Stone chips

[thoona]

Hi all. Has anyone experienced any problems with stone chips under the back doors near the rear wheel arch on the Fiesta? Apparently (according to some info I've seen on the net) it's a known problem but I'm getting the run around by Bayford.

Interested to know if anyone has the same problem.

Cheers.

[Fi.ES.TA]

Yup i have a couple but used some wax chipstick and polished them out.only way you will stop it happening is by fitting mud gaurds.

[BruceT]

Originally Posted by thoona

Hi all. Has anyone experienced any problems with stone chips under the back doors near the rear wheel arch on the Fiesta? Apparently (according to some info I've seen on the net) it's a known problem but I'm getting the run around by Bayford.

Hi Thoona,
Is that from driving on unsealed (gravel or dirt) roads? I have not had the problem, but I have not left the bitumen yet, although I plan to do so on a holiday soon.

I assume the stone chips are visible from the side, not just from underneath the car.

[greenfoam]

Our has alot of them (almost no paint left ) but it's 8 months old and we live in the country were theres alot of loose stones on the roads. I'm just going to wait for it to go rusty and then ask Ford to paint it, then I'll invent some kind of rubber protector. In the end they are going to have to fix them all so I wouldn't worry too much about it, they really should have come up with a rubber strip to protect it allready. Bruce they are on the leading edge that sticks out under the door, right on the side of the car.

They might be giving you the run around while they try and invent something to protect it with since I expect sooner or later like I said all the paint will be gone and they will have to paint them all anyway

[thoona]

Originally Posted by greenfoam

Our has alot of them (almost no paint left ) but it's 8 months old and we live in the country were theres alot of loose stones on the roads. I'm just going to wait for it to go rusty and then ask Ford to paint it, then I'll invent some kind of rubber protector. In the end they are going to have to fix them all so I wouldn't worry too much about it, they really should have come up with a rubber strip to protect it allready. Bruce they are on the leading edge that sticks out under the door, right on the side of the car.

They might be giving you the run around while they try and invent something to protect it with since I expect sooner or later like I said all the paint will be gone and they will have to paint them all anyway

I think it's really poor of Ford's part that there is obviously a design flaw which they are (from what I have been told) denying. Do you think they should be fixing it under warranty?

[dannyhilton]

Doesn't affect my 3-Door Zetec as it has two less doors and side skirts. However parts of the side skirts show how the stones flick up into that area. It is a pretty big issue as most seem to have it, a few people who have Fiestas in my area who drive only on the tarmac have these issues so it's not just for people who drive on gravel and loose surfaces. Greenfoam is right, Ford will have to fix it sooner or later.

[Ben85]

Stone chips arent covered by warranty. You want to prevent it put mud guards on or a film in the affected area. I'd be very surprised if Ford come to the party to fix that issue. What makes you all think it would be covered by warranty??

[dannyhilton]

It's a major issue with the design of the car. Just about every single WS Fiesta has a severe line just under the rear door when stone chips have chipped away at all the paint. It's not your average few chips here and there, it's pretty obvious. Stone chips are a fact of life, but when the chips so commonly direct one spot only, I believe Ford will want to fix it.

[Fi.ES.TA]

Ford better fix it,its there mistake and give out free protective
vinyl so it does'nt happen again.

[Piotr]

Don't drive on dirt roads.

Stone chips are NOT covered by warranty? How is it a manufacturing defect?

[dannyhilton]

Originally Posted by Piotr

Stone chips are NOT covered by warranty? How is it a manufacturing defect?

I don't think you listened to what anyone here has said mate? Have you looked into the issue, did you read what was posted above? If have, you'll find a huge following of Fiesta owners with this issues. It's a major issue mate, not just a few stone chips here and there. This one area, on pretty much every 5-Door WS Fiesta gets beaten like crap from rocks. After a short time the paint behind the rear door just above the back wheel-arch becomes bare, no paint left there at all. This is not just a few chips around the place from trucks, it's a common issue with most cars. Most manufacturers fix this by simply applying a film to protect the area better (Mitsubishi 380 for example). And if you'd bothered to read my response, you'll see I know people who drive only on the tarmac, and by tarmac I mean main hiways and no roadworks, who have this issue... :togo:

[greenfoam]

People who don't have one just don't get it, I'm 110% sure Ford will fix it AND bring out a fix sometime during this model and it will be fixed on the next update. It's a total flaw in the car, it WILL go rusty in due time. It's not even worth woring about for me yet because it's still early days in the case of Fiesta stone chip rust vs Ford. But it's such a big problem I will never have to worry about it untill they invent a fix . Which I expect will be a rubber strip that covers that edge

If you don't have a 5 door and your wondering what it's all about imagine the leading edge on the sides of the car being bead blasted paintless lol that's pretty much what is going to happen to every 5 door zetec on the planet and there's alot of them. Like I said no one will have to worry about it. There's way too many people and cars for it to just be ignored.

