Rust! On the INSIDE?

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undertow

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I bought my Ram used a month or two ago. I looked over all the important stuff underneath and under the hood before I bought it, but I never thought to look under the seats.

Today I stuck my head under the driver's seat to see how much room was under there to install an amplifier, and what did I find?

RUST! All the exposed metal parts under there are covered with rust. All the bolts, the seat brackets, other miscellaneous parts...wtf? I mean, it's not like anything is rusted through and ready to fall apart or anything, but just a thin coat of rust on everything under there. Same thing under all of the other seats.

It just doesn't seem normal for interior parts to rust like that, when they aren't exposed to the elements. Did I buy a truck that was in a flood? Or do these trucks just come with rust pre-installed on everything?
 

bhonshell37

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Check the passenger side under the seat. If you are willing, check under the carpet as well. Where the truck has been in the last twelve months can help determine if the truck has been in a flood.

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BigRed4x4

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I recently read that vehicles with hurricane/flood damage will be hitting the market anytime now. I'd pull the carfax if you're unsure of where your truck originated from. Not sure what recourse you'd have but I'd personally be interested to know.
 
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undertow

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Check the passenger side under the seat. If you are willing, check under the carpet as well. Where the truck has been in the last twelve months can help determine if the truck has been in a flood.

There is rust under all the seats. All the bolts and seat brackets, all the hardware under there has rust on it.

The CarFax report is clean - it was a lease turn-in, single owner, local, no insurance claims, no major repairs, clean title. No recent major flooding around here that I know of, though there are some small streams that overflow on occasion.

I'll pull up some of the carpet this weekend and see if I find any seaweed or dead fish under there...
 

Jarhead57

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Maybe 4 wheeling in deep water? That rust would concern me.
 

1quick1

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That would concern me as well. I flooded my 2012 JK a couple times but it had drain plugs. I'm guessing the RAM inside tubs are not as prepped for water?
 

Damion

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It would also depend on your climate. Around here there is enough salt in the air alone to make rust form. If it’s bare metal inside or out it will form a skim of rust on it. The joys of living near the ocean.
 

kad

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Posibly the Leaking Third Brake light issue?

-K
 
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undertow

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Posibly the Leaking Third Brake light issue?

-K

I thought of that when I first saw the rust on the bolts, which are right on the floor - but the rust is on everything under the seat, including the brackets and other hardware which are a good 5-6 inches above the floor.
 

kad

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I thought of that when I first saw the rust on the bolts, which are right on the floor - but the rust is on everything under the seat, including the brackets and other hardware which are a good 5-6 inches above the floor.

My thought was that once the water gets inside, then it becomes moisture in the air and can condense anywhere inside. If it condenses on a bare metal surface...

-K
 

Jarhead57

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It would also depend on your climate. Around here there is enough salt in the air alone to make rust form. If it’s bare metal inside or out it will form a skim of rust on it. The joys of living near the ocean.

Lived on the beach in California for over 30 years....never had rust inside like that.
 

BigRed4x4

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I had a couple inches of water in my cab when I was putting in my dads pontoon boat at a ****** lake access. I bought moisture absorbing packets and put them under my seats. Also left the doors open for a couple days.

Luckily no rust or any other damage. Can't even tell there was ever water in the cab. A fresh water lake of course.
 

Damion

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Lived on the beach in California for over 30 years....never had rust inside like that.


The water around here has a lot higher salt content than on the west coast. We also get the pleasure of having our roads slathered in salt every winter.
 

sandawilliams

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I recently read that vehicles with hurricane/flood damage will be hitting the market anytime now. I'd pull the carfax if you're unsure of where your truck originated from. Not sure what recourse you'd have but I'd personally be interested to know.

It was on the news lately. Those who had their vehicles paid for and no full coverage insurance to cover the damages often clean their vehicles up and sell them where ever they can. They usually change hands a few times before actual sale to the public. Although a Carfax is always a good idea it will not detect these vehicles.
 

Casper

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Posibly the Leaking Third Brake light issue?

-K

^^^ THIS!!!
Inside humidity from wet carpet. Prior owner probably got leaking light fixed at some point, but by then the cancer was in your interior.
 
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undertow

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^^^ THIS!!!
Inside humidity from wet carpet. Prior owner probably got leaking light fixed at some point, but by then the cancer was in your interior.

Well, hopefully that's the answer. No signs of anything leaking now, and I can't find signs of any other water damage besides the rust. And the truck still has "new car smell", so if it ever had water in it, they must have cleaned it up pretty good afterwards.

I guess I'll just clean off as much of the rust as I can with a wire brush, and hope for the best.
 
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