Nissan Blue Metallic Tricoat (RAT) Touch Up Paint

The Look

Since your Leaf was part of the first wave of modern electric cars, it carries a signature look that defined an era of eco-friendly tech. This color was the hero launch shade for the 2011 models, meant to look like electricity flowing through water. It is a bright, optimistic blue that looks deeply saturated in direct sunlight but can appear slightly more teal in the shade. Because your car has likely been on the road for over a decade, the original finish might have lightened slightly from UV exposure, so a perfect match requires careful layering to rebuild that depth.

Technical Details

This is a complex three-stage finish, consisting of a solid blue base followed by a metallic pearl midcoat. It is not a standard one-step application. If you only apply the base, the color will look flat and dull. The "metallic" part of the name comes from tiny flakes suspended in the midcoat that catch the light. You must be careful with mottling-which is when those flakes clump together and create dark spots or stripes. This usually happens if you apply the paint too heavily in one spot. To avoid this, you need to ensure the metallic flakes stay evenly distributed as you work.

Best Practices

You can find your paint code on the silver VIN plate located on the driver's side door jamb or occasionally on the firewall behind the engine. Before you spray or dab Nissan Blue Metallic Tricoat (check for code RAT), you need to shake the container for at least 60 seconds to wake up those settled metallic flakes. Test the color on the included card first to see how the pearl layer changes the shade as you add more of it. Work in a cool garage or shade to prevent the paint from drying too fast. Whether you are using a nozzle or a brush, keep the container moving and apply very thin, light layers. Give each layer enough drying time until it is no longer tacky before adding the next. This patience is what creates the deep, factory-style glow rather than a thick, obvious patch.