Bottom Door Edge Issue??

[MIExplorer5]

Potential door rust issue

Salt spray and road grime are obvious culprits for speeding car rust. I've noticed that significant amounts of salt, small rocks, sand and other debris have been collecting on lower portion inside the doors. This happens to most cars, but the Explorer's design seems a bit more severe, as the bottom portion of the doors curve in towards the car, effectively holding onto the debris. See photo. (Sorry if it doesn't work, first time with pics in the forum.)

IMG_0596 by thatch1234, on Flickr

Any cold/snowy/salty weather 2011/2012/2013 owners out there notice rust in these spots yet?

Come warmer weather, I'll flush the doors well and apply wax to help prolong the life. Any thoughts on long-lasting products?

 

[Bill #5 Explorer]

2011 Explorer Limited.
98,000 miles.
Lots of winter weather and salt the past few years.
No rust here.
I get at least 2 car washes a week. Year round.

 

[peterk9]

2011 Limited
16,500 km (10,200 mi)
Has seen salt, sand, slush, snow
Washed at least 2 times a year just to take the dust off.
No signs of any rust on lower door panel even though there is a very small area of bare metal on one corner where the outer skin is folded over the inner door panel.

Peter

 

[peterk9]

Salt spray and road grime are obvious culprits for speeding car rust. I've noticed that significant amounts of salt, small rocks, sand and other debris have been collecting on lower portion inside the doors. This happens to most cars, but the Explorer's design seems a bit more severe, as the bottom portion of the doors curve in towards the car, effectively holding onto the debris. See photo. (Sorry if it doesn't work, first time with pics in the forum.)

Any cold/snowy/salty weather 2011/2012/2013 owners out there notice rust in these spots yet?

Come warmer weather, I'll flush the doors well and apply wax to help prolong the life. Any thoughts on long-lasting products?

As indicated in my PM, I have merged your thread with this existing one.

Go to the New Member Forum, http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25 and you will see a couple of threads on posting pictures. Easiest way is to become an Elite member for $20 and you can do it then right from your computer.

Peter

 

[MIExplorer5]

As indicated in my PM, I have merged your thread with this existing one.

Go to the New Member Forum, http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25 and you will see a couple of threads on posting pictures. Easiest way is to become an Elite member for $20 and you can do it then right from your computer.

Peter

Thanks for the move, Peter. Checked out the thread on posting and got it to work. Think I'll give Shodan's method a try.

 

[skygeezer]

Gap at bottom hem of doors

Hi
Can someone check the hems at the inside bottom of the doors and see if they have a gap so water, salt and dirt can collect in there? I'm trying to figure out if that crimp is completely tight/sealed on other Explorers (in which case mine would be abnormal) or if others have the same thing. To me this seems like a trap for salt and water to start rust at the bottoms of the doors. I turned in a 2008 Acadia that was unreliable but not a spot of rust and the bottom hem of all four doors was completely crimped and sealed. Does Ford have some special alloy at the bottom of the doors to prevent rust when this water and dirt sits in there with no way out? I've been using a dry paint brush to brush any crud that gets down there out. Any other recommendations to try and clean this area to prevent rust down the road?
Thanks

 

[LukerDooker]

ohhh very special alloy...unobtainium...

Door folds are, well - not good -I would not have noticed except on here there are posts regarding bad or flaking or decaying paint on the bottom door edges. So I wipe mine down weekly if there is snow/salt, etc.

I was wiping down my door edges and bottoms after a car wash last weekend, and since the wax is green/blue I sort of stumbled upon this in the bottom door fold.

Also - pic 2 - the large rubber seal under all the doors hold water and have drain holes on the bottom of the seal-these all drain against the side of the door and run down into the gap and sit in there.
See the edge facing you in the pic? Thats not flash-door edge is encrusted with road gunk and paint is chipped. Touch up will cover it but come winter doors are a gonner...

The overall door sill/rocker panel seam design probably is not doing a good job of keeping fluid out under any conditions from the outside, and have fluid draining on the door sill all the time from rain/wash, etc. from the inside.
Cant win...

 

[Sgt1411]

I was concerned about that lower door edge too.

What about checking if it is dry, blowing it out with compressed air, and then masking off that seam and spraying it with rubberized rocker guard.

My only concern is that they may have left the lip to act as a rain channel from the two drain holes at the bottom of the door.

 

[LukerDooker]

Yeah it must be a water path...but the outer edge - rocker guard hmmm?
Actually plastidip paint would be ok - they sell DIY cans in a few shades of black, white, grey.
It would work fine on that inside edge.

