I've got a 2004 Lariat. I just found a few small paint bubbles right where the hood meets the grille. It appears that the grille over time has rubbed the paint on the hood where the two meet. I can't tell so far without taking the grille off, but do you think it's rust under there? I've got a rock chip away from the grille in the paint and it looks like the metal is galvanized so I don't know if it would be rust or not. Either way, I think I'm going to have to do something about it soon before it spreads. That's shame because the paint overall on the whole truck is in excellent shape except for this one spot

 

Check this out. I went to the dealer this morning to get some touch-up paint and while I was there, I decided to have the body shop guy give me his opinion on whether there was rust under the paint bubbles or not. So he says, the hood is made of aluminum so it's not rust but may still be corrosion. He checked the warranty and there's a 5 year warranty for corrosion . So that means it's a free body shop fix for me. I guess I'll schedule the work in the next few weeks.

Basic: 3 yr. / 36,000 mi.
Drivetrain: 3 yr. / 36,000 mi.
Roadside: 3 yr. / 36,000 mi.
Rust: 5 yr. / Unlimited mi.

 

my '04 F150 white work truck has the same issue. several spots are blistering on the hood at the grill clearly with corrosion underneath. rest of the truck paint is good at 95,000mi
I didn't do anything with it.

 

read the warranty, usually 5yrs for perforation (holes) not bubbles. thats how most are

 

I have the same thing on my '04 Lariat, was this covered outside of warranty?

 

I am having the same issues. Its on both sides of the grille. On one side the paint is almost starting to flake off. I need to figure out what to do about it.

 

Here is a picture of what I have.

 

that ^^^ is what my 06 had about 1 month after I bought it. Ford fixed it 100% and provided a rental (ESP only though).

rust that is caused by a rock chip IS NOT COVERED under warranty...trust me, been there with a rock chip spot on my roof

 

I just went out to my truck and the spot shown in the pic above has now flaked off. Know I've got to do some digging this week to see if can be covered under warranty. Have anyone else had this covered by warranty?

 

mine is identical to the white one pictured , but it's an 07 . just found it friday , and got an estimate sat am for just under 2k . hood alone is $900 + paint +labor . will be at the dealers in the am to see what they say . **** poor design .

 

paint defects are 12month, 12,000 miles for coverage


rust is 6yrs I believe...so if it is rusting out (bubbling), you may have to "help" it along. then get them to cover it.

 

they're going to repair the hood , not replace . there's a tsb "iron contamination" they say . but i'm sure it's related to the way the grill is att to the hood. it'll probably do it again .

 

yeah, they call that iron contamination "Industrial Fallout"...happens in shipping yards and from the Train transport


stuff sucks big time. if you don't catch it early, it works it's way under the clearcoat and starts rusting out