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2020/2021 GT500 Hood Inner Panel Crack(s) TSB

Houston Kid

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First, credit goes to our own Houston Kid for bring this to everyone's attention in this thread. I made sure this one got moved up the chain and was told that Ford had yet to see this up to that point and that they were aggressively investigating. Second, while a TSB has been issued I have to say that I'm in disagreement with the diagnosis and the solution. There is zero mention of hood stop/bumper variation being a contributor and that it is something that needs to be checked. See attached.
Wow. Body filler. I’m 100% certain the pics in the TSB are my hood. Glad I was early and got a new hood.
Another reason to leave the rain tray out. Should reduce hood vibrations by letting the air flow.
My rain tray was out from day 1.

Prior to the new hood and proper adjustment, my passenger side pin took a lot of force to open. Now both sides are smooth as butter and an easy push with your index finger and they release.

As others have said, bump stop and hood alignment are a major factor in the cracks. That is compounded by dropping the hood from the recommended height of 10+ inches.
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Evolvd

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So let me get this straight...a section of SHEET METAL cracks under pressure, but BONDO won’t after the fix?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

Houston Kid

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So let me get this straight...a section of SHEET METAL cracks under pressure, but BONDO won’t after the fix?

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Not exactly. It’s sheet molding compund. SMC. It’s a modern fiberglass ish material for my laymen terminology.
 
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Snoopy49

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Sheet Molding Compound

Unusual among composites, however, SMC could be formulated to survive auto industry E-Coat (electrophoretic rust preventative) and paint-line temperatures, enabling assembly line workers to mount Class A and structural SMC parts to a vehicle’s body-in-white (BIW) and let them travel through the normal production process rather than installing them at a later stage, at increased cost and labor
 
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Snoopy49

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Whatever it is it’s heavy as hell lol. But my point on the bondo still holds.
The problem is, Ford decided to overlook the actual cause of the cracks and decided to blame it on " The crack is a cosmetic condition, not a structural concern. This may be due to a variation in production of the hood." Which Tob @Epiphany pointed out in his original post.
 

fishpick

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Thanks @Tomster and @Warpath - I did the work today and discovered the left bumper was way too high and after fixing that the right was actually too low.
Anyhow - lubed the latches and messed with the stops. The hood latches now from a 3” drop and a gentle push to make the pins click. WOW!

great post and linked article.

This was so worth the read!
 

Tomster

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Thanks @Tomster and @Warpath - I did the work today and discovered the left bumper was way too high and after fixing that the right was actually too low.
Anyhow - lubed the latches and messed with the stops. The hood latches now from a 3” drop and a gentle push to make the pins click. WOW!

great post and linked article.

This was so worth the read!
Knowing what I know now, don't drop the hood. Don't do it.
 

Houston Kid

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First, credit goes to our own Houston Kid for bring this to everyone's attention in this thread. I made sure this one got moved up the chain and was told that Ford had yet to see this up to that point and that they were aggressively investigating. Second, while a TSB has been issued I have to say that I'm in disagreement with the diagnosis and the solution. There is zero mention of hood stop/bumper variation being a contributor and that it is something that needs to be checked. See attached.
My guess is since my hood may have been the very first, Ford wanted it in Detroit for a close inspection. No doubt the pics in the TSB are of my hood unless someone else had the exact same cracks. I have plenty of pics and compared them. They are exactly the same.
So they got the hood, inspected it, and determined it is purely cosmetic with zero structural impact.

Mmmmm, ok. I guess the engineers know best right up until a hood disintegrates while being driven at 173 mph. Then we will know. Wait, no we won’t because there will be no SMC left after the car crashes due to hood failure.
 

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Tomster

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My guess is since my hood may have been the very first, Ford wanted it in Detroit for a close inspection. No doubt the pics in the TSB are of my hood unless someone else had the exact same cracks. I have plenty of pics and compared them. They are exactly the same.
So they got the hood, inspected it, and determined it is purely cosmetic with zero structural impact.

Mmmmm, ok. I guess the engineers know best right up until a hood disintegrates while being driven at 173 mph. Then we will know. Wait, no we won’t because there will be no SMC left after the car crashes due to hood failure.
It goes beyond reason. If the structural part of the hood has cracks in it, then wouldn't the hood's integrity be compromised.

I am happy you got a new hood. The thought of others being screwed by some cheap fix doesn't sit well with me..
 

Strokerswild

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So if you take delivery of your new baby that has a hood that's cracked, they're going to smear bondo on it instead of replacing the hood and/or adjusting bumpers and latches.

Got it. WTF.
 

2020GT500

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I have brought my hood cracks, and the TSB to my dealer and advised them that a new hood is required per an inspection of my body shop, and that my body shop, not theirs, would need to do the install. Week two of the wait and see what they come back with...
 

Tomster

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I have brought my hood cracks, and the TSB to my dealer and advised them that a new hood is required per an inspection of my body shop, and that my body shop, not theirs, would need to do the install. Week two of the wait and see what they come back with...
This ought to be interesting.....
 
 




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