Rust on '03 Mountaineer

I noticed today that there is a "rust bubble" of paint on the passenger
side above the rear wheel well. I looked in the wheel well and can see
some rust forming...on both sides. My '03 now has 70,000 miles and is
garage kept, but is in the "rust belt" of Pittsburgh. I would like to
get another few years out of this vehicle and am wondering if I should
do something NOW to retard further rust....or just keep it clean and
wait until it's a bigger deal. In other words, can rust really be
stopped or would can all one do is wait for it to become big enough to fix?

Anyone else noticing rust on '02 and later bodystyle Mountaineer/Explorers?

Doesn't sound like much has changed in dear old Pittsburgh (at least car
rust-wise). My wife had a 1963 Ford Falcon convertible (all black with black
seats) that was her pride and joy. When we moved away in 1971, we had
patched it several times and it still had more rust holes coming. I thought
by now things would have improved.

We live in California now, the cars last forever.
Tom

"D.D. Palmer" > wrote in message
. ..
>I noticed today that there is a "rust bubble" of paint on the passenger
>side above the rear wheel well. I looked in the wheel well and can see some
>rust forming...on both sides. My '03 now has 70,000 miles and is garage
>kept, but is in the "rust belt" of Pittsburgh. I would like to get another
>few years out of this vehicle and am wondering if I should do something NOW
>to retard further rust....or just keep it clean and wait until it's a
>bigger deal. In other words, can rust really be stopped or would can all
>one do is wait for it to become big enough to fix?
>
> Anyone else noticing rust on '02 and later bodystyle
> Mountaineer/Explorers?

If the paint bubble is caused by a rust perforation from inside the wheel
well, you may be elligible for the 5 year corrosion warranty clause. More
info is available in your "Owner Information Guide" (not to be confused with
the "Owner Manual"). Even then, it will depend on your warranty start date.

It sure wouldn't hurt to seek out a knowledgeable service advisor at a
dealer and have the concern assessed as far as coverage is concerned...


"D.D. Palmer" > wrote in message
. ..
>I noticed today that there is a "rust bubble" of paint on the passenger
>side above the rear wheel well. I looked in the wheel well and can see some
>rust forming...on both sides. My '03 now has 70,000 miles and is garage
>kept, but is in the "rust belt" of Pittsburgh. I would like to get another
>few years out of this vehicle and am wondering if I should do something NOW
>to retard further rust....or just keep it clean and wait until it's a
>bigger deal. In other words, can rust really be stopped or would can all
>one do is wait for it to become big enough to fix?
>
> Anyone else noticing rust on '02 and later bodystyle
> Mountaineer/Explorers?

Memories for me too. The first car I remember as a child was our 1964
Ford Falcon. By the time my father traded it in for a 1970 Chevy Nova it
also was rusted out.

Tom from WI wrote:
> Doesn't sound like much has changed in dear old Pittsburgh (at least car
> rust-wise). My wife had a 1963 Ford Falcon convertible (all black with black
> seats) that was her pride and joy. When we moved away in 1971, we had
> patched it several times and it still had more rust holes coming. I thought
> by now things would have improved.
>
> We live in California now, the cars last forever.
> Tom
>
> "D.D. Palmer" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> I noticed today that there is a "rust bubble" of paint on the passenger
>> side above the rear wheel well. I looked in the wheel well and can see some
>> rust forming...on both sides. My '03 now has 70,000 miles and is garage
>> kept, but is in the "rust belt" of Pittsburgh. I would like to get another
>> few years out of this vehicle and am wondering if I should do something NOW
>> to retard further rust....or just keep it clean and wait until it's a
>> bigger deal. In other words, can rust really be stopped or would can all
>> one do is wait for it to become big enough to fix?
>>
>> Anyone else noticing rust on '02 and later bodystyle
>> Mountaineer/Explorers?
>
>

I bot the vehicle in Sept 2002. So that makes it now 5 1/2 years old. I
assume that 5 year warranty would be expired??

Jim Warman wrote:
> If the paint bubble is caused by a rust perforation from inside the wheel
> well, you may be elligible for the 5 year corrosion warranty clause. More
> info is available in your "Owner Information Guide" (not to be confused with
> the "Owner Manual"). Even then, it will depend on your warranty start date.
>
> It sure wouldn't hurt to seek out a knowledgeable service advisor at a
> dealer and have the concern assessed as far as coverage is concerned...
>
>
> "D.D. Palmer" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> I noticed today that there is a "rust bubble" of paint on the passenger
>> side above the rear wheel well. I looked in the wheel well and can see some
>> rust forming...on both sides. My '03 now has 70,000 miles and is garage
>> kept, but is in the "rust belt" of Pittsburgh. I would like to get another
>> few years out of this vehicle and am wondering if I should do something NOW
>> to retard further rust....or just keep it clean and wait until it's a
>> bigger deal. In other words, can rust really be stopped or would can all
>> one do is wait for it to become big enough to fix?
>>
>> Anyone else noticing rust on '02 and later bodystyle
>> Mountaineer/Explorers?
>
>

Sadly, yes... Many years ago, I had a 93 F150 4X4 that had rust perforations
on the box panels. I contacted the dealer I now work at to find I was about
a month and a half past the rust warranty... Too bad, so sad...


"D.D. Palmer" > wrote in message
...
>I bot the vehicle in Sept 2002. So that makes it now 5 1/2 years old. I
>assume that 5 year warranty would be expired??
>