A rocker panel is a stamped steel piece that is an integral part of your car’s body structure. Rocker panels are located along the sides of the vehicle between front and rear wheel well openings, just below the doors.
Rocker panels are located in a spot low on the body where the eye doesn’t catch, so they may be ignored when washing the vehicle. On many sporty cars that curve inward at the bottom, carwashes can miss these areas completely. And when OEM plastic or metal trim pieces adorn the vehicle, they’re often placed over the rocker panels – effectively blocking cleaning efforts that would normally remove moisture, muck, and corrosive road salt that collect. Severe corrosion is usually the result.