@#$* Battery Acid

[PTRobert]

Okay, so I'm driving with my daughter in the car and this guy driving his big ol' Ford or Chevy work truck is dragging something behind him. It is large, black, and shaped like a box. I figure maybe the guy had his small lunch cooler teathered to his vehicle. He hits an uneven patch on the road and the box goes airborne, disconnects from the truck and when it hits the street (going about 40 mph), it shatters and fluid shoots all over those of us behind him (he was in the #2 lane, I was in the #1 lane, trying to keep my distance).

Anyway, I get out at my destination and it looks like only a few droplets on my window - I see nothing on the paint, and the paint appears dry (I arrived at my destination only two or three minutes after the battery, as it turned out, broke open on the road).

This was almost two weeks ago. Yesterday, I go out driving in the rain and see these dark blotches on my hood, fender and roof of my PT. I touch one and it's all gooey. Uh oh...

So, do I scrape all the battery-acid damaged paint off and add primer and touch up paint? It was raining and cold yesterday when the blotches showed up. They're smaller than an eraser, and are about the size of a big rock-chip, minus any dents. Today, it's warmer and dry and the blotches are hard again.

I know I should have washed my car the day of the event however we were getting ready to leave home for a week and with three kids, well, you get the picture.

Also, does anyone have any advice about a stylus, or something I can get with a small, abrasive tip that can be used to get rust out of a small scrape? My wife's Sienna Van was scratched when we moved to Texas - unfortunately it was on top of the van and nobody checked on top when it was delivered to my cousin's home last year (I probably wouldn't have checked either). Anyway, it's developed a very small patch of rust. None of the paint around the area appears to be affected and I'm really praying this can be a DIY repair that won't involve taking off a ton of paint, etc. [:I]

Thanks everyone in advance!

[quicksilverdon]

No expert here, but I'd wet the acid areas and see if they become gooey again. If the don't, may have just eaten the clear-coat - I'd clay-bar & polish over.
If it does get gooey, suggest dissolving baking powder or baking soda and rinsing to neutralize acid.
For scratch - maybe an old screwdriver???
to fill, use a paint pen.

[turbomangt]

For the battery acid, you may in trouble as it might of eaten the clear coat. Take some kerosene to remove the acid spots, you will know right away when you take the gooey stuff off what condition the clear coat is in. if it is etched, its body shop time. For your rust, take the eraser end of a pencil and put a small piece of 2000 wet sand paper on it. Gently rub the rust spot in that area. that should take care of it, use a little touch up to blend it in. Gary

[PTRobert]

Thanks, guys!