PLHOG

Hi:

I have an '09 F-150 XL Work Truck that I purchased new, and now has 50,000 miles. It started developing some non-perforating rust bubbles around one of the bed wheel arches. Always been garage kept, but I live in Ohio where they use lots of road salt in the winter.

Every one I talked to says this rust thing is a common, expected problem with the '09-14 Ford pickups. That's really disappointing, as my previous truck was a '94 Suburban that I put 250,000 miles on without any rust except for the occasional stone chip that I could touch up.

The dealer finally said that they had some program through Ford where they could take care of customer issues as long as I put up the $100 deductible. I did that, and they sanded the spots down to the metal, reprimed and painted.

But more bubble are developing, and now on the other side as well. My friend that's a body work expert said to just let it go, it's a problem with the way Ford used some sound-deadening material in the bed construction, and it just keep developing in new places. They call it Ford cancer at his shop.

A neighbor kid that works at a Ford dealer said it's a universal problem. He recommended looking for an intact bed from a wrecked later model F-150, and just replace the bed. The new bed would still have the problem, but maybe could get another 5 years or so before it starts rusting.

My sales guy at the dealer said I should buy a new F-150 since they have aluminum bodies. Sure if you give me $20K in trade allowance.

I haven't had to deal with a vehicle with this kind of rust issue for decades. I frankly thought it was a thing of the past. I tried searching for other threads on this topic, but found none. Maybe user error. But with how common people tell me this is, I thought there would be a lot of chatter about it.

Thoughts?

ajsturtz

If you ran your Suburban 15 years in the rust belt without rust, you are the exception. I live in Iowa, and 99% of vehicles are showing rust somewhere at the 5 year mark.

My 09 was rusting at the lower door seams. I filled my 2012 door seams with white lithium, so far no rust there, but the front bumper is rusting.

Tothemax

That was a rarity to run the burb that long with no rust. You said it yourself, you live where they put salt on the roads. Its gonna happen.

ajsturtz

I can't help but wonder if someone could become a millionaire if they developed a patented solution that you pre-rinse your vehicle (undercarriage included) with before snow events, and it chemically neutralizes the brine or salt.

Something that coats the undercarriage and has a week long survival. Like a foaming gel. It would need to get into all of the cracks and seams. Could sell it to car washes and make a fortune. I'm sure that since I'm typing this, Google is recording my typing and has already patented it...

RES4CUE

I just hit the auto car wash that does undercarriage wash also. I know I'm in Va but when we have snow these people freak and put down thousands of gallons of the brine and a crap load of salt/sand mixture for even a dusting so we get the crap all over the vehicles here.

21RRF150

iTrader: (1)

It is universal. Not only a Ford problem. The owner of my body shop just had me repair and paint his wife's 2012 gmc Acadia. All 4 doors rusted out at the bottom. It's 3 years old. She drives a lot, she was an adjuster for state farm. So she was over 100k miles. GM said go pound sand, we can't help. If you had 99,999 we could.

All it takes is 1 rock to kick up, chip the paint on your wheel lip. Add moisture, then salt, and that's it. If the coating gets chipped to the bare steel, that's it. Unless you catch it right after it happens.


It's the main reason why I use flex additive in all my sealer when I paint. Gives the paint added chip resistance. And I etch or epoxy any bare metal.

Krookz

Checked your frame?

IAJack

I have it on my '09 too. I put fender flares on to cover it up for now and when it gets bad enough I will look for a replacement bed from down South? I was quoted by a body guy to re-skin the bed at it was more than a new bed. He think he said it is either due to a coating Ford used on the inside of the bed or lack of?

I also coat the underneath of everything with Flex Film every Fall. It is a spray on paraffin wax that is supposed to help keep the salt and brine from contacting the metal surfaces.

21RRF150

iTrader: (1)

Maybe, but it doesn't really matter because the coating can get chipped off by a rock or something

MUFFMAN

Be happy you don't have a Dodge. Almost every 2010 and under have the wheel wells rotted through here in Ontario.