Hello all,

I noticed today that the front edge of my hood (2015 Durango RT, blackout package) has bubbling paint in a few areas, looks like it is starting to rust.

Although rust may not be the right word, as I have heard that the hood is aluminum. Anyway, I was wondering if any of the peeps here are having the same issue, and have any of you had paintwork or replacements done as a result?

The vehicle for the most part still looks new despite having 106,000 miles which includes a ridiculous amount of salt exposure from year round Wisconsin commutes. So I'm tempted to repair or replace the hood and maybe have the bumper sprayed too to deal with some stone chips. Color is black pearl. I plan to keep it about another 5 years.

 

The bubbling likely is corrosion that started as the result of a deep stone chip and accelerated by the salt exposure. Any metal body panel, whether it's steel or aluminum, will rust/corrode if paint damage makes it down to the bare metal and especially if exposed to salt and moisture. Depending on how long this corrosion has been happening, and how much it's etched the aluminum, it may be possible to repair and repaint the hood. I'm unsure if the hoods are aluminum or steel, but a magnet could make it pretty easy to make a better educated guess on that.

If or when you do get the hood repaired, I suggest you keep a watchful eye on the front end (including the roof just above the windshield) for gravel chips and touch them up with paint and clearcoat routinely. It may be worth considering changing your route or following distance to minimize the chances of getting future rock chips. You'd have to evaluate how practical or even possible that is though.

-Rod