Basecoat/Clearcoat Finish; Finesse Sanding, Buffing, And Polishing; Paint Touch­up - Fiat 500 Collision Awareness Manual

28 COLLISION INFORMATION

BASECOAT/CLEARCOAT FINISH

The original equipment paint finish is a multi step process that involves cleaning, applying electro de­position (E­coat),
anti­chip primer, basecoat, and clearcoat steps.
CAUTION: Do not use abrasive chemicals, abrasive compounds or harsh alkaline based cleaning solvents on
the painted surfaces of a vehicle. Failure to follow this caution can result in damage to vehicle finish.
On most vehicles a two­part paint application (basecoat/clearcoat) is used. Color paint that is applied to primer is called
basecoat. A clear coat paint is then applied to protect the basecoat from ultraviolet light and to provide a durable high­
gloss finish.

FINESSE SANDING, BUFFING, AND POLISHING

CAUTION: Do not remove more than 0.5 mils of clearcoat finish when sanding, hand buffing or polishing.
Basecoat paint must retain clearcoat for durability.
CAUTION: If the finish has been finesse sanded in the past, it cannot be repeated. Failure to follow this caution
can result in damage to vehicle finish.
NOTE: Finesse sanding should only be performed by a trained automotive paint technician.
Minor acid etching, orange peel, or smudging in a clearcoat or single­stage finish can be reduced with light finesse
sanding, hand buffing and polishing. Use a Paint Thickness Gauge #PR­ETG­2X or equivalent to determine clearcoat
or single­stage paint thickness before and after the repair.
PAINT TOUCH­UP
If the painted metal surface of a vehicle becomes scratched or chipped, it should be touched­up as soon as possible to
avoid corrosion.
WARNING: Use an OSHA approved respirator and safety glasses when spraying paint or solvents. Failure to
follow this warning may result in possible personal injury or death.
When repairing painted metal surfaces, for best results, use MOPAR® Scratch Filler/Primer, Touch­Up Paints and Clear
Top Coat.
1. Scrape any loose paint and corrosion from inside the scratch or chip.
WARNING: Avoid prolonged skin contact with petroleum or alcohol–based cleaning solvents. Failure to follow
this warning can result in possible personal injury or death.
2. Clean affected area with MOPAR® Tar/Road Oil Remover or equivalent, and allow to dry.
3. Fill the inside of the scratch or chip with a coat of filler/primer. Do not overlap primer onto good surface finish.
The applicator brush should be wet enough to puddle­fill the scratch or chip without running. Do not stroke brush
applicator on body surface. Allow the filler/primer to dry hard.
4. Cover the filler/primer with color touch­up paint. Do not overlap touch­up color onto the original color coat around the
scratch or chip. Butt the new color to the original color, if possible. Do not stroke applicator brush on body surface.
Allow touch­up paint to dry hard.
5. On vehicles with clearcoat, apply clear top coat to touch­up paint with the same technique as described in Step #4.
Allow clear top coat to dry hard. If desired, the clearcoat can be lightly finesse sanded (1500 grit) and polished with
rubbing compound.
2012 FF