I just bought my Cobalt SS about a month ago. About three weeks ago, I took it to a car wash. A few days later, one of my rims caught my attention when walking to my car. I noticed some spots, like a residue. I checked the other three rims, and they had it also. They looked like some water spots, but when I tried to wash them, the spots would not come off. I don't know if it was the wheel cleaner they used or what. I have bought a couple of different wheel cleaners and nothing is working. I am not sure if there has been a post for this before, but I can't find one. The spots are not noticeable until you are right next to the car, but they still bug the sh*t out of me. Anyone know how I can get rid of the spots? I am pretty sure that there is a clear coat on the polished aluminums if I am not mistaken. Is it a problem with that? I don't know what else to do...

 

same thing happened to my balt from a car wash , they sprayed on the cleaner on a hot day and let it dry before wiping it off, i could never get the stain out so i stripped the rims.

 

might want to try waxing your rims but im not too sure...

 

We had a vette customer get the same thing on his front wheels. He bitched to the manager and got new ones. Might try the "defective" wheel complaint since its a new car.

 

I have the 17" polished and I am buggin out too. I have what looks like tar spots on mine but they wont come off. Because of the clear coat I am afraid to use any chemicals. I am pretty sure it is brake dust particles. I have bought some bug and tar remover and some wheel cleaner designed for brake dust but am afraid to use it. What bugs me is I only have 6000 miles on my balt and i keep her real clean. Also the little black marks seem embedded in the clear coat like a chip. My thoughts are I should take each rim off cold, use the brake cleaner, washing it off quckly. Then go at it with the bug and tar remover. If that works, I have the Meguires three step polish system ready. Any other ideas or similar happenings or resolve would be cool. Thanks.

 

maybe try clay baring your rims where the black spots are....
and thats strange i have never had those water spots

 

Yeah, the water spots suck. It happens here all the time in Arizona. It also happens on windows. Usually it just takes a good wash with a ton of elbow grease. Wash in a cool place, and keep the water flowing over the top and scrub with a terricloth. Use whatever soap you have, I use meguires car shampoo and conditioner.

Can't help with the tar spots.

 

well if they look like little black spot's its called "pitting" it happens from the stock break pads... the dust really stick's to them. they will come off but you really need to work at them. just take it to a dealer. there is a tsb out on it.

 

do they take the stuff off? Do they replace the pads? Would be nice to if the rims are permanently damaged to be replaced. Can anyone post the tsb? Not sure I like the dealer where I bought the car, I will try another one if I have to. My CEL pops on weekly and goes back off. I called the local dealer and they said they couldnt get me in for 10 days and to try the gas cap. The dealer where I took the car for its 6000 mile servicing wouldnt mess with it cuz it was not on at the time. they did however tell me it was in my history as a random misfire. Car runs fine but the light annoys me. I should call them back and ask why they did not diagnose that, huh? While I am at it they could look at my rims, no? Dip ***** did not even reset the oil life. Gotta love it.

so how do i mention the TSb when I call?

 

when you call just tell them that you know there is a TSB on the rims and that GM has a polish/Buffing compound they use to remove it. I would get you that TSB but i'm not in class over the summer so i cant get on the database. They dont replace the pads they just recommend to you that you wash them more offten. i went with Bendix pads cost me like 110 dollars for full ceramic's. From the factory gm put organic in the back and ceramic's in the front. that and i have a lifetime warrenty on me pads. so they replace them for free =)
if they cant find the TSB they have to replace them as long as you dont have ANY scratchs on them. they can be really gay about that kind of stuff.

 

thanks dude.

 

same here there 's a sometype of residue on my passeger front rim

 

The wheels on my '07 weren't clear coated. I used NeverDull on them and WOW!! What a difference.

I don't know why yours would be clear coated. It's hard to get any kind of paint to stick to a polished metal. I don't think they are.

Anyway, what you're seeing is oxidation.

http://www.teskoenterprises.com/aluminum.html

Here is what you need.

http://www.zoops.com/product-listing.asp?ID=15

 

I use Eagle One nano-polish ( with anticorrosion. For Mag,Chrome& aluminum wheels) comes in a small jar (( 0.5 oz)). Does wonders for removing spots and polishing up rims. Also you can use Mequires (sp?) Wheel Cleaner ( IN THE PINK'ish bottle) Best stuff I found yet to help remove the brake dust. Also use a good quality tire brush. It should not scratch the rims, and I have scrubed kinda hard with mine and has not done it yet.

 

maybe try some polish with the mothers ball..

 

This happened to me 3 out of my 4 tires were pitting. i brought it to the dealership and they replaced all 4 tires. i still get tons of break dust so i obsessively wash my rims like every 3 or 4 days. anyone have any info on what kinda break pads to buy to stop the dust.

 

Ceramic.

 

but you have those new 18 polished ones for your SS/SC, right? I believe they are different. the inner part of the 17's are painted silver/gray. I really would like to know what to use. It is driving me nuts. That Zoop stuff, did you buy the 100 dollar kit or the 20 dollar polish? I really wanna know if these rims are clear coated now.

ANYONE??????




your tires were pitting?

 

yes these rims are clearcoated. there is no way they would hold up otherwise. first rain they would be dull looking. your rims ARE clearcoated and dont let anyone tell you diffrent.

 

thanks and a rep to you dude. I could tell by looking at em. I guess i am gonna treat them like anything else. Clean em real good, and use some Meguires on them. I have bug and tar remover and brake dust cleaner. If that dont work I will take em to the dealer.
Additional question I have is this......... if the cause is the brake pads, and I wanna switch them to ceramic, what if any affect does this have on my warranty?
thanks everyone, and I love this site

 

The 18" rims that came on my car were forged aluminum with no clear coat.

I couldn't have used NeverDull on them if they had a clear coat. That stuff would have royally f*cked them up. Plus the NeverDull turned black like it's supposed to when polishing aluminum.

My car was a "new" 2007 though. It didn't even have heated seats and was still available with the Recaro seats as an option. Maybe they hadn't started using a clear coat on the wheels yet.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I have tried a couple of different things, still with no luck. I talked to the guy at my auto parts store and he said that he has seen it before. Wheel cleaner left on long enough in combination with the heat dries and can spot your clear coat. I have an oil change coming up and I am going to take it to the dealer...I have two other issues I want them to address so I will have them look at the wheels too. But thanks again.

 

simichrome...

 

does it look like this? The dealer is going to be refinishing mine under warranty.

 

i dont know why it bothers u, that wheel looks untaken care of and u must take edges off curbs when u park. ouch