Outer Door Pillar Piece
 

2004 F-150, Lariat, Extra Cab
This is my sons truck. He noticed this yesterday, that the black plastic pillar piece was pulled away from the door/body. He seems to think someone tried to break into his truck. I enlarged the pics and it looks like some kind of corrosion (the white part on the edge of the pillar) on the plastic pillar piece. He says it's chipped. Notice how there is a crease in the plastic? That looks as if someone was pulling on it. OR, it got so hot, it started peeling away and warped? I don't know, maybe someone here can explain it a little bit better to me. :help:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...ba7fa19c14.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.f15...3f32edc9fc.jpg

Hard to imagine anyone thinking that prying there would open the door, but it does look like the result of a prying attempt.

Maybe just a vandalism? Hard to say.

I haven't seen it but a time or two, but there is a truck around here missing one of the covers. Maybe someone over your way thought they could grab a replacement?

Definitely looks like someone pried on it a bit, even if it was just with fingers. Replacements are about $45 bucks. You can get the high-gloss black one for the Lincoln Mark LTs for about $70 (but you'd have to buy the set of 4 to convert the whole truck). Here's the link to the Ford part numbers:

https://www.tascaparts.com/auto-part...ront-door-scat

That is not heat expansion or corrosion damage. That is "man-made". Unless you can find surveillance video of a moose or bear.......I doubt if there are lowland gorillas nearby.

That damage was done by someone. On purpose. By accident. A little payback from someone with a grudge. Random act of malicious mischief.

No telling why it was done. Unless you catch the person who did it, and he/she tells you why.

A thief would either break the autoglass, or punch the door look. A vandal would want to do more damage. Which makes me wonder why they didn't just slash the tires, shoot out your son's radiator, cut the brake line, or put a potato in his tailpipe.

I told him the same thing, if someone tried to break in there, they were STUPID!
He does keep his AR-15 in his truck, but it's not visible for anyone to see.
Now, he does have a crack head half brother that lives across the street from him. Maybe he needed a fix, knew the AR was in there, and with a fogged mind, thought he might break in by prying the plastic pillar?
Anyway, l will pass on this info to him.
BTW, he says his truck has a factory alarm which he does not know how to operate. Would the Ford dealership he works at possibly tell him how to operate it?

They would if they know how themselves. He may be mistaken & thinking about PATS?

If I stored or routinely kept an AR in mine, no one would know …. NO ONE! (well, maybe I should say "except for Wife Unit")

Worth asking.

Now we all know about Blue Oval's son's AR. And we know which truck it is. There are pictures of his truck online. Easily identified by the door panel damage.

He works at a Ford dealership. When he saw the truck come in for trade in, he bought it. The key chain is a black square with lock/unlock and alarm on it. He has never asked about it.

Sounds like a regular key fob, locks & unlocks vehicle and alarm for like if you panic as being mugged, etc. to attract attention with suddenly blaring horn and flashing lights. Some also use alarm to help find the vehicle when they forget where parked.

If there's more to it, then I need to review the owners manual.