Ours doesn't go on dirt roads but there are stones on normal roads, roads are made from them! and they don't allways stay inside the road. It's just that the new Fiesta 5 door has an amazing abilty to fling every single loose stone right at it's own paint work, it's genius really

[GoesLikeAZetec]

I was thinking of maybe trying to get the guys who do those clear car bra's on expensive cars to maybe try and put that stuff on the area's affected.

I wonder if it would work.. I'll have to pick up the phone

[greenfoam]

"A small number of new Ford Fiesta 5-door customers have contacted Ford of Europe as they are concerned about paint chipping that has occurred around the lower edge of the rear door aperture on their particular car.

We are aware that a small number of cars are affected, although this issue may have been caused by particular driving conditions or terrain. We do have a remedial action in place which requires the affected area to be painted and a specially designed protection foil placed over the new paint which will avoid further damage in the future. This foil is being fitted to new vehicles as part of the production process from August 2009.

We would ask any customer experiencing this concern to contact their local Ford dealer or national Ford Customer Relationship Centre (CRC) or to discuss their particular case. The dealer can then arrange for remedial work to take place."

This is from Scott Monty, global Ford manager for Digital Communications. I'm sure he pulls more weight than the local dealer

That's in Europe ^ I should be the same deal here, sounds like it's allready been fixed from August build onwards, so now no one has to worry anymore, not that I was worried in the first place:P. It was pretty obvious. Lucky for Ford AU they didn't sell many before August

[thoona]

Originally Posted by greenfoam

"A small number of new Ford Fiesta 5-door customers have contacted Ford of Europe as they are concerned about paint chipping that has occurred around the lower edge of the rear door aperture on their particular car.

We are aware that a small number of cars are affected, although this issue may have been caused by particular driving conditions or terrain. We do have a remedial action in place which requires the affected area to be painted and a specially designed protection foil placed over the new paint which will avoid further damage in the future. This foil is being fitted to new vehicles as part of the production process from August 2009.

We would ask any customer experiencing this concern to contact their local Ford dealer or national Ford Customer Relationship Centre (CRC) or to discuss their particular case. The dealer can then arrange for remedial work to take place."

This is from Scott Monty, global Ford manager for Digital Communications. I'm sure he pulls more weight than the local dealer

That's in Europe ^ I should be the same deal here, sounds like it's allready been fixed from August build onwards, so now no one has to worry anymore, not that I was worried in the first place:P. It was pretty obvious. Lucky for Ford AU they didn't sell many before August

Hey greenfoam - are you able to provide a link to this quote? It would be handy to present to the ars#hole who I spoke to....

Cheers mate.

[thoona]

Originally Posted by Ben85

Stone chips arent covered by warranty. You want to prevent it put mud guards on or a film in the affected area. I'd be very surprised if Ford come to the party to fix that issue. What makes you all think it would be covered by warranty??

Read the whole story mate. Do you have a Fiesta??? :

[InnerDevil]

Why doesn't somebody post up a pic, so everybody knows the extent of the damage that every WS owner is talking about

[MISTA FIESTA]

Can someone post up a picture of the stone chips for us fiesta owners who are apprently mis informed/unknowledgable.

Its clear that Ford Europe has acknowleged that it is a manufacturers fault, but i doubt the huffing and puffing will be successful in convincing Ford Aus.

[BruceT]

Hmmm,

A few links from a google search:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?ui...510&topic=9260

Lots of photos if you scroll down:
http://www.complaintsboard.com/compl...4.html#c305764

These require a Facebook login:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?to...9512#post37325
The message above from Scott Monty, Global Digital Communications, Ford Motor Company appears to have been originally posted on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?ui...ic=9625&ref=mf

I haven't had the problem - yet - but I'm only at 3700 km. On one side there is a tiny crack in the paint, that may be just a paint flaw - no metal is showing.

