Clear coat came off while applying PPF

[Tracked Emira]

My friend is getting his 2024 PPF in XPEL and when they pulled back to readjust the film his clear coat came off in a section.
Has this happened to anyone and was it covered under warranty?
It was a reputable company and the dealer says it will not be covered???

 

[jp129]

Did your friend's car have history of any paintwork?

 

[Nova]

Something doesn't sound right. No clear coat is that fragile.

 

[Fasttoys]

Paint Protection Film can occasionally pull paint, but it is rare and usually linked to specific conditions. I’ve personally seen it happen on high-end cars, including a Ferrari, and several top installers in the Dallas market confirmed the same during consultations.

According to three high-end shops in DFW, these installers have moved away from the more aggressive XPEL adhesive formulation on certain vehicles. They still prefer the XPEL / EPEL-grade pattern templates, since they remain the most accurate in the industry, but the film itself may come from a different manufacturer with a less aggressive adhesive to reduce risk on sensitive paint systems.

My 2023 Jaguar F-Type uses (factually documented) a softer OEM clear coat compared to German brands. Because of that, these installers intentionally chose a less aggressive PPF film — they said the older XPEL adhesive can “grab” too hard on Jaguar’s softer clear coat and can be higher-risk during removal.

Should paint lift when removing film?
Technically, no OEM factory paint should not pull under normal circumstances. But it can occur, especially if:

• The panel had any prior respray, even a high-quality one (repainted areas bond differently and tend to be weaker).
• The clear coat was compromised, overly thin, or not fully cured after a body-shop repair.
• Aggressive-tack PPF adhesive was installed on soft paint.
• Removal was done cold or too quickly.

Even reputable installers acknowledge this risk. It’s uncommon, but it does happen, and the risk increases significantly with softer paint plus any prior refinishing.

 

[MissedApex]

im not saying it was the fault of the PPF installer but it is always recommended to heat the ppf prior to removal as it softens up the adhesive a little. its too late now obviously but i would highly recommend that for any additional ppf removal.

 

[Crazyprac]

My passenger side lower black trim in the rear engine window area a little off the paint came off in the edges when they were trying to reapply. Shop ordered a new one on their expense which is nice.

 

[TFS]

My friend is getting his 2024 PPF in XPEL and when they pulled back to readjust the film his clear coat came off in a section.
Has this happened to anyone and was it covered under warranty?
It was a reputable company and the dealer says it will not be covered???

Happened to me aswel.. many parts came off.

 

[Tracked Emira]

Happened to me aswel.. many parts came off.

Was it covered under warranty by lotus through the dealer?

 

[Tracked Emira]

I’ll have to ask my friend if it is used. Maybe it had the bubbling paint and was repaired

 

[TFS]

I’ll have to ask my friend if it is used. Maybe it had the bubbling paint and was repaired

No it was wasnt was the removal and application of the new ppf was not done by lotus so they didnt accept accountability

 

[jp129]

No it was wasnt was the removal and application of the new ppf was not done by lotus so they didnt accept accountability

How did the damage present itself on your panels? Did just the clear pull or did it take paint as well? Which panels were effected?

 

[TFS]

I have front ppf only so the majority of the part is on the front bumper and hoof.. small areas of clear coat came off. See photos