So I bought my 2010 FX4 a year ago and after a few months of owning it I noticed that the third brake light had the common leak. Took care of that issue but I was under the truck yesterday cleaning it and noticed that the cab corner on the passenger side has bubbling paint and it's obviously starting to rust under it. From reading it sounds like Ford will only warranty it if it's rusted through which it isn't yet. Im closing in on the end of the 5yr rust warranty and was wondering if anyone was successful in getting Ford to fix it without it being completely rusted through?

 

Hi Western111,

If you haven't already, I'd recommend making an appointment at your dealership so they can inspect the rust and get it documented. How many miles are on your truck currently?

Crystal

 

Western,
While you're at it check the bottom of your doors and tailgate. I'm confident you will find some there too.
I love Ford trucks with the exception of the corrosion protection. I have yet see a daily driver in salt state's that make it my past 2 years without paint bubbling at the exposed edge at the bottom of doors and tailgates.

I'm sure they went the extra mile on the new Al bodies to avoid a bad reputation, but good ol' cost reductions will be sure to chip away at that improvement. Too bad.

 

Well, here's mine. 2008, 7 years old, 100k miles, driven in Vermont winter every year. Lots of salt and salt brine on our roads. No bubbles.

 

They must use some "truck friendly" green mountain salt in those parts!

 

Haha!

Actually, I treat all those edges with white lithium grease before winter. I spray them all with a high pressure hose weekly during the winter months too.

Doesn't take TOO much effort. But a little goes a long way.

 

Western111 where are you located? I noticed that you said that you bought the truck about a year ago. Do you know where it came from before that or what it was used for? Did you get a Carfax?

No sign of rust on my 2010 FX-4 even with the heat and humidity that we have in this area. But trucks that are used by pool cleaners (just one example) and that carry chemicals get eaten up in short order around here. Also typical of trucks used by businesses since employees don't give a ****e and don't take care of them. And in my area, people that take their trucks mudding often have rust problems since a lot of our mud holes also have a fair degree of salt in them and the mud also traps the moisture against the metal.

If you only bought the truck a year ago and the rust is as bad as you say, then there should have seen signs of it when you bought it.

If I were Ford, I'd want to know a lot more about your truck and it's history before I would help. Not a slam, just stating the obvious.

Just as a suggestion, make sure that the drain holes in the bottom of the doors and body are open and draining well. Dirt, leaves ect will clog them up and trap water inside the bottom edges and that will rapidly rust them out.

 

I may add, I'm certain OP's truck is a super crew. The previous generation F150 also rusted in the exact same spot. Seems ford didn't correct the issue.

water just gets trapped behind the cab corners and rots it from the inside. Noting to get clogged and no real way to clean it out. Climates that spread salt obviously worsen the issue.

 

Crystal,

The truck has about 86,000 miles on it at the moment. I will take the truck to Ken Wilson Ford today and have them look at it.


From reading about it and others complaining of the same issue I'm certain its related to the third brake light leak that is so common on these truck. I've taken care of that issue but who knows how long the truck has had water pooling up in the cab corners. I've looked the rest of the truck over and that is the only sign of rust anywhere on it. I do have a car fax on it and the truck was delivered to a dealership here in NC when it was new and it has always been registered in NC and I am the second owner.

 

I do have a car fax. The truck was personally owned and I'm only the second owner. It has always been a NC vehicle and spent the first 4 years of its life in the Piedmont area so no issues with salt etc. It had Michelin LTX MS2 tires on it when I got it so I doubt they were mudding it before I got it.

 

Water is pooling in the cab corners. Could be a third brake light leak or a rear window leak, or the water could be just pooling from the exterior.

Either way, a 2010 in an area where roads are not salted should not be rusting out like that.

I'd recommend doing a search on here for rusted cab corners and see what you find. Search the 04-08 section too as the cab corners are the same, I believe.

 

Hi Western111,

Crystal is currently on vacation, but I'm here to assist. Let me know the results of your visit to Ken Wilson Ford. Additionally, send over your full name, phone number, and VIN; I'll look into next steps on my end.

Todd

 

Hello Todd!

Unfortunately my visit to two dealers in my area (Ken Wilson & Taylor Ford) did not go too well. I went to Ken Wilson first and told them I needed to see about having the rust on my cab corners looked at. They seemed like they were ready to look at it until I mentioned the corrosion warranty. I was then told that I would have to speak to one of the managers and that he was not there today and I would have to bring it back another day. I left there and took it to Taylor Ford and when I went in to the body shop and mentioned having the rust looked at one of them started to get up and grab a pad. I again mentioned the corrosion warranty and he also said I would have to speak to a manager and he would have to look at it before he could even start to deal with it. Turns out that manager was also not at the dealer today. I'm a little concerned that a service manager has to look at the damage before a body shop manager who is trained in that kind of stuff is allowed to look at it. In hindsight I should have let the body shop manager do the estimate and say that it was rust before I mentioned the corrosion warranty. It all has the feel that they have been down this road more than once and they don't want to deal with it or going to pass it off to a service manager to say it isn't covered.

I will send you a PM with the VIN and the rest of the info you requested.

 

I'll keep my eyes peeled for that PM, Western111. I'm able to document your dealer feedback, as well, once the info is sent over.

Todd

 

You should have it. Sent it about two minutes after I replied.