Yellow spots in spring

[TeCKis300]

I'm not sure it's something that occurs everywhere, but here in San Diego, every spring, all the cars here seem to get these yellow spots. Looks like a small drop of mustard. Anyone have an idea what causes this? They only occur on the horizontal surfaces so it seems to be dropped out of the environment. I'll see if I can't get a picture up later.

[Marc Hufnagel]

I'd like to know too, since it can appear on my car(s) when sitting out in the open, nowhere near any trees..

[2000]

I believe its pollen or one of those types of dust.

[TeCKis300]

Same here...I don't park anywhere near a tree. It definitly is not dust...to big to be a type of dust. And probably too big to be a drop of pollen?

[oldmodman]

Your not going to believe it, but it's Hummingbird droppings.
See, I told you you wouldn't believe it!
I was out in my backyard, had just finished washing down my driveway, and got one right on my arm. And a Hummingbird had just flown right at me. It's a tiny yellow oblong spot about as big as a pencil lead and about 1/8 inch long. Until it happened to me I didn't know what that stuff on my car was either. Now it's entirely possible that your spots might be pollen but that one time I knew what it was for sure.

[darkhorse]

Here in Virginia my black mustang turns nearly yellow. I just spent a week in SD on business and noticed this on just about every car.
It is pollen and there isn't jack you can do about it except stay on top of cleaning it off or not letting your car out of the garage for another month or so. Humming bird droppings??? ROFLMAO!!

Use a duster and some QD every day and you should be golden, no pun intended

[2000]

my fault guys,
we get that pollen on our cars and than a rain and the dust piles up in the water beads and it leaves yellow spots, but I can see you've got it worst.

[Rick]

Those little small yellow dots are bug dookie. I've watched them do it while sitting there polishing on my car.

[TeCKis300]

Bug dookie eh? I bet it is. I've heard from a person who runs a car wash that it is bug dookie...wanted to see if it was true.

Now that I think about it some more...that sounds to be very likely. Can't be pollen as then it would be on the vertical surfaces of the car too. As a matter of face...I've noticed that they like the heat coming off the engine as the spots seem to be more focused around the hood scoop on my friends WRX.

[majik1]

hey, im in san diego too.....i second the hummingbird droppings, weve lots of them here......and yea it does look like a tiny brown mustard drop....

[2000]

I know why there's some dabate on this matter......




sounds like we're asking about different types of yellow.

[TeCKis300]

Here's the pics...been waiting to get the "evidence" since I just washed the car last week. Sorry about quality..really hard to get a good pics on a black car.

[Rick]

Ok maybe thats a little big for bug dookie. I get little tiny yellow spots on my car.

[2000]

difinintily not what I was talking about.
eek! I'm glad we haven't got that around here. thanks for clearing that up TeCis300.

[Beercan31]

There are three major causes of paint contamination:

1. Rail dust - produced from the friction of train wheels against railroad tracks. Over 70% of new vehicles are shipped by rail. Rail dust can contaminate a new car's finish before it even reaches the dealership. Anytime a vehicle is parked or travels near a railroad it is subject to rail dust contamination.

2. Brake dust - particles produced from the friction of brake pads rubbing against the rotor. This metal on metal friction disperses tiny particles of bare metal into the air and on the highway where it collects on passing vehicles.

3. Industrial fallout - another word for pollution, industrial fallout is a byproduct of our modern industrial age.


all can be clay bared out.