These are a bit of work....
http://3mcollision.com/3m-rocker-panel-coating-08889.html

 

[Sgt1411]

What do you think about a small bead of flexible caulking?

Mine isn't to bad, seems tight most spots.

 

[s1000rr]

If you worried about paint being penetrated, and your gonna see eventually that the door seam on the bottom is wearing the paint out, apply some 3m. Problem solved for me. I noticed mine was wearing and thats what i did.

Here's a question, what are the main functions of the two slit holes in the front and back of those doors which have the tabs covering them?
I was planning on blocking them off but im sure there is a reason for them.

 

[skygeezer]

I wouldn't block the 2 long slits, these drain water that is inside of the door panel.

Thanks for all your feedback. I thought my vehicle may have missed some rolling operation when they were supposed to crimp this bottom hem. I've never seen anything like this my other cars/trucks. The hem is always very tight and sealed to prevent this area from being a potential rust spot. My drivers door is the main concern for me, this has a larger gap than the other 3; I can lose 3 stir straws down in there with no problem, although none of them are tight so that they would seal water from sitting down in there.

 

[LukerDooker]

If you worried about paint being penetrated, and your gonna see eventually that the door seam on the bottom is wearing the paint out, apply some 3m. Problem solved for me. I noticed mine was wearing and thats what i did.

Here's a question, what are the main functions of the two slit holes in the front and back of those doors which have the tabs covering them?
I was planning on blocking them off but im sure there is a reason for them.

Its hard to see that they do anything physical except act as pads when the door is closed on the rocker.
I think they are a breather valve for water evap in that door channel.

 

[Sgt1411]

I just went out and waxed the crap out the entire area including the lip.

 

[peterk9]

Its hard to see that they do anything physical except act as pads when the door is closed on the rocker.
I think they are a breather valve for water evap in that door channel.

They are drain holes. The covers are called a Door Access Plugs and are $4.10 each. I'm guessing that the opening would also allow a certain amount of air circulation. Unless you want a door full of water, you best keep them open.
Since Ford refers to the opening as Door Access, I wonder if the that bottom channel where the out skin is folded over the inner skin is also used for a certain amount of drainage?

Peter

 

[Odrapnew]

Add another to the list of paint chipping on bottom of door. I've had the vehicle for almost a month and just over 1500 miles and the driver's door is chipped all along(and I mean end to end) the bottom edge. Attached are 2 pictures, not sure how well they show it. I just noticed this yesterday so I still need to contact my dealer.

 

[Ryan327]

You can add mine to this list.....really crappy design here. I love how the fixes are duct tape and caulk for a $40,000+ vehicle

 

[tmg19103]

Whew. Just checked mine on my recently purchased 3 year old Ex and not a prob - though it does get dirty down there. Since I expect to keep this Ex for many years I think I will spray some more clear down there and do that white insulation stripping from a previous post to play it safe.

Since some Ex's have this problem and some don't, this would seem to be a fit and finish problem during assembly.

 

[peterk9]

You can add mine to this list.....really crappy design here. I love how the fixes are duct tape and caulk for a $40,000+ vehicle

Well here is what it looks like on my 2014 MKT. The folded bottom edge is actually held open to some degree so I'm thinking that this is to allow for more drainage and air circulation to the inner door. On my doors, the bottom edge makes contact with the flat surface a soft rubber strip unlike the Explorer where the bottom edge makes contact with the underside of a hard rubber channel. The first pic is the driver's door and the second is the rear passenger door.

Peter

 

[Fishingwidow23]

Rusting doors

A little over a month ago, as I was washing my 2013 Ex Limited (currently 31,000 miles, took delivery 1/22/13), I noticed rust at the very bottom of the inside front driver and passenger doors. To say I was upset, is an understatement. The very next day, I took it to the dealership, they took their pictures and what not. A few days later, our salesman called and Ford Motor Co. refused the claim as 'it was caused by road grit.' Our dealership has sided with me and will be painting the doors.

I always wash & dry this area when I wash my vehicles. I live in SW Pennsylvania, and we can have pretty rough winters.

As of last night, I also noticed the rear driver's side door paint is rubbed off, so only a matter of time before rust appears.

I don't really see how repainting the area is going to help, It appears to me that this is a problem with the design. The paint is being rubbed off and then the area is rusting.

Not sure how to post pictures, or I would.

Wondered if anyone else has noticed this?