Rust on door at mirrors

I have a 2002 Ford Focus, and was cleaning the usual winter salt off the car the other day when I noticed that the passenger side door had small bubbles in the paint, right where the mirror housing meets the door - definitely rusting.

I ran round to the drivers side to find exactly the same thing - it looks like the mirrors have either been badly fitted (and damaged the paint), or the base part that sits on the door has rubbed into the paint and caused it to start to rust.

Anyone else have this problem? I know the ford rust warranty is only inside-out but this has obviously been caused by damage at manufacture or incorrectly fitted mirrors - I'm going to drop in on the dealer later today and see what they say - there's no way a 2 yr old car should be rusting already!

Reply to
Alan
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You might want to have a look at this thread on the UK Focus owners club forum:

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HTH,

Chris.

Reply to
Chris

This is my little over 2 years old focus below (in the link) it had to have

2 rear doors & a tailgate as you can see there is serious rust. Ford refused to pay out for repairs it took around 9 months for them to be completed cos of fords reluctance. The car has never been in an accident & to date has 22k on the clock, its a uk 2.0 ghia.

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Reply to
j*

Nasty - and Ford refused to pay out on what grounds?

Mine was in the garage on Wednesday for an inspection, the guy said he'd send off a claim which he thought would be ok since it was also a problem on the puma and ford fixed those without arguing.

While he was checking I queried the panels being galvanised.

"That only prevents rusting from the inside", he said, "Your's is rusting due to perforation from the mirrors"

"erm, no... if the panels were galvanised then they wouldn't rust at all" I said.

"mumble mumble, probably not then" he said.

Does anyone know if the focus is suppoased to be totally galvanised (inc panels) or is it just the chassis structure that is? Just wondering in case mine isn't for some reason.

Reply to
Alan

Good question, but I don't have the answer. As a Canadian who grew up in the "salt belt", I was surprised to see such a bare undercarriage on my new Focus here in Switzerland, but having seen some UK cars as well, I guess Ford is relying completely on the galvanizing rather than undersealing as well.

Galvanized panels can rust, but they need a seriously deep scratch. Porsche has had a bare 911 bodyshell sitting outside its factory for over 20 years now without rust.

Stephen

Reply to
Stephen F.

Nasty. Where is the UK Focus assembled? The Cologne built cars sold in Germany and Switzlerand have very high ratings for rust resistance in the usual TÜV report (a statistical collection of the annual MOT data).

Stephen

Reply to
Stephen F.

same question i asked, ford confirmed it is totally galvanised, doesn't stop rust though, personally I think its a very slight treatment they give them then they use it for marketing for the brochures. Stone chips rust if left and so did my doors!

Reply to
j*

mine was built in Germany

Reply to
j*

Man, then Ford is really laying on the thinnest galvanizing they can. Galvanizing is simply the metallurgical deposition of zinc onto the steel, and I imagine the parameters for the "dipping" process can be altered to get a thinner or thicker zinc layer. Zinc serves as a physical barrier for corrosion, and also as a sacrificial cathode. If you scratch deep enough to go through the zinc (or have a deep stone chip) then it will rust.

My friend's Audi went through 4 winters with an unprotected, deep scratch in the door without rusting. Pretty much bombproof if done well on a flat panel.

My '94 MX-5 is rusting in the rear sills (sounds like an old MGB) due to water getting in from the backside due to poorly designed drainage from the convertible top. The sills of the MX-5 are a very complex series of galvanized box sections welded into, onto and around each other. Cut through one and it looks like a labyrinth. So although the metal is actually galvanized, it seems the combination of cleaning for welding panels and water creeping along crevices can make even galvanized structures rust.

Guess I better keep a close eye on my Cologne-built Focus estate. Bugger! :-(

Stephen

Reply to
Stephen F.

In message , Stephen F. writes

Either Germany or Spain (Valencia). It shouldn't make a difference as the galvanising should be applied to the same standard at both plants.

Reply to
Paul Giverin

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