Rust on base of seat on '06 EB Explorer

[hamcse924]

We recently purchased a used '06 Eddie Bauer Explorer. I have noticed that the base of the front bucket seats is rusted.

Now, BEFORE, we purchased this vehicle, we ran a CarFax, and the vehicle came up clean - no flood damage, no accidents. However, we did find out that the vehicles sole previous owner was a company that operated out of Canada. The vehicle was used for a year in Canada, and then sold at auction to a wholesale dealer, who had a relationship with our Ford dealership in NJ. The dealer used the truck for 10 months (service dept mgr used it), putting approx. 6,000 miles on it. We bought it with 20,000 miles. ALL of this info is on the CARFAX report.

Funny thing. I also noticed this on another 06 Mountaineer Luxury that we test drove at another dealer.

I have never seen rust on the INSIDE of a vehicle like this. Has anyone else experienced this with their EXPLORERS? If so, is there a remedy? I am tempted to have the dealer fix this as the vehicle is still under warranty.

Lastly, will this get worse over time?

 

[steventadams]

If it is covered under warranty, I say go for it. Rust is one of those things that likes to spread when you aren't paying attention...

I feel like another member had a similar problem but I couldn't find the particular thread so maybe someone else will chime in on how exactly they think the rust got there.

 

[Donner]

Rust on the interior is troubling... I know of a website to check. Hold on... C@rf@x doesn't catch everything.

 

[Donner]

Technical difficulty with the site... sorry. So when you pull up the carpeting, what's under there?

(I'll get the site when available.)

 

[hamcse924]

Canadian Snow?

This is a longshot, but could ALOT of snow on the front floor of the cabin have caused this?

I have no idea if the metal under the seats would be coated (assume NOT) or just painted metal, so this is just a theory.

I should also point out that the rust is only in spots, and more noticeble from the view of the back seat, on the sides adjacent to the center console. I checked under the front side of the front seats this morning, and all I see there is black metal (no rust).

Still, I have NEVER seen rust on the interior of any vehicles I have had, which now that I think about it, includes Plymouth, Nissan, Mitsubishi, and now Ford (1st one).

ALL FEEDBACK IS APPRECIATED!

 

[IAmTodd]

I have surface rust on the bar metal in the interior as well. Its nothing to worry, just surface rust. Just the oxygen and iron mixing.

 

[Turdle]

spilled soda?

 

[Donner]

They need to pull up that carpet to check for any signs of moisture or damage. If there is none, then no problem.

 

[jdgohus]

I also purchased a used 2007 EB that only had 9660 miles on it and the CarFax report said it was also from Canada. I have also noticed this light surface rust on the front seat mounts. It is not everywhere, and most of the metal parts are very clean. I also looked under the carpet and in the back where the jack is stored and it is also very clean with no rust. I think being it was from Canada that it would have been from dragging in snow. I took some steel wool to the sports and it came right off. I then sprayed a light coating of WD-40 on the mounts.

 

[gh67]

same here

wow...thought i was the only one. Same story, bought my 06 from a dealer who had got it from a Ford auction....it was originally a Canada truck and I bought it with just under 10K miles. The interior (and exterior and undercarriage for that matter) of the truck is perfect....I have a very hard time believing the surface rust is from excess snow....after all it is on the seat rails which aren't really in areas where anyones feet would routinly rest. Wonder if it was just a bad batch of rails? It is on the list of things to claim before warranty runs out....we'll see if they do anything about it. Let me know if anyone gets results from a dealer.

 

[BOSS429]

FORD THROWS IN THE RUST FOR FREE! HAD THE SAME THING ON MY 03. I SPRAYED WITH BLACK RUSTOLEUM AND IT HAS NOT COME BACK :

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

u got pics of it so we can see

 

[hamcse924]

Rustoleum, WD40 suggestions

Thanks for all the aforementioned suggestions, I was planning on doing something like this.

Moreso, I wanted to find out how common this issue (??) is amongst other Explorer owners, especially on a relatively new model.

I will try to post pictures, maybe even before/after shots.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[hamcse924]

before pics of seat rust

 

[twisted22]

Took a quick look at mine and same thing, surface rust. I AM in Canada. Must be our fault, damn icelandic countries. Stop buyin' up all our Explorers, all yer leavin' behind is a bunch of crappy chevys ...

 

[Mbrooks420]

The parts for these comes from everywhere. Wherever they outsourced those particular seat bracket parts used a steel with less corrosion resistance, or they were skipping a coating process.

 

[Essex4x4]

Dude my Ex had the same problem I called ford and they were willing to replace the parts but when the mechanic i talked to said they would just rust again in a few years I sprayed them with BLACK RUSTOLEUM they look good as new.

 

[law877]

I just bought a used 2006 Mountaineer with 29,000 miles and noticed the same issue under the seats and in the back next to the third row seats. The Carfax report is clean and the dealer insists the car never flooded. Under the carpet and underneath the car are clean. Has anyone gotten a solution from a dealer. Is this turning into a common issue?

 

[Mbrooks420]

The truck was never flooded. Untreated steel will rust in the air. Clean up the rust with some steel wool, and wipe a little WD-40 on a rag, and wipe it on.