Paint Cracking in Rain Rail - Diesel Forum

Marcuss · 10-15-2001, 10:16 AM

I got out to wash / wax the roof of my X this weekend and saw something that really bothered me. The rain rail / gutter on the driver's side has the paint cracking pretty badly. There are no such cracks in the passenger side rail. Anybody else have this happen on their X?

Offspring · 10-15-2001, 08:11 PM

Marcuss

I have not noticed this on my X, but the third year of the X's are now out, I am interested in your problem and will watch out for it. Maybe you could put your truck information in your signature so others can see how long it took for your problem to surface. Thanks, and good luck on feed back to help you out! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

POLR BR · 10-16-2001, 02:10 AM

Marcuss,

My X is cracking in the Urethane covering over the roll joints in the rain gutter. Like you, I have been concerned because I can't tell if water is penetraing the cracks down to the metal or not. At the first sign of orange in the cracks, Ford will hear from me. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

Marcuss · 10-16-2001, 09:49 AM

I've got a few other minor warranty items that I'm taking the X in for. I'm going to ask the dealer to take a look and I'll post the response.

FYI - My X is a 2000 LTD 2 Whl Drive with Chestnut Paint. Any way this could be limited to one paint color?

Also, people keep asking me what color my X is, and the only sure-fire response I can come up with is that it's root beer colored. Any better descriptions?

TXANGLER · 10-16-2001, 10:48 AM

Checked mine last night and have said cracks on right rear joint on roof. I'll address this with the dealer but not optimistic on a solution.

fields · 10-16-2001, 10:11 PM

Do get this documented as one of my friends has the same crack on the passenger side and it LEAKED! Ford had to fix it, and repaint the area. They are still fighting over the musty smell in the back. I think my friend let the leak go too long.

The leak started small and could not be seen untill the side panels (inside) were removed.

richard

POLR BR · 10-17-2001, 10:00 AM

fields,

Your post made my day. There is always a gotcha to getting 400,000 miles out of a vehicle. I have 50,000 miles on mine so there is no warranty. Like the others, the cracks showed up in no time -- within the first three months. I know darn well the cracks are going to be an expensive repair and I will be on my own. Maybe if everybody has this problem, Ford will have to take responsibility. Ha!

Connor9 · 10-17-2001, 10:32 PM

I found roof cracks about 3 weeks after I brought my x home. I ended up getting Ford to repair and repaint when I noticed that the roof rack cross bars had worn through my paint at 10,000 miles.

fields · 10-17-2001, 10:34 PM

POLR BR

Yep, the first thing I did, right at his house, is get up and look at mine. No cracks!

He is going to the DSB Friday in Houston with his problems.

richard

dpetdog99 · 10-19-2001, 05:56 AM

I just had a thought. Would the paint cracking be covered under the corrosion warranty? That is 5 years and unlimited mileage. The only thing I didn't understand with the corrosion warranty is it says "perforation only." [img]graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] If the cracking would be considered perforation, shouldn't it be covered by that warranty, instead of the bumper to bumper warranty.

On Edit: I guess I should have read the warranty thing on the site first before I opened my mouth. Here is the corrosion warranty as per F**d.

Corrosion Coverage

Under your New Vehicle Limited Warranty, Corrosion Coverage begins at the
warranty start date and covers body sheet metal panels against corrosion
due to a defect in factory-supplied materials or workmanship. Corrosion
coverage (which lasts for 5 years, regardless of miles driven) only applies if
the corrosion causes perforation (holes) in body sheet metal panels.

If corrosion does not cause perforation (holes), and is not the result of
usage and/or environmental conditions, paint damage is covered under
the terms of the Bumper to Bumper Warranty (3 years or 36,000 miles,
whichever occurs first).

For damage caused by airborne material (environmental fallout) - where
there is no factory-related defect involved and therefore no warranty -our
policy is to cover paint damage due to airborne material for
12 months or 12,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

I really should learn to do research before opening my mouth. Unless holes form in the gutter, you'd be SOL according to this warranty excerpt (sp?). Don't get me wrong though, I wouldn't want cracks in my paint either on a new vehicle.

Robyn · 10-22-2001, 01:59 AM

My Econoline has the same cracks under the external rain gutter. The cracking is in the bead of the painted seam sealer, not in the sheet metal or the weld. I noticed it the first week I took delivery, and then promptly forgot about it until today, when I read this post, just a couple of months after my warranty expired! [img]images/icons/crazy.gif[/img]

I was thinking of filling the cracks with new seam sealer, and then re-painting the bead with touch-up paint. Think that will work for you guys too?