Paint Chipping along Rear Windshield

[ripto]

I know this is a common problem as I've seen a bunch of other threads. Mine had been slowly developing, I guess I wasn't considered about it since the flakes were relatively small for a long time, but they've gotten bigger, and after washing the car yesterday, even bigger, especially on the passenger side. I bought the car new in June 2018, so I am past the five year warranty period where Ford may or may not have covered this repair. Obviously I'm kicking myself now for not being concerned about it within the five year warranty period.

What are my options at this point?
1. Leave it? How bad will it get? Will it rust through and start leaking in the next few years?
2. Bring it to the dealer's shop to fix? Any estimate of how much it may cost?
3. Find a private body shop? Any estimate of how much it may cost?

Should I go out there with a box cutter and cut off the loose flakes to maybe stop it from lifting paint that seems to be unaffected?

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[Snakebyte]

Paint adhesion (or lack of it) seems to be an obvious root cause, and one would not know the extent until cleaning back to where adhesion is acceptable. No box cutter, for you'll have a greater chance of doing more damage than good. The area of rust tells me you are to the point where something more drastic than cleanup is necessary.

When looking at the glass photos it reminded me of when my 2001 car rear glass shattered from the heat. Part of glass replacement included replacement of a black plastic surround. I guess cost-cutting is the norm for cars now, which directly exposes the recessed areas to the elements more.

 

[Cobra Jet]

The only real way that can be fixed (warranty or not) is the rear window has to be pulled and the shop would do the necessary repair.

I wouldn’t go messing with trying to cut the flake edges away, I think that will only lead to more issues.

Yes if it is left alone, over time that area will get surface rust depending on if the car is always outside and also if near a salt belt area (bay, ocean, or is in a winter region where salt is laid down).

 

[Tang]

It cost 1265 to fix mine. They removed the rear glass and painted the roof and both quarters

 

[S550HPP]

Besides a potential warranty resolution to that flaking, and repaint, consider masking off window and surrounding panels, decrease, thorough red 3M to get flakes off and make an adhesive surface, degrease again, tack rag, and spray with bumper trim black aerosol 2 light dust and 1-2 medium coats 10 min apart.

Maybe lovers would cover it..

 

[ripto]

Thanks guys. Dealer service manager and body shop manager both said it wouldn't be covered but gave me the Ford 800 number to make a case. I was quoted $3450. I will probably call Ford and see what they may or may not do, but I'm not paying $3450 to have it repaired. I can live with the paint flakes, I'm more concerned about the ensuing rust that will form and eventually eat away and cause water intrusion.

They told me in the meantime if I want to try and do what I can to slow the progress, I could use some Rustoleum or Fluid Film and apply it over the bare metal, or get some primer and brush it on.

Sounds like paint is thin in these areas, and its not very opaque, allowing UV through it and onto the primer, breaking it down into power, causing the paint to lose adhesion and lift.

They also said this would be under the 3 year/36k mile warranty, not the 5 year/unlimited mile warranty as that was only for aluminum corrosion. TSB 20-2233 is for corrosion on aluminum, and they said the quarter panels and roof are steel.

 

[2017GBGTPP]

I fixed mine with a paint pen Here, but my primer was still good and had no rust. I feel like you should be able to clean that up and re-primer like you said. I know I would for that price.

 

[ripto]

I fixed mine with a paint pen Here, but my primer was still good and had no rust. I feel like you should be able to clean that up and re-primer like you said. I know I would for that price.

Yours came out good. Yeah I've got quite a bit of rust, and most of my issues are deeper in the channel where I'm not sure I can really get at properly to clean it. Ideally I'd like to remove all the loose paint flakes and brush off the rust, then apply primer or paint. What tools should I look at getting to do that?

Is that pen narrow enough to fit inside the channel around the rear windshield?

 

[Corporate_Rebel]

Yours came out good. Yeah I've got quite a bit of rust, and most of my issues are deeper in the channel where I'm not sure I can really get at properly to clean it. Ideally I'd like to remove all the loose paint flakes and brush off the rust, then apply primer or paint. What tools should I look at getting to do that?

Is that pen narrow enough to fit inside the channel around the rear windshield?

Any of my paint touch ups I've started using like 2CC veterinary syringes. Just tap the needle on your vice to blunt the tip and you'll be able to get anywhere you want to. Fair warning it will take forever.

 

[ORRadtech]

Besides a potential warranty resolution to that flaking, and repaint, consider masking off window and surrounding panels, decrease, thorough red 3M to get flakes off and make an adhesive surface, degrease again, tack rag, and spray with bumper trim black aerosol 2 light dust and 1-2 medium coats 10 min apart.

Maybe lovers would cover it..

I would prep it as suggested but before any primer I'd use a rust converter then prime and then use a touch-up paint then a clear coat. Tedious, fiddley work but with enough time and patience it could be nearly invisible to most people.
I know I'd try if it meant saving 34 hundred dollars. It's not like you'll be worse off if it doesn't work...

 

[2017GBGTPP]

Yours came out good. Yeah I've got quite a bit of rust, and most of my issues are deeper in the channel where I'm not sure I can really get at properly to clean it. Ideally I'd like to remove all the loose paint flakes and brush off the rust, then apply primer or paint. What tools should I look at getting to do that?

Is that pen narrow enough to fit inside the channel around the rear windshield?

The pen comes with a small brush, that's what I used. I also used a small crow bar to scrape the old paint out, it has a bit of an angle at the end that helped to get around the window edge. You will definitely need thin yet stiff tools for the cleaning and prepping in your case.

 

[GrabberBargeCaptain]

Why is this area so troublesome on these cars? Dirt and schmutz collects there and they do a shit job of degreasing everything before painting in the factory or what?

 

[S550HPP]

I would prep it as suggested but before any primer I'd use a rust converter then prime and then use a touch-up paint then a clear coat. Tedious, fiddley work but with enough time and patience it could be nearly invisible to most people.
I know I'd try if it meant saving 34 hundred dollars. It's not like you'll be worse off if it doesn't work...

Doesn't look like there's any bare metal but you can do an etch primer, wet on wet, 10 min flash time to be safe. Get it from autobody supply store it's all prof grade there. You could also get a spray bomb to your paint code then clear it.....all warranty is lost when you do this though better than repainting QTR, roof rails and roof

 

[ripto]

The pen comes with a small brush, that's what I used. I also used a small crow bar to scrape the old paint out, it has a bit of an angle at the end that helped to get around the window edge. You will definitely need thin yet stiff tools for the cleaning and prepping in your case.

Do you have a pic of that tool you used to scrape the paint flakes? The gap is so small and i need to be able to reach almost under the window to scrape the rust off.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Do you have a pic of that tool you used to scrape the paint flakes? The gap is so small and i need to be able to reach almost under the window to scrape the rust off.

And be very careful if using any metal tool or flat screwdriver between the edge of glass and the body…. One wrong move against the edge of the glass and it will crack or in worse case, shatter….

The outer edges of a windshield or rear windows like on the S550 with no protective trim is more susceptible to glass breakage by road debris hits and accidental hits when working on/around it.

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