Especial86

iTrader: (1)

Thanks in advance for your help and insight.

Welcome to the forum!

:CAB CORNER ROT:

The cab corners on the 04 - 08 ford F150's rot prematurely due to a flaw, or a possible mistake... There is a way it could have been prevented, and the way in which water enters is definitive....

I will explain with pictures:





Here it is. This is the rot that plagues countless F150's





The paint is like a shell over the rotted metal. You can push on the cab corner, and it will flex like firm rubber.





This space in between the cab and bed is the problem area. At that opening at the seam of 2 panels is where water enters...




You can actually see the surface rust in there right through the hole..



Through these covered holes you can actually pull out samples of the flakey rust chips.

This opening I've showed here is destroying cab corners on nearly every F150. I'm not sure if this gap in the panels is present on the 09+ F150's, but I'm sure someone can chime in with an answer.
It could take years for some vehicles (geographically speaking) to really feel the effects of this gap, but eventually, rust will ensue. In salt laden areas along the rust belt is where I've seen the severity of the damage. Water pools in this cab corner and just starts rotting it from the inside out.. There is no where for the water to go once its in there. Water filled with road salts, sand, and anything else that can run down the back of the cab from the roof is what ends up in these cab corners.
The whole situation is luckily preventable, by merely sealing off this gap. If the hole at that seam was not there, water would not enter.

Unfortunately, the damage done to this date is irreversible, and absolutely necessary to address.
The damage to the vehicle not only affects resale value, but it can make a lot of honest sellers look like bad guys. The damage stays hidden behind the paint really well, until it hits a certain point.. My damage is at the point where its time to repair it. If someone came up and kicked my cab corner, it would likely crack like an egg shell.. That's how saturated with rot it gets.. Both sides are like this, and weld on patch panels are required to fix it. With the additional price of paint, and labor, the damage is close to a "conservative" $3000 bill.

So......

Is Ford team is aware of this issue? If they are not, then I'm glad to bring it to your attention.

What does Ford usually do with problems like this?


I greatly appreciate whatever Ford can do to help make this situation (mistake? production flaw?) remedied.

Thanks for your time Ashley! I appreciate your presence here on the Forum. I also like the potential that exists for us to actually work with Ford on making these trucks better, and safer.

dereku

Mine has not done this but I am going to check it out and maybe spray some rust inhibitor in there.

fordpower150

What about the paint flaking around the gas door!!

TwoTrick

Hate to be DingDong downer, but Ford does not care about rust issues outside of the implied warranty period. They are in the business of selling cars, trucks etc to satisfy their investors, banks, stock holders and various other stakeholders.

Most auto manufactures that operate on smaller margins and mass production don't want cars to last too long because it can affect their respective business models---to build and sell as many autos as possible. Manufactures are not going to ensure trucks/cars are sealed to prevent rust...if they did it would drive the cost of cars and truck way, way too high (new car prices are already ridiculous).

IMHO, rust has always been an issue with Ford cars, trucks, and SUVs but its also a problem with most auto brands especially if one is living in the rust belt where roads are often salted.

I once saw a Ford Escape that was rusted on the underbody whereby one could easily scrape large portions of rear underbody (unibody) off. It was a scary site because it was still being driven (by young family). Chances are if the car would wreck it would shatter like glass and likely wouldn't absorb the impact as orginally designed, resulting in major injury. Unfortunately, this is the real world and it’s NOT Fords problem as this car was way out of warranty. As more and more, older vehicles remain on the roadways and prices of new vehicles become more and more out of reach for average families (its happening now) there's the possibility of major safety issues arising (due to rust, airbags, etc), but that's another story altogether.

The economic equivalent life on a light truck (similar to F150) is about 4.4 years and the economic useful life is about 10.9 years (if you're lucky). Cars and trucks are not designed to last forever---they are machines and machines always develop problems (some worse than others depending on many, many factors i.e environment and care).

Nevertheless, I admire your inquisitiveness and suggestions to make a product better, but unfortunately chances are it will fall on deaf ears.

06screwlariat

Same thing I have on my 2006, was told it was the 3rd brake light but checked it and it was dry with no stains

13Harleyfan

TwoTrick is right, we do hear a lot of warranty type of issues on this forum and she is going to have her hands full trying to get those shorted out, anybody that lives anywhere they have to salt the roads should have undercoating installed and be ready to deal with the rust down the road.

gone postal

Well, being that Ford sells vehicles in areas where they salt roads, maybe Ford should do a touch more for rust prevention in their trucks?

There are numerous pass-throughs and attachment points in the floor of my scab that just don't need to be there. I just got done replacing about 2-3 sq ft of the floor in my '04, it was insane how much rust there was. In addition to the attachment points, there are places in the crossmembers under the cab where salt and sand can pack into the body that you just can't reach to clean it out.

I've had more than my share of issues with this truck, and if this is what passes for quality engineering from Ford, this is my last Ford vehicle. From the brakes to the FPDM, nose to tail, the number of beancounting compromises evident in the manufacture of the trucks is unacceptable.

Especial86

iTrader: (1)

See, I don't see this as a "warrantee type issue". I also completely understand how the business cycle "tends" to work in a consumption based society. It's honestly down right sickening to behold once its actually viewed from all sides, and all angles. So believe me TwoTrick, I get what your saying, and your right...... But.....

I do not think there is anything but stupidity, and borderline conspiracy when it comes to a gap that "allows" this rot to take place... It's like a rigged game of ring toss, or a patch of nails in the street up the road from the tire shop.. What will come from this gap is definitive, no matter where you live...

I ask as if its a goof up, or just a completely unforeseen weakness. But as already implied by the business cycle mentions, I know that there is another perceivable variable that I sure hope I don't have to confirm... If leaving this gap open to accommodate accelerated wear of a part was strategic in any way, then no, I won't be surprised. I will likely be disgusted, angry, cheated, and let down. All feelings that should not be coaxed out of customers participating in the consumption of any product. These feelings are what will inevitably harm share prices, confidence, trust, integrity and the all important bottom line. So if this is the case, then I hope Ford enjoyed their last jolt from new vehicle sales, because in this age of information, dirty tricks, lies and deceit don't stay covered up for long....

But lets not jump the gun just yet, I want to hear what Ford says about this first. Hopefully they will figure out a way to cure this inevitable issue with rotting cab corners, and maybe even help some of us who are left holding the bag. Any good faith service they can provide to prevent, repair, and or combat this issue is an A+ in my book.... So I'm hoping with this thread we can not only raise awareness, but we can actually work together on a solution.

corey_lax

We should all just buy Toyota's after this thread haha. They stand by their mistakes....




but in all honesty, I have only driven fords so I am a little biased.... I will probably buy a Ford again but time will tell...

allinon72

I have the same issue, on both sides, with one side being worse than the other. The repair will likely be in the thousands for both sides. Frustrating to say the least.