carpriver

I took my 2015 Lariat to the dealer; I have had the truck just about a month. I asked the body shop manager to look at the bed of the truck. He could see the gap between the bed and side walls (they are located on both side just in front of the wheel well and at the front of the bed). He was unsure what caused it, he had another 2015 XLT in front of the shop he looked at the bed and found the same gaps. He was going to go to the lot and check all the new trucks to see it they they had the same gaps. The manager was going to talk to the Ford person that they order there cars and trucks.

He did mention the gaps could maybe be part the side impact crumple zone. He said he was going to let me know what he finds out.

Alcoloco

You don't have a clue about the 60's and 70's do you?

Don't try to make your argument valid on false assumptions.

Ledbetter

I agree, whether the cargo was secured or not, a new truck bed should at least be able to withstand a basic work environment. Nobody who buys a new truck should have to worry about gingerly loading items into the bed wondering how long the bed will hold up before basic cargo tears it up

stainlessman

Alcoloco I can regress back to the 70's at least or maybe 80's and recall Dodge using 'recycled' steel in the truck beds....you would see 3 or 4 year old trucks here in the northeast with rust holes you could throw a football threw....'recycles steel in trucks'...no bad idea.

JayS2015

IMHO - whatever the object or how heavy it was etc... should have dented the crap out of it - but never should the bed come apart...

Ford needs to fix.. I see commercials all day long of loaders dumping ROCKS into the bed directly.. there's other videos from Ford about how tough the aluminum bed is as well..

they'll make it right...

strokin7.3

I don't think using Dodge as an example of trucks built back in the day is a good example. Were junk then and are junk now. I still see all kinds of 70s and 80s Fords on the road, very rarely if ever do I see a Dodge of 70s or 80s vintage. Hell even the 90s model dodge trucks are getting fewer and fewer.

me1234

We used to have an old dodge from the 70s, it was old but it was a workhorse. I remember the first time I saw my grandpa bring his, then brand new, 2000 f-150 with a bass boat and launched it into a pond. The launching of the boat went fine, but the truck couldn't pull the boat out of the pond. The wheels kept spinning and spinning.

So.. after about 20 minutes of slinging mud in the F-150, my dad fired up this old, beat up, 20+ year old, tailgate-less dodge truck and it just yanked the boat out of the pond. Needless to say my grandpa wasn't too happy lol .

I like the F-150 more, but the old Dodge trucks earned a special place in my heart after that adventure.

carpriver

This an update, as stated I took my truck back to the dealer body shop, The manager called back this afternoon to say that the gaps between the bad and side wall are there to let rain drain from the bed, this was reported to the body shop by a Ford distributer.

Alcoloco

The only open drain holes that I am aware of are the two in the front of the bed near the cab, not the sides.

Unless they changed the design that is all I am aware of.

FX4-HDMAN

I've read through the first page of comments and I have to say I disagree with all who say not dealer responsibility to cover due to impact. What are we buying $30-50K truck for that are supposed to be rugged and designed to haul heavy loads. A truck side panel should not split apart by an impact of 10 or 20 pound toolbox. I can understand if a 500 pound was not secured (as I have experienced) the separation.
Having a structural back ground and working in structural engineering, I have to agree with AppleGuy, that Ford should cover the cost of repairs as the design is inadequate in an aluminum application.