Rust forming and dripping under door handles

Hello. Since mid-winter, I have noticed rust stains forming on the paint below the driver and passenger door handles on my 2016. I figure I can take a magic eraser and remove the stains, but I am more concerned with identifying the root cause under the door handles. Has anyone else experienced this? And if so, how did you resolve the issue? Wasn't sure if it was easy enough to remove the door handles to get to the rust, or if I should just take to dealer. Thank you.

 

Rust, are you sure? Looks more like so.e sort of grease stain, but then again what the hell do I know!

 

I think that’s dirt and lube grime washing out of the handles, especially if you off-road - my white taco has it also.

Edit: beat by Buck!

 

Currently 400+ miles south of the border in Baja. Common sight how the lube drips. Only solution is to wash your pavement princess.

 

do you live in the salt or by the ocean?

 

Yes I live in upstate NY. They are still salting the roads in late April.

Interesting thoughts about dust and grime. I have washed my truck many times throughout the winter to get the salt off. But maybe I have to scrub to get those stains off, if they are indeed dust and grime. Ill try that. Thanks.

 

Yeah, it's probably rust if you're upstate New York. I wouldn't use a magic eraser. It'll mess up your truck's finish. I'd try to find some sort of automotive paint safe rust remover first. Probably need to get inside of that. Handle and clean. Whatever is rusting and get some fluid film on it to stop it from rusting again

 

you could spray iron remover on it to see if it turns purple, but it looks like grease and dirt to me

 

This may be a silly question, but is this something I can have a professional do? I don't feel comfortable tearing apart my door.

 

Yeah thats a good idea just to see if its rust or not.

 

Yes sir

But you should be able to find something on YouTube

https://youtube.com/shorts/itA9lM2lKS4?si=UoxSimrnY6dsWc93

 

My thought would be since you don’t feel comfortable “tearing apart” the door take it to a body shop and have them check it out for you. A body shop can let you know exactly what it is.

It’s most likely rust if it was grease it would wash off fairly easy.

 

Looks like rust to me. You have a nick in the paint under the handle, and that good old salt spray is making it rust

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rust-stains-below-door-handles-part-s-for-3rd-gens.795449/

It's the door handle assembly mounting hardware rusting under there. You can just barely see them with the handle pulled, I shot mine with fluid film to hopefully prevent this.

Also magic eraser is not the move here. Iron remover, then maybe compound is what you want.

 

Yup - this is exactly what I need to do. It looks like the OP of that thread took into the body shop and they took care of it. Ill reach out to a local body shop. Thanks for this!