So far the roads I use are have all been bitumen and quite smooth, but there have been some areas of road repair.

It's clear an issue of the aerodynamics of the vehicle. There is a substantial dihedral (angle) between the side of the car and the start of the wheel arches. The rear doors are slightly recessed and so along the line of this dihedral the arches protrude 5mm or more. Stones are obviously kiched up by the front wheels and hit hit the leading edge of the wheel arch.

I would not be confident that mud flaps would fix it unless theer was some evidence.

My car is a Zetec. The front aerodynamics are a ittle different. Is it occurrinmg on other Zetecs?

[BruceT]

Mud guards or "mudspats" as Ford call them are not available for the Fiesta Zetec:
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...=FOA&c=DFYPage
Shame they don't have a picture:
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Conte...=1137384494373

[greenfoam]

Originally Posted by thoona

Hey greenfoam - are you able to provide a link to this quote? It would be handy to present to the ars#hole who I spoke to....

Cheers mate.

He's replied to a couple of the complaint groups on facebook and other forums, that's his job.... as digital manager

http://zh-cn.facebook.com/topic.php?...512&topic=9040

"To Pedro and others concerned about the Fiesta paint problems:

We've followed up internally and with those who have contacted us to look into and investigate the matter. I'm pleased to share our official statement on the matter:

A small number of new Ford Fiesta 5-door customers have contacted Ford of Europe as they are concerned about paint chipping that has occurred around the lower edge of the rear door aperture on their particular car.

We are aware that a small number of cars are affected, although this issue may have been caused by particular driving conditions or terrain. We do have a remedial action in place which requires the affected area to be painted and a specially designed protection foil placed over the new paint which will avoid further damage in the future. This foil is being fitted to new vehicles as part of the production process from August 2009.

We would ask any customer experiencing this concern to contact their local Ford dealer or national Ford Customer Relationship Centre (CRC) or to discuss their particular case. The dealer can then arrange for remedial work to take place.


Scott Monty
Global Digital Communications
Ford Motor Company"

[Ben85]

Originally Posted by thoona

Read the whole story mate. Do you have a Fiesta??? :

I did mate. : So write something intelligent next time, learn to accept all opinions as they are even if they differ to your own, in saying that, good luck with getting your car repaired. And if you can read my signature, i do own a fiesta.

[dannyhilton]

Spoke to the local Ford dealer (not the one I got my car through) and they are aware of the problem and say Ford Australia is getting a fix as it is an issue on selected WS Fiesta (they probably haven't herd the resolution, and by selected I suppose he means not the 3-Door). So it's good the local Ford dealer is getting behind the movement, and have said Ford Australia is awaiting the resolution to take action.

Like Greenfoam said all along, it's a bloody common issue and the obvious course of action is to fix the issue. Go chase up your Ford dealers guys, seems the fix has come through. Goodluck!

[Ben85]

Thats good news!!! Hope it all gets resolved for you guys.

[Fi.ES.TA]

Ok just got this off the uk site heres fords problem beater
check the pics out click on the photobucket links.At the bottom of the page.
http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums...opic=7574&st=0

[BruceT]

Originally Posted by Fi.ES.TA

Ok just got this off the uk site heres fords problem beater
check the pics out click on the photobucket links.At the bottom of the page.
http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums...opic=7574&st=0

On the link there are a couple of mentions of owners of 5-door Fiestas with "mudspats" not having stone chip problems and also that Ford UK recommends fitting mudspats to reduce the problem . I'm going back to Ford on Monday for some warranty repairs and I'll ask (child organiser, poorly seated roof rail). Unfortunately as I noted above:

Mud guards or "mudspats" as Ford call them are not available for the Fiesta Zetec:
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Cont...e=FOA&c=DFYPage
Shame they don't have a picture:
http://www.ford.com.au/servlet/Cont...d=1137384494373

[greenfoam]

Originally Posted by Fi.ES.TA

Ok just got this off the uk site heres fords problem beater
check the pics out click on the photobucket links.At the bottom of the page.
http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums...opic=7574&st=0

That'll fix it! however ours will need bit of painting before that's stuck on

[Fi.ES.TA]

I have seen the mud spatz somewhere but cant remember where
but at the end of the day why should we have to pay for them
it should be ford fit them free of charge for there design error.