Aluminium corrosion - window sill

[Simonw126]

Hi, the gloss of the aluminium window capping strip on my 2008 A4 has deteriorated on the RHS rear door. The corroded area seems to be increasing in size along this strip since I first noticed a few weeks ago. I'll post a photo over the next few days as it is mainly noticeable in certain light.

My dealer said it wouldn't be covered under warranty, as someone may have sprayed something on the surface, causing it to deteriorate. The cleaning products used on the car have been applied to all surfaces, so if they caused the problem the deterioration should be evident on the other aluminium strips, which it isn't.

Has anyone else experienced any problems with their trim? Grateful for any comments.

Vehicle: Audi A4 B8 2.0TDI - Bang & Olufsen; Sport Seats; Bluetooth; Xenon adaptive headlights; Sunroof; MMI

[mkc]

I dont have the problem (yet) nor have I heard about it on any other B8 but I think this was a major problem on the B7. Lots of stains and funny marks along the trim. I thought Audi changed it to another metal to ensure this didnt happen. Would be interesting to hear from you when you speak to Audi

[Sportwag]

On the basis that the remaining chrome surrounds are ok, unless the car has been washed regularly with strong a Traffic Film Remover (TFR) soap product (commonly found at petrol station car washes), it sounds as if water has pentrated the protective coating - is there any visible damage?

I would be inclined to challenge the dealer by listing the cleaning products you have used - it would have to be something fairly corrosive to cause this damage and I would also expect to see some of the effects on the surrounding paintwork (very unlikely to only have been sprayed on the chrome strip) - see my thread on bird droppings!