General Roof Rails - Paint Warning (with bars)

[s130]

I've had on my 500X Cross Plus (came with roof rails) Thule Roof Bars 961 (Wing), Foot Pack 753 and Fitting Kit 4043. I think Thule make the official OEM Fiat bars for Fiat.

I've had the bars on since Aug 2016 and decided today to remove them. To my shock/horror the rubber feet/pads that are in contact with the top surface of the rail (and to a smaller extent the edge of the rail) when removed left marks in the in painted surface of the rails. Looks like either the paint has badly faced to an off white colour has been rubbed away. There was no evidence of paint on the rubber pads.

Based on my experience I would STRONLGY recommend not leaving either the Fiat or Thule or similar bars permanently mounted for extended periods of time.

I'll follow with dealer about a possible warranty claim but I suspect Fiat will decline as I didn't use their brand bars.

 

[TrevC]

Hmm, I guess that's why my wife's Suzuki has unpainted silver rails. The car wasn't marked when Ebay bars have been fitted, but they were removed as soon as I finished using them.
My 500X Lounge doesn't have rails.

 

[s130]

A small update.

I've left the situation with my dealer but as they are between official franchises they are devoid of official Fiat Sigi/Warranty/Parts etc systems.

Looking at the marks again after washing the car then it would appear that there has possibly been a chemical reaction between the roof rack rubber agents/composition (e.g. releasing agents) and the paint surface on the roof rails. Looks and feels like (can't feel an erosion/rubbing degradation) there has been some for of "bleaching" of the painted surface.

I'm also waiting on an official response to the ease of replacing the roof rails. As far as I can tell the interior roof lining has to be dropped. This will require the A & B & C upper trim mouldings to be remove (air bags involved on "B" post) and some boot side trim mouldings.

Trim removal is a big lottery. If you have removed trim then you know that often things/clips/moulding back face mountings etc. break even with the most delicate attention.

I could do this carefully and slowly over a 24/48 hour period but for a dealer I'm aware they are on a tight cost/time schedule so the pressure will be on.

Depending on final Fiat Warranty Claim position and what is involved in replacing the roof rails I'm really thinking that for a cosmetic issue I'll just walk away and resolve myself in my own time etc.

De-trimming any vehicle can and does result in all sorts of "after issues". My 500X is quiet, no rattles, no creaking, no .......

Sometimes one has to balance all the "facts/issues" and this for me is an interesting case.

 

[TrevC]

Yes, I'd share your trepidation about having the interior trim disturbed. I haven't studied the rails on the "Cross" range - are they body coloured?
If Fiat claim the damage is not their responsibility, is it worth consulting a good body shop and finding out if they can be re-painted in situ? They may be able to suggest a paint that is more resistant to damage.

 

[Parabolica]

You hav'nt posted a photo and I have no idea what 500X roof rails are like but, if it's a purely cosmetic issue and you can't live with it, why not have a word with your local vehicle-wrap specialist and see if they can apply a black, matt or silver film onto them?

 

[simon_16vpunto]

You dont have to remove any interior for the roof rails, there is a plastic cap at either end of the rails and 2/3 round caps dotted along the top of the rail, which popmout and the bolts are underneath.

I had to fit some to a customers pop star who wanted roof rails and it took about 10 mins to fit them

 

[Red Van Man]

You dont have to remove any interior for the roof rails, there is a plastic cap at either end of the rails and 2/3 round caps dotted along the top of the rail, which popmout and the bolts are underneath.

I had to fit some to a customers pop star who wanted roof rails and it took about 10 mins to fit them

Sounds the same fitting style as the Qubo/Fiorino. No point in a company making (so much) work for themselves by having mounts inside trim for an accessory.

The Qubo has plastic screws as hole protectors and you simply unscrew those and fit the side rails with the bolts supplied with the kit. Not all holes are used so I assume there are a couple of variants of suitable kits for that particular model. My 500X Cross Plus has rails already fitted and I've not looked at a plain roof to see what the blanks look like in those.

If removal is as straightforward as Simon_16vPunto suggests then repainting in a suitable colour to match would be easy as would a wrap (you can choose your 'mood' then!)

