Just looked at mine. No rust, but some kind of residue on the driver's door...

 

I have running boards and 3 of my doors have rust bubbles. I'm out of warranty, so I'm kind of stuck with it. These days a car with 40k miles on it should not rust.

 

Well that blows that theory.

 

I purchased a used '07 with about 65,000 miles and was very disappointed to find rust bubbles on all four doors. My HHR has running boards so they didn't help in my case. I've installed the GM HHR-specific splashguards so those might provide some protection to areas that haven't started to rust. I like the POR-15 idea and may tear into the doors when I have some time over a good warm weekend.

I previously owned an S-10 and it became a victim of the commonly seen rot along the bottom of the extended cab but that wasn't until it had passed 100,000 miles.

P.S. I live in Michigan and the car has spent it's life here as well.

 

I'm wondering if the type of "road salt" used where one lives has anything to do with this. My used '07 has probably never been driven where this liquid "lower temp salt" is used, and I'm not having this issue (yet?). I've heard that liquid stuff is extremely corrosive in comparison to good old "rock salt". (I don't believe I just call rock salt "good" ) In Ohio the larger cities seem to go for the liquid and rural areas still use rock salt.

just wondering if that rings a bell with anybody.......

 

The liquid salt or brine as they call it is no more or less corrosive as any other salt. Most cities just mix rock salt with water which is the same as what it becomes on the roads.

A TV station covered this last fall.

As for the colder temps it is mixed with Calium Cloride. This lowers the melting point I think below 15 degrees and colder and also is not more or less corrosive.

Adds are the doors either have a issue with the lower part of the door where the moisture gets under the paint or it is from inside where the moisture gets between the panels and rust out.

My third door on my Sonoma was getting to the point it was going to come through in a year or two but it took 12 years and 100,000 miles so I can not complain.

I would be more worried about the fender lip in the back of the HHR. It looks like a prime place for rust in the future.

 

Rules that out then.......

 

Actually, I'm pretty sure that brine is less corrosive, but makes you car look "dirtier".

At least that was what was on the news when they started using it around here.

 

I am in Calif and i had what appeared to be rust bubbles on my paint in three different spots but got mine in before warranty expired and it was not rust is was a reaction with the clear coat they said they had never seen that before at my dealer. They wet sanded and buffed and it looks as good as new.

 

i have the factory running boards and factory splash guards its not from rock chips either i agree with others on this issue its the way they made the doors ... ive been noticing cars rusting alot faster than they used too iam in northern illinois too.