Abstract: Disclosed is a process of producing a phosphate coating on a composite part consisting of steel and galvanized steel, which comprises alkaline cleaning, rinsing with an aqueous rinsing bath, and phosphatizing with an aqueous zinc phosphate solution. The formation of a non-uniform coating and of spots is avoided in the process of the invention by the use of a rinsing bath which contains at least 0.2 g/l alkali borate, at least 0.1 g/l alkali silicate and at least 0.05 g/l alkali nitrite, and which preferably contains said components in a total up to 5 g/l.If the composite part is to be activated with an activating bath which contains titanium phosphate before being contacted with the zinc phosphate solution, the activating bath must contain at least 1 g/l and preferably up to 4 g/l of tetraalkalipyrophosphate.The process of the invention can be used to prepare composite parts of steel and galvanized steel for subsequent painting, particularly by electrophoretic dip painting.