Customer Support Program ZLL – Paint Repair Process
OPERATION FLOW CHART

STEP 1: Writing a Preliminary
Estimate

STEP 2: Initial Cleaning

STEP 3: OEM Finish Removal

STEP 4: Surface Preparation

STEP 5: Color Application

I.
1.

WRITING A PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE
Be sure to review the entire paint repair process described in this document before writing a preliminary estimate to ensure your
preliminary estimate is accurate and will be accepted by Lexus. The total cost/labor details of your estimate will be confirmed by the
Lexus dealer before authorizing the repair.

2. OEM Finish Removal – Max Body Labor Hours
Lexus has established maximum count of body labor hours for the process of removing the OEM top coat finish from the affected panel.
Please reference the table below to ensure your preliminary estimate does not exceed these maximums.
Panel
Roof
Hood
Fender (one side)
Front Door (one door)
Rear Door (one door)
Quarter Panel (one side)
Includes the entire continuous metal panel as necessary (e.g.
roof rails, pillars, fuel door, and rockers if rockers are metal.
Rear hatch (back door)

Maximum hours (OE finish removal)
2.0 hours
2.0 hours
1.0 hour
1.0 hour
1.0 hour
1.5 hours
1.0 hour

3. Clear Coat Application -Max Paint Labor Hours
The maximum allowable paint labor hours for applying clear coat is 2.5 hours for the entire vehicle.
4. Exterior Damage
Damage to the vehicle exterior (such as collision damage, deep scratches, dents, etc..) may prevent your repair facility from performing
the paint repair covered by this Customer Support Program.
This Customer Support Program does not cover repair of such damage.
If any damage must be repaired prior to performing the paint repair covered by this Customer Support Program, the Lexus dealer/body
shop may offer to repair the damage at the customer’s expense.
Examples of damage that might prevent paint repair are:
• Collision damage.
• Dents.
• Deep scratches.
• Deep rock chips.
If exterior damage must be repaired and the customer is willing to pay for the repair, this repair must be estimated in a separate
preliminary estimate document. If such repair is included in the estimate for the Customer Support Program repair, it will be rejected by
the Lexus dealer.

II.

INITIAL CLEANING

Before repairs begin, the vehicle should be thoroughly cleaned. Start by washing the vehicle by hand and then by pressure washing using
either a hot or cold-water high pressure washer. The pressure washer should have a minimum rating of 2,500 psi with a maximum rating of
3,500 psi. Use either a 0° or 15° nozzle on the pressure washer wand.

III. OEM FINISH REMOVAL
1.

CRITICAL: On the affected panel, remove the OEM top coat finish from 100% of the metal panel’s continuous surface area down to the
electro-deposition (ED) primer. For example, if the hood is “affected”, 100 percent of the hood’s exterior surface area should be stripped
of OEM top coat finish. If a fender is affected, 100 percent of the fender’s surface area should be stripped of OEM top coat finish. In cases
where the quarter panel is affected, be sure to remove OEM top coat finish from the entire continuous metal panel. This may involve
removing OEM top coat finish from the roof rails all the way to the A-Pillars. Like-wise, in cases where the A-pillar is the only “affected”
panel, this may involve removing OEM top coat finish from the roof rails and quarter panel.

2. Confirm which panels are “affected” by checking the panels listed on the Inspection Report provided by the authorized Lexus Dealer.
Panels that are not included on this report (not “affected”) are not authorized for repair.

Inspection Report from Toyota Dealer:
Only panels listed in the report are
authorized for repair.

NOTE: If you discover peeling on a panel not listed on the report from the Lexus dealer, notify the Lexus dealer so that the Lexus dealer
can confirm if this panel should be covered and, if necessary, subsequently authorize the panel for repair. Only an authorized Lexus may
authorize a panel for repair.

OEM FINISH REMOVAL (Continued…)
3. For surfaces with visible paint delamination, the technician can begin the paint removal process by using a pressure washer or by directing
compressed air at a loose paint edge. The technician may use plastic straight-edge razor blades with a holder and compressed air to
help remove topcoats.
When preparing an “affected” panel, the entire outer topcoat surface needs to be removed to the ED primer. Any topcoat material that
exhibits good adhesion properties on an affected panel may need to be removed by sanding, using a dual-action random orbital sander
with 220 grit sand paper. Try not to remove the ED primer. At least 0.5 mil (12-13 µm) of ED primer should remain. Once the finish is
removed from the affected panel(s), the vehicle should be thoroughly washed and cleaned using the degreaser recommended by the
paint manufacturer.
Inner panel surfaces not subject to direct sunlight such as the quarter panel lock pillar may not require stripping to the ED primer. Remove
the affected paint to the outer panel edge. Feather-edge any inner surfaces that exhibit good paint adhesion and then prime and prepare
for topcoat application following the paint manufacturer’s guidelines.
IMPORTANT: Make sure that when removing paint finishes utilizing the methods described in this document that paint technicians use
adequate personal protection equipment such as a properly fitted N99 particulate mask, eye protection, and nitrile gloves while
removing any topcoats.

I.

SURFACE PREPERATION

Technicians should consult their paint manufacturer to determine the products as well as the proper application techniques before applying
any priming products or topcoats. Follow the paint manufacturer’s requirements for personal protective equipment. Always consult the
applicable Material Safety Data Sheets and follow all requirements for exposure control and personal protection.
After removing OE topcoats, finish sand the ED primer with 400-grit sandpaper using a random-orbital sander. Follow the paint vendor’s
recommendations for cleaning the surface before applying any primer coating to bare metal surfaces. Before priming, treat any bare metal
surfaces with a metal conditioner followed by a conversion coating, and then prime these treated surfaces with a 2-part epoxy primer.
Follow the epoxy primer with a primer-sealer, sanding between primer applications as recommended by the paint supplier. Consult the
technical documentation for the paint finish that will be utilized.
NOTE: A chip resistant (anti-chipping) primer needs to be applied to the leading edge of panels that have had a soft-chip primer applied
during manufacture. This modified primer must be applied to the panel before any topcoats. For additional information about the
application of anti-chipping coatings, please consult the Repair Manual for Collision Damage in TIS for the model being refinished or
Collision Repair Information Bulletin 2026 (May 2013).

II.

COLOR APPLICATION AND TOPCOATS

Follow the paint manufacturer’s technical recommendations for applying all color coats and clear coats. The affected panel should be finished
to a natural break edge. Topcoats can be blended into adjacent panels for the purpose of achieving an acceptable panel-to-panel color match
so long as the blend panel exhibits acceptable adhesion of the topcoat. If the finish exhibits any dust inclusion after the paint has been forcedried, remove any defects and polish the clearcoat according to the paint manufacturer’s recommendations.
Damage to the vehicle exterior (such as collision damage, deep scratches, dents, etc..) may prevent a repair facility from performing the paint
repair covered by this Customer Support Program.