Just bought an Xreg Focus (from a Ford dealer), noticed when giving is a good clean and polish, around the front wheel arch (the bit just inside the wing, where the wing liner meets the wing) most of the way round on both sides looks like little bubbles (just like this which appear before rust !!) also same sort of effect just behind the drivers wing mirror on the top of the door.
Can this be ? the bubbles don't seem to be soft, is this just the way the vehicle is finished ? is the steel galvanised on these cars ? (if it is then it's not rust).

 

Afraid so. I've just bought a 3 door Focus with 18k miles on and it has rust on the rear tailgate.

Haven't looked at the wings, but the tailgate rust is a design fault. The rear window is pointed at the bottom, and if the spacers fall off during manufacture, the window digs into the tailgate and it rusts.

Not covered under warranty, but luckily the dealer is sorting it - going in tonight for 2 days. Fingers crossed they make a good job as its a 100 mile round trip each time

Was very annoyed at first, but since finding it is a common design fault i'm not as mad now. Will have a good look at the front as well now.

 

PS mine is a W reg, 2000 model.

The ford body warranty is a laugh - the body is covered for 12 years against "rust-through", i.e. rusting from the inside out.

It is NOT covered for external "surface" rust unbelievably!!

 

Dream Weaver,
Thanks for the reply, I'll check my tailgate also, going back to the warranty, as mine is bubbling surely this constitutes coming from the inside out (assuming it's rust that is).
Think I might whip it over to the dealer and ask him..

 

Audiman @ Dream weaver

Have either of the cars been repaired? My Puma is just over 3 years old now but I noticed rust on the wheel arch but it was a panel that had been repaired The rest of the car is fine. Worth checking out.

Paul

 

I've got a t reg focus and I noticed recently I had a patch of bubbling paintwork at the top corner of the windscreen.. just under the seal.. grrrrrrr not noticed it anywhere else..

 

Paul

The car was an ex motability car. My local dealer said that the motability cars are usually the ones that suffer from the manufacturing defects (i.e. tailgate rust).

Reason being, they get the car for free, so why bother fixing small things like rust when they will have to give it back after three years. Hence they go unfixed.

The motability cars are well serviced and maintained, but will usually have the defects still. All the retail versions will have the defects covered under warranty when bought.

Luck of the draw really - some dealers wont help you, but the one I bought from is happy to fix the problems apparently.

 

Whipped it down to my local ford dealer lunchtime, he has confirmed it's rust just behind the wing mirror (where it's come a bit loose and the vibration has just rubbed the paint down to the metal) they are contacting Ford warranty to see if they will do under the warranty (so won't hold my breath) also spoke to the dealership I bought from who seemed very sympathetic and to bring it back if I get no joy from Ford. The effect around the inside of the wheel arch turned out to be the anti stone ship stuff.
Other than that, I really quite like the car, certainly better of fuel than My Scoob...

 

Check your tailgates round where the chrome things goes on...the thing that has the hole in it for the key, above the no plate....they rub / rust on the ends, Ford are aware of it

 

My dad has just bout a 2000 W reg Focus. Small bubbles of rust on the tailgate above the number plate and also along the top edge of the windscreen.

 

Is the rust on the same side of the car - i.e both on the drivers side?

If so, it could well be a bad body repair job where the fittings have'nt been fitted properly and have rubbed, or it has'nt wax-oyled after the repair.

But knowing Fords, it's likely that it's not the above.
As an ex-owner of a rusty shed of a Ford, I should know

 

My Wife's Focus 1.8 Zetec had rust on the driver's door and around the tailgate (as well as many, many other problems).

Cheers

 

Focus is galvanised, hence 12 corrosion warranty, some dealers seem recalcitrant about fixing bodywork, the tailgate is v. common and the wing mirrors I have heard of before.

Trick is to find a ford dealer with onsite bodyshop, that way they can make money out of doing the repair so are more interested in helping you.

 

C.E. and others..
Thanks for the pointers, the Ford place I took it to yesterday does have a BIG bodyshop (probably why they were keen), if car is galvanised how come its rusting ? of are the doors different.(or maybe it's my understanding of galvanizing !)

Ian