hi i have just cleaned my recently purchased st170 and seen that i have a small bubble of rust under the passengers mirror, im just wondering if im under warranty, i understand that it has a 12year warranty and were to go/ what to do about possibly getting it sorted

thanks

 

Erm, no chance

 

I have yet to hear of a successful paint warranty claim from Ford.
Wifes 55 plate Ka went in last October for paint bubbling at petrol filler, well known problem.
They refused it, Wankers!

 

My old mk5 fiesta had the door sills replaced when they went rusty, that was done under warranty when the car was about 5 years old if i remember rightly. All i did was contact ford and they booked it in for me!

 

The 12 year warentee ONLY covers rust that has caused perforation, ie a hole, the paint itself is only garenteed for a year, and general rust garentee is 6 years. All ST170's are older than 6 years now.
Rust under the door mirrrors is the first place to look at when trying to find rust on a focus, first thing i did when i got mine was to remove the mirrors, clean under them and fit sticky backed foam under them to prevent the mirrors rubbing the paint away and causing rust.

 

Plus the car needs to have had a yearly bodywork check to avoid invalidating the warranty.

 

Which is where 95% of people come unstuck. Most non-main-dealers don't know to check (or stamp) the book and main dealers won't do it unless you ask them to and will charge you extra for the privilege.

I know of a handful of people who have had their cars sorted but only when complaining to Ford Customer Service UK - everybody had spoken to the main dealer first and been told to 'jog on'.

 

cool i didnt know that, might have to have a look at mine. are we talking about under the base plate?

 

If you look at the flat piece of body work that meets the bottom window rubber on the door, where this runs to and under the wingmirror you get rust here where the wingmirror rubs on the paint over time.

 

cool, il have to check on that. i wash that area regularly and i think its ok.

 

my 58 reg is getting the hatch painted this week under warranty its rusting just above the number plate its not perforated yet and hasnt broke through the paint but you can see it creeping under the paint the bloke from the paint shop says hes never seen one go here and i had to keep chasing after them to get it done.

 

The warrenties are different from model to model but good work getting the work done its almost unheard of. Obviously they need a few phone calls