I posted my experience with the door seam rust issue a couple of years back. Here's my original thread......

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=140453

I still have my truck and the drivers side door is getting pretty bad. Pisses me off because the car is in great shape except for that damn rust. Going to cost me some $$ when I try to sell. Paint is starting to bubble on the exterior part of the door now. I've tried to keep it at bay by grinding and coating with a rust inhibitor but it's just too bad to really do much good.

Well, I did a search and it seems like a lot of others on this forum are discovering this problem. Shame on Ford for not stepping up and fixing a known issue. Well guess what... I'm currently in the market for a new vehicle. With my growing family I find myself looking for a SUV. Pretty much because of this issue and the lack of any concern on Ford's part I'm not going to look at Explorers. If this is the kind of service I can expect, count me out. Trick me once shame on you, trick me twice shame on me. That being said...has anybody ever had a positive resolution offered to them from the dealer regarding the rust issue in the door seams? Curious minds want to know.

Thanks.

 

Just a question really, where exactly is the rust??

Second thing if the rust has not perforated the panel why would it need replacing to correct the issue?

 

The rust is on the bottom inside edge of the driver door. It started all along the door where the metal was "seamed" together. Rust started from the inside of this seam and bubbled the paint, now mine is flaking pieces of metal on the inside facing part of the door and the paint is starting to bubble on the outside.

They don't have to replace it. My point is they didn't offer to do anything to correct the problem when I took it in. Heck if they would offer to grind and repaint the area so it looks good for a year or two I would probably be happy with that. They just said that since it didn't perforate there was nothing they could do. I say BS. They issued a TSB so it was a known issue. They should do the right thing and offer to compensate in some way for repairs.

If I remember I'll post some pictures when I get home.

Here's a link to the TSB...

http://www.fcsdchemicalsandlubricant...tsb/041811.pdf

Notice it says its only eligible to vehicles covered under the new vehicle limited warranty. It appears most noticed this rust after the 3/36 warranty so their being told to pound sand.

 

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=286200

 

all trucks rust in the midwest... i hate rust.

 

*****warning*****graphic content**** not for the faint of heart...


Snapped some pictures today. Here they are. I'm pretty sure that the door is going to have to be replaced at some time. The rust is too advanced to salvage. Since I have discovered it I've been periodically grinding the area with a wire brush, spraying on rust converter, and covering with spray paint. Don't think this did much good. Wisconsin winter probably didn't help the matter...







Outside of door....

 

Here are some other pictures of my truck from earlier this spring. I take really good care of it. Only has 78K miles. In really good condition...well...all except the cancer on my door.

 

Now you know why I moved back from the Northeast to Arizona.

 

Just to emphasize, I noticed this problem 4 years, almost to the exact day, after I bought the truck (see my original post). Ford knew there was a problem with their seams rusting, hence the TSB. I don't think a modern vehicle should have rust, at least to the extent that mine had, in 4 years time. When I noticed the rust it had been there for some time already. Rust doesn't happen overnight. I think this started from day 1 that I owned the vehicle. I understand geographic location can play a role but this is a design defect on Fords part.

 

Holy crap, I am taking mine in asap before it has a chance to think about getting that bad. Gonna have them seal the other side too before it even starts.

 

mine's doin that in the exact same places. hope you get it under control.

 

Try POR15. It is much better than the rust reformers.