edited 3 times in total

If your car profile was filled in i would be able to offer more advice but the crux of it is its a design fault and if under warranty would be fixed, outside of warranty its a strip and repaint job  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

If your car is less than 6 years old, then the anti-corrosion warranty should cover replacement. I had mine done earlier this year for the very same thing. Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Had mine done too, under corrosion warranty. 
Had it, loved it!
2007 Vogue SE TDV8
Stornoway Grey / Ivory
Climatic Seats, RSE, AFS, Deployable steps, iPod kit.

Me too but mine's still in the 3 year surface corrosion warranty. A couple of very small paint blisters, only just visible but no quibble from LR as its a very well documented failure. New door fitted and wax oiled to prevent the same happening again. 4.4 TDV8 Vogue Baltic Blue MY11

Hi, an update:

Car in at main dealer for some other work to be done. They say they have inspected my upper tailgate and will repair it at no cost to me. The imperfection doesn't look too bad at all/ is currently affecting only a small localised area and was only just noticeable in direct sunlight with the head tilted to the side (I couldn't really even capture the affected area with the camera/ as indicated on the below image of the weld seam which is for the purpose of roughly showing the affected area.

I think they just intend to repaint it based on what the female Service Advisor told my today.

Any thoughts please on the likely durability of making good and repainting as some people seem to be reporting here that an actual new upper tailgate is the remedy (although at this time, I'm just relieved that they acknowledge the issue and intend to make good with no quibble)?

Thanks

Click image to enlarge

I'd be inclined to ask them to check the weld seam at the bottom of the upper tailgate. This is the area that corrodes and triggers a replacement of the entire upper tail gate assembly (under the 6 year anti-corrosion warranty). Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Thanks, I presume you mean the same type area as indicated on the above image?

That is exactly what I asked them to check as my obs are really that the corrosion appears to be emanating from that seam then working outwards to the blistering that manifests on the 'public facing' upper tailgate edge.

Is there a mandate from LR UK that says replace rather than repaint that I can refer to please?

Thanks again

That's the very thing. From my limited knowledge, this is never repaired, but always replaced. I'm guessing they're hoping to fob you off by a cosmetic repair, when, in fact, there's something much more sinister going on inside the door cavity.

Do a quick search and you'll see that there's another forum member that had his request intially rejected, only to succeed with a little "persuasion"! Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

That's great/ I'll have a look and try to get my facts straight.

To be fair to the MD in question, the Service Manager has been outstanding in continually trying to resolve many issues with the car and all without quibble to date.

I'd be surprised if they weren't aware of this issue, but if the entire top half of the tail gate is replaced under warranty then it's less for them to shell out I would have thought? Got - 2017 SDV8 Autobiography in Loire Blue
Had- 2008 TDV8 Vogue SE in Java black
Had - 2007 S/C in Stornoway Grey

Hi, spoke with main dealer service advisor today who said their plan is to sand down and repaint the affected tailgate area.

To be fair, I think my vigilance, for want of a better word, has caught this at the early onset stage and without the forum I would never have thought that what I'd found would require a new upper tailgate so....

1. Do you think their painting it will probably be fine given I'm so meticulous at cleaning/ looking after the car (if so what's the best protective product to use to keep the wolf from the repaired door )? (or)

2. Do you think that painting the upper tailgate is likely to be a short term fix, the rust will return and a new tailgate should be fitted ( if anyone has had a new tailgate and knows of the form of words and/or knows of a LR UK mandate or similar that decrees these symptoms should result in a new upper tailgate, it would be much appreciated if you could direct me to a copy/ despite searching, not found it to date?

Thanks in hopeful anticipation.

Ps.. I'm really pleased that the main dealer has assessed the issue and immediately agreed to repair it without quibble. I just want the job done properly, as doubtless we all do

Hi.. It would be good if you could edit your car profile so we know the type of FFRR you have and more importantly the age, as the 6 year corrosion warranty is kind of key to this thread..  Previously..
Vogue SE TD6
Defender 90 2.4
Defender 110 TD5
Vogue 3.5 EFI

Cleaning won't help. The rust comes from water sitting inside. They should waxoyl inside the drain holes after painting which should help to prevent return. My Previous RR's!

2008 TDV8 Vogue
2006 TD6 Vogue
2007 TDV8 Vogue
2007 RRS (I know, it doesn't count!)
2005 4.4 Vogue on LPG
2005 TD6 Vogue
2003 4.4 Vogue
2001 4.6 HSE
2000 2.5 DHSE
1999 4.6 HSE
1997 4.6 HSE on LPG
1995 2.5 DSE
1989 3.9 EFI classic
1988 3.5 EFI classic

I've got e related question having just had mine done, not under warranty ( just outside the 6 years so I didn't even ask ) but what can be done to prevent a recurrence. I suppose what I really mean is where does the water get in and what can be done to prevent or reduce the ingress - the drain holes must be there for a reason? Geoff