Rippling / deformed plastic on grille

[eye exaggerate]

Hi, this is my first post here - I’ve done a thorough search (I think) for related materials but have found none. This is an issue with 2 grilles - one on my 14 Sport and now one on my newly traded 19 Laramie Sport. Plastic on the grille is somehow being deformed and the vinyl ripples. I do not park it close to a heat source, it stays outside all of the time. The weather here ranges from +35 to -35. Both trucks have had the same treatment, always well kept. I can’t imagine that the temperature of the water at my local car wash would be the culprit. I’ve thought maybe it’s a reflection from the sun, but, I park 20+ feet from the front of my house. It’s a baffling situation, maybe someone has experiences or thoughts about it. Thank you

 

[Dookie]

The only thing I can think of is if it's in the same spot or near the same spot on both trucks, there must be something reflecting/magnifying the sun with some precision to that area where you park often. A chrome bumper from another vehicle or window with reflective tint on a building...all I can think of.

 

[Jako]

The only thing I can think of is if it's in the same spot or near the same spot on both trucks, there must be something reflecting/magnifying the sun with some precision to that area where you park often. A chrome bumper from another vehicle or window with reflective tint on a building...all I can think of.

Sounds reasonable to me.
Had to cover an angled window in my father's house to stop the deformation of vinyl siding on the neighbor's house. Could feel the heat from reflection on another window in the front of the house and I believe I get a "spot" on the lawn from reflection off a shed window.

 

[MurphBigHorn]

Sound like a reflection off something. I have a spot on my vinyl fence. I had to replace a panel twice from reflection off a window. Luckily I have a bunch of extra panels. Even started to melt the trash can lid.

 

[eye exaggerate]

Thanks for your replies, I’ll wait for a sunny day and see if I can feel any heat on it. Crazy to think, but possible. It’s 200 for my deductible, sucks to think of spending 400 bucks overall to repair them because of where I park. There’s always *something to learn the hard way

 

[Dookie]

The good thing about learning the hard way is you usually don't forget it and make the same mistake.

 

[djevox]

I’ve had this issue on two Hondas (‘19 Civic and ‘19 Accord), and both were garage kept. Honda had an issue of contamination before the chrome treatment. Could be something out of your control like contamination during manufacturing, or could be what others mentioned.

 

[OldMarine]

wow...so weird. Definitely not a known issue. I agree with others that the damage looks heat-related.

 

[eye exaggerate]

Had a look yesterday and figured out that it saw reflection for about an hour or so in the morning. One thing to point out is that we’re currently in a decent cold snap, windchill of -47. And yeah, it’s around 20’ from the house. I felt the plastic but nothing jumped out at me, felt cold. Since the grille will have to be replaced anyway, I am tempted to take it to the max and magnify the reflection to see if I can affect it the same way and how long that would take, etc. Some kind of data, that’s really what I need.