I have a 2002 F-150 SuperCab 4x4. It's Charcoal Gray and at about 40,000 miles, I noticed some areas of the truck where the paint was cracking (mostly along the passenger side door and fender, and on the roof of the cab). The truck now has 100,000 miles and the cracks are pretty noticable when your up close. The cracks on the roof of the cab are so bad that it looks like a dryed up riverbed. In some spots, the paint is now chipping off and exposing the sheetmetal and signs of rust are beginning to show!!!!

The truck has always been garaged and washed regularly. It has also never been wrecked or re-painted so I can't blame a body shop. It seems to be a problem linked directly to Ford. Has anyone else ever had this problem??? Also, does anyone know of any recalls or defects reported by Ford???? Any help would be great!!!! Thanks!

 

I would definitely let your local Stealership have a look at it. From the sounds of it, there may have been a curing problem from the factory. While I know you're out of warranty, a good dealership will go to bat for you if, indeed, it appears to be workmanship versus another environmental condition that may have caused the problem.

I've seen this on other FoMoCo products -- my 2001 KR had two or three spots on the roof. If it's what I'm thinking it is -- it's similar to what's known as 'solvent pop'. This is when a very slight amount of a volatile organic compound (VOC) becomes trapped beneath the color coat/clearcoat of the paint system. Once it's heated to a certain degree, it must 'flash off' somewhere... this occurs and thus, the paint gets that spider-crack look as the paint is basically shattering from beneath.

Good luck! Let us know!

-RP-

 

wow! what you describe sound's exactly like the problem I'm having! I appreciate the info. I just hope there's a way out

(any other tips or replys would be appreciated)...

 

I agree with RP in seeing if your local dealership can help you... But I think you would of had a much better chance of them helping you if you had taken it to them when you noticed it at 40,000 miles... With 100,000 miles now on it, I personally don't think you'll have much luck with Ford... But hopefully I'm wrong.

 

my brother in law just traded in his 02 super crew for the same type of reasons. he was having alot of leaking around where the roof and windshield meet. he had his windshield replaced twice, and even after that it still leaked. the water then ran down and shorted out a bunch of the electrical system

Ford did not want anything to do with it. The auto glass shop said he had seen several 02 models with the same problem. He told my bro in law that he would replace his windshield again, but even then he would not warranty it. maybe there is a link between all this ruckus. the paint, the rust, the windshield???

As far as i know there is no recall on the 02 model for any of these problems

 

hmmm...sounds like I'm probably screwed. Well, I'll have to see what I can do I guess. Thanks guys!