I recently bought a 2010 Grand Caravan and noticed rust forming on the upper side seam of the driver's door, a bubble under the hood, and around the side seams of the trunk. The trunk has it the worst. Undercarriage is good as well as everything else. Anything I can do to keep this van from becoming a rust bucket in a few years?

 

If you do it yourself, sand all areas down to the bare metal, cut out the cancer, Put some of that rust inhibitor on it, or pay someone to do it for you. Whatever you do, what rust that is there, must be completely gotten rid of or it will come back. Guess you should have done a better inspection before buying.

 

You're right, I should have. Just seems odd to me that a five year old car already has it going. I've never seen a car rust where this one is either, normally it's on the lower lips.

 

Sounds like it has bad seals, or salt is getting under the seals rotting it from the inside out.

 

It sure looks inside out to me. The front two doors have it going right behind the B-pillar plastic trim panel. The metal here is really thin so not too sure how long I can put this fix off. Seals look ok to me. Salt normally has to have a chip in the paint to start, right? Or can it get going at a poorly made seam?

 

It can get in a poorly made seam. There doesn't have to be paint chipped, if it gets into a seam it will eat at that metal and rust it from the inside out.

I hate to say it, but the last new vehicle I had, started rusting early, I found out later that it had sat underwater when the flooding happened down south.

 

I kind of figured it would be from a bad seam. I'll try and get this fixed when the weather warms up. Guess they don't make them like they used to. I have a couple cars nearing 20 years old that have zero body rust and were driven in the same conditions as this van was.

 

I can't believe there is not a recall on the Mopar vans, my 2007 with only 65000 is rusted on both the quarter and rocker panels, when I go anywhere and look at a dodge minivan I see rust on about every one .. I just picked up some ramps at harbor freight so I can get mine up high enough to replace them, I hope I can cut the rockers out where I wont have to remove the rear doors,, summit racing has the rocker panels and rocker stich panels to replace the rusted panels. What a rusted van..

 

This can't be stressed enough. If you want your vehicles to last keep them clean!
If this means you have to go to the car wash once every couple weeks (or more) in the winter to keep them clean, DO IT.

I currently own 2 20+yr old vans, both are rust free. I see newer ones in great shape as well, but I can also tell they're taken care of. Maintenance is more than just making sure you keep your fluids changes.

 

Unfortunetly on Chrysler minivans this does not seem to matter. I had a 2004 and a 2007 and they were washed all the time in the winter and were waxed twice a year yet by year five they were well along the rusty trail on the rockers and specially along the front edge of the hoods. I have seen dozens of vans from that era with the leading edge of the hood completely gone, the Chrysler minivans are notorius for this.I AM hoping for better on the 2014, if I see the same results it WILL be my last Chrysler.