R-V-M

 

[simon_16vpunto]

Every body shell is the same on the 500x regardless of whether it has roof rails fitted or not.
If there are no rails fitted, the bolt holes are still there but underneath the black gutter strip witch runs the length of the roof on both sides.

Just beware and order the correct ones as replacements as the Genuine Fiat ones my customer ordered from my work arrived and they are Matt black, not silver like my cross plus

 

[s130]

It makes sense and is my hope that the rails are simple bolt on/off jobs.

No doubt all will become apparent when the warranty claim is processed by Fiat, assuming they accept it.

 

[g8rpi]

It makes sense and is my hope that the rails are simple bolt on/off jobs.

No doubt all will become apparent when the warranty claim is processed by Fiat, assuming they accept it.

Did you try a light rub with T-Cut or metal polish? This will often remove surface marks.


Robert G8RPI.

 

[Red Van Man]

Every body shell is the same on the 500x regardless of whether it has roof rails fitted or not.

Is this true? I see in the manual they discuss the sunroof. I'd have LOVED a sunroof - more light in the cab, tilt and slide etc. Once upon a time, every (Vauxhall) Cavalier had one from the base model upwards so every roof panel had the hole stamped out, must have been better economy that way, the only differences were manual vs electric and the electric option was easily retro-fitted (cos I did it )

R-V-M

 

[simon_16vpunto]

Well yeah except models with a sunroof as it’s impossible to fit roof rails to a car with a sunroof

 

[Red Van Man]

Well yeah except models with a sunroof as it’s impossible to fit roof rails to a car with a sunroof

Is that right too? The rails are quite at the sides of the roof - I'd have thought the sunroof would be some 4-6" inboard of the rails..

I'll look out for a sunroofed model now and see if it has rails.

R-V-M

 

[simon_16vpunto]

Yeh. I’m the fiat specialist at a dealer and I tried to order a 500x with a sunroof and roof bars and it can’t be done as the sunroof is wider that the mounting points on a standard car

 

[simon_16vpunto]

See how the glass goes right to the end of the pillars- there is no place to bolt the bars onto

 

[s130]

Did you try a light rub with T-Cut or metal polish? This will often remove surface marks.
Robert G8RPI.

Sure did. Ferecla G3 and G10.

 

[s130]

Tomorrow I should find out whether Fiat will cover the roof bar paint issue under warranty.

With the recent change/buy-out of dealership by Snows the new Service Manager/Warranty Manager is on an official Fiat Warranty Education Course and will be asking the Fiat man directly if Fiat will honour their 3 year paint/other warranty bearing in mind I use Thule and not Fiat Accessory roof bars. And yes I'm 99.99% sure the Fiat bars are Thule OEM bars.

Will be interesting to see/hear the verdict.

 

[s130]

Sort of expected...... the "Fiat Computer Said No".

Fiat Warranty say I need to pursue Thule regarding the issue. The same would have almost certainly happened with Fiat's Official 500X Roof Bars made by Thule!

Think I'll at least speak to Thule UK.

 

[s130]

Am in discussion with Thule and they are being very helpful. The more I've looked at the problem I think the problem is two fold:

1) The top coat paint on the roof rails is incredibly thin
2) The Thule rubber rail pads are ribbed and not a continuous full contact pad

The plastic coated metal clamps on the side/underside of the roof rails are of full length full and full surface contact area form and there are no problems or marks left by them.

I'm beginning to conclude that with natural movement of the chassis, rubber pads, and wind drumming over the full year that the bars have been fitted there has be on going micro abrasion. Couple this with the high clamp loading pressure being exerted through thin rubber pad ribs then the point contact pressure is extremely. Add thin paint et voila!

Here are some pictures:

https://www.fiatforum.com/gallery/d...rum.com/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_09862.JPG

https://www.fiatforum.com/gallery/data/500/medium/IMG_0988.JPG

 

[TrevC]

I think your reasoning is correct. Bit of a shame for users like yourself who need the bars on for extended periods. Is there still a layer that will stop corrosion? If so, and if you are intending having the bars fitted more often than not, the pragmatic solution would be to do nothing until you sell the car. You can then make a judgement as to whether there is enough value left in the car to make a cosmetic repair worthwhile.