Plastics Refinishing

All Components

 WARNING: Always refer to Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) when handling chemicals and wear protective equipment as directed. Examples may include but are not limited to respirators and chemically resistant gloves. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.

 WARNING: Do not paint any airbag trim covers or deployment doors. Paint may cause the airbag to deploy incorrectly. Failure to follow this instruction may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

NOTE: When using any Ford-approved refinishing product, it is recommended to stay within the same paint system throughout the process. For example, do not use one manufacturer's primers and another manufacturer's topcoats.

1. NOTE: Care must be used if applying heat to parts. Thermoplastics soften and tend to lose their shape when heated.

   The first step for any repair or refinish procedure is to identify the type of plastic. Is it thermosetting or thermoplastic, grained or smooth? This will determine how it should be cleaned and prepared for refinishing. For additional information, refer to Plastics Identification in this section.
   • It is essential that the correct cleaner is used, depending on which painting system is employed, solvent-based or water-based.
   • Clean part with warm water/mild detergent, then with plastic cleaner to remove wax, silicone and other contaminants. Do not allow parts to remain wet for extended periods.
   • As a general rule, if water beads on the part, it requires additional cleaning as all the manufacturing release agents have not been removed.

2. New parts may require baking in a spray booth or heating with heat lamps to release trapped solvents or mold release agents used in the manufacturing processes.

Non-grained components

3. After cleaning, lightly sand with 600-grit or finer sandpaper. Remove sanding residue with plastic cleaner and wipe dry.

Grained components

4. After cleaning, light use of a gray scuff pad is permissible providing the graining not be flattened. Remove sanding residue with plastic cleaner and wipe dry.

All components

5. Apply a plastics adhesion promoter to any bare plastic part following manufacturer's recommendation. Throughout the refinish procedure, any time bare plastic is exposed for any reason, it is essential that adhesion promoter be reapplied to that area.

6. A sealer may be required to prevent wrinkling and lifting of the topcoat prior to carrying out the refinish procedure.

7. Flexible and non-flexible components should be refinished separately as a flex additive may be required when refinishing flexible parts (refer to the paint manufacturer's recommendation).

8. It is recommended to carry out refinishing of exterior components on-vehicle (after cut-in) to control color match and blending to adjacent panels.

9. Proceed with the refinish process and follow the Ford-approved paint system procedures. Steps may vary between paint manufacturers.