i love my truck, but seriously, this is lame........ being new to ford trucks i havent heard much of these problems until i joined here. So sure enough, today i check out my truck (2000 s-cab), and there it is plain as day.... about a 1/4" crack in the exact same spot by the window molding on my driver door. nothing yet on the passenger door, so thats good. whats bad is, i bought the truck used and right now im a little over 400 miles past the factory warranty (about 36,438miles right now)

AAAAAARRRGGGH! am i screwed or what? add this to the cracks throughout the paint in the rain gutters on the roof and that damn engine knock that i cant seem to get to go away, i wonder what new issuse can only be next........ (oh yeah, i took a rock to the windshield and have a crack there i need to fix, but at least that's NOT Ford's fault AND my insurance should completely cover the fix)

so is there anything i can do about it? other than a fix, some sort of preventative care maybe? mainly im worried about the crack getting bigger and/or rust. i'm also a worried about the cracked rain gutters too.......

 

I have the same thing on my 2000 XL. I went to the dealer and because it was out of warranty, I wasn't going to get it fixed for free. They did however offer to contact Ford and see what could be done as a "goodwill" gesture as I am only 4000 K out of warranty. Ford is going to cover 75% of the cost to fix the door. Gonna cost me abut 125 bucks. There is a "kit" that Ford has to fix the problem. By the way, if its not on both doors, it will be in the future.

Good luck

 

well, i went ahead and contacted ford's customer care directly rather than try to talk to any dealers as i have heard some people have had issues getting dealers to cover any costs post -warranty. glad it worked out for you.. 75% is definitely a good gesture on the part of Ford. it just still sucks to have the issue in the first place. this is the reply i received the day after i contacted ford:

Dear John,

Thank you for your message of 12/5/03 regarding your 2000 Ford F-150. We appreciate the time you have taken to write us regarding the door crack concern with your vehicle.

We regret the circumstances that have prompted you to contact us. Please accept our apology for any frustration or inconvenience you may have experienced.

In order to resolve your issue, more information is required. Please provide the following additional data to allow us to fully investigate every option to address your concern.

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN):
Registered owner of vehicle (if different):

In addition, please advise us of the best time to contact you by
telephone. We will make every effort to call when it is most convenient for you. Our department's hours of operation are between 8AM and 8PM Monday through Friday and between 9AM and 5:30PM on Saturdays Eastern Standard Time.

Ford Motor Company is committed to maintaining a satisfying and
long-term relationship with our customers. Your loyalty is valued and appreciated.

At Ford Motor Company, we consider the satisfaction of our customers as one of our most important objectives. If you have any other inquiries or concerns, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to address them.

Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.

Sincerely,
Lana
Ford Motor Company (PM)
Customer Relationship Center
--------------------

so, we'll see what happens...... im going to see about the cracked roof gutters too when i speak with them again too.

 

Got the door crack fixed and Ford paid 75% of the cost. Ended up costing me $125. If you have got a door crack, talk to your dealer. It may be covered even if you have gone past the original manufacturers warranty. Its worth a shot.

 

if you dont use your passenger window a lot you shouldn't see the crack on that side.

I do so I have them on both sides.

Too bad I found out too late about fixes and not a snowballs chance in purgatory would have Ford cover any portion of the repair.

Still beats my previous truck (the Chevy) where the whole door handle comes off in your hand!

And the release cables in the tailgate snap so you can open it.

Have to say, Ford has done me less wrong than the Chevy. I can live with the crack.

 

One thing that I have noticed since getting the door crack replaced.... The window is noticeably harder to wind down now. I suspect it has to do with the fact that the door is now more "rigid"

 

On my old truck I got a preventative kit put in which is a block that is glued in there somewhere to stiffen it up. Im not sure what they will do to 'fix' yours but I know mine ended up cracking about a year later. I think I would maybe just put some silicon over it on the inside of the door and maybe some touch up paint on the outside. Because most likely it will come back and you might run the risk of them welding the crack and not being able to match the paint 100% and it really looking strange.

Also, the cracks in the rain gutter...I had them too and to be honest I wouldnt worry about them either. There is a rubber that is poured into the channel and then cures. Since it is flexible it eventually leads to the paint cracking. Except for the people that are checking out your roof, I dont think it poses any problems.

Good luck