Hey all, i recently noticed something on my car and wondered if it has happened to anyone else in here or if it's just me. I have a 2004 Ls sedan 2.2 eco 4 speed auto and right below where you push the button into put it in gear that black metal stick like piece the black paint is peeling off and there is this brownish orange almost like rust color starting to show now wondered if that was normal or if it was a recent phenomenon about 105,k on the car right now.

Mine's doing the same thing, almost like it's rusting. Sad thing is mine's an 03 with only 40k on it.

i wonder if there is a fix for it i was debating maybe taking like some black touch up paint and going over it, would hate to see that thing peel completely and have it rust out. I imagine the dealer could probably replace that piece may cost mega bucks though.

im confused as to what part you guys are talking about ??

you mean the shifter stem/stalk ?

or ?

you guys must have absolutely mint spotless clean cars or something to be so concerned over this minot detail ?

wow

lol

i am amused

mine would have to win the award for the most trashed and beat

thanks to my uncle who has owned the car and made it be this way until very recently when i got it from him

he never once even attempted to clean the car out, and it was kneee deep in trash always and ppl always made comments to him about it and it made him mad one time he went crazy on my brother after he said something about it and chased him about the property yelling at him and so on

it had enough trash init to literrally fill up two 55 gallon barrels, not exaggerating

and the carpeting is so packed full of dried hard mud there is no way it will ever be able to even look like carpeting again

it looks like rubber or some other mat its so horrible haha

i should take some pics one of these days haha

good luck

-96 cavalier 2.2 auto 143k miles

Yes the shifter stem part. My car isn't absolutely spotless by any means but I try to keep the interior in good shape in all my vehicles.

so do i bluefire, and i really don't know what mr. wabbit would find so funny about that. Wow someone cares about their car and what happens to it gee that is just so hilarious.

Mr. Wabbit i owe you an apology, having reread your post i know what u found amusing sorry for the misunderstanding.

Since it's only the shifter stem, you can just touch it up with black enamel. You could take a Scotch-brite to the rust to see if it'll come off and then paint the entire thing but it's up to you.

John W if you touch it up with black enamel as you suggested, is that a one time fix or is it something you would have to continue touching up over and over and over because eventually the entire thing could just start peeling away could it not.

It depends on how far gone the paint is. If it's actually peeling then first make sure you don't have a larger problem and then paint the whole thing(Take off the shifter and center console and hit the whole stem).

I've been using enamel on the screws on my side skirts and I have to touch them up every few weeks. But then again I don't prep whatsoever, just throw it on and go. Since the enamel won't be exposed to the elements inside the car, it should last longer, especially if you scuff it with a Scotchbrite beforehand.

The only reason I'm suggesting enamel is you can brush it on as opposed to spraying, which would entail masking most of the interior.

what would cause the peeling like that in the first place John W, exposure to the sun or could it possibly be a heat issue from heat inside the car when the car is parked in direct sunlight.

Mines not peeling and its a 03 with 130,000 miles on it, only problem i had was fuel pump! (knock on wood)

My guess would be a paint defect but an excessive amount of heat can cause paint to peel. It probably doesn't get hot enough inside the car to cause peeling though. It's still weird that my '98 doesn't have this problem whatsoever...

*knocks on wood*