Co-cure process for autodeposition coating

A process for treating an article comprising a substrate having at least one active metal surface comprising steps of:

• a) contacting a substrate having at least one active metal surface with an autodeposition liquid composition comprising components:
• 1) at least 1.0%, based on the autodeposition liquid composition, of a component of dissolved, dispersed, or both dissolved and dispersed film forming polymer molecules;
• 2) optionally at least one emulsifier;
• 3) at least one dissolved accelerator component selected from the group consisting of acids, oxidizing agents, and complexing agents that are not part of immediately previously recited components (1) or (2), this accelerator component being sufficient in strength and amount to impart to the total autodepositing liquid composition an oxidation-reduction potential that is at least 100 mV more oxidizing than a standard hydrogen electrode;
• the pH of the autodeposition liquid composition being between about 1 and about 4, for a sufficient time and at a sufficient temperature to deposit an uncured autodeposition coating on said at least one active metal surface;
• b) rinsing with water;
• d) dewatering the uncured autodeposition coating;
• e) depositing an uncured paint layer on the uncured autodeposition coating;
• and
• f) co-curing the uncured autodeposition coating and uncured paint layer.