WS Fiesta design flaw?

Fled74 · 03-07-2009, 11:25 AM

I dont mean to be a wet blanket, but I found this on Facebook and thought you good people should know:

http://www.complaintsboard.com/compl...4.html#c351423

Several people have been finding stone chips on the wheel arches.

Candyman2 · 03-07-2009, 12:49 PM

Bugger, stone chips.

Must be the same flaw on our other cars because they have stone chips too

Fled74 · 03-07-2009, 02:04 PM

I don't drive a WS Fiesta myself, I just thought I'd pass it along to make WS owners aware of a potential problem. No need for sarcasm, brother.

To quote some of the text on the webpage:
"...Ford produce the Galaxy and S-max with a special protective covering that fits over the rear wheel arches ..."
and
"...[it shows] what I believe to be a manufacturing defect where the design of the car is such that it inflicts damage to its bodywork and FORD have not allowed for any additional protection as they do in the GALAXY or S-MAX or indeed as do many other manufacturers..."

Who knows, the problem may have already been quietly fixed by Ford.
I may be making a fuss over nothing, but a little extra information never hurts.

Candyman2 · 03-07-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fled74

I don't drive a WS Fiesta myself, I just thought I'd pass it along to make WS owners aware of a potential problem. No need for sarcasm, brother.

.

Only joking mate. It was more pointed at the owner, not you.

Appreciate the info but when you read through the guys posts and see the vehicles he has pictures of, well, ...they haven't been treated at all well.

Ours has km's on it now and has done the Bridal Track - twice. No such damage so maybe they have fixed any issue that there was.

A number of cars have the rear protective coverings so if it is an issue, more likely just one of wear and tear.

Twinpiston · 03-07-2009, 02:43 PM

You got pics of the area where they are reffeing to Candyman?

Does look like a serious design fault!!!

Candyman2 · 03-07-2009, 03:29 PM

Nokia phone photos of ours (sorry about the quality)

No stone chips. Maybe I'm just lucky, maybe I just take care of it, maybe they will develop with more km's.

Stone chips are just a fact of life and hardly what I would call a serious design flaw. The bonnet of our GTI has plenty.

Fled74 · 03-07-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candyman2

Only joking mate. It was more pointed at the owner, not you.

No problem dude.
Sometimes it's hard to discern the intent behind someone's post - all too many flame wars have started with simple misunderstandings.

Anyway, the problem may have already been quietly fixed by Ford - like the clutch pedal linkage issue on some WP and WQ Fiestas (mine included).

Candyman2 · 03-07-2009, 03:47 PM

Oh I'm known for it (abrupt comments) but as I said, it was directed at the info, not you.

Good to see the info though. I just see it as wear and tear. Ford paint isn't the best anyway.

Fitting mudflaps would help if people are worried or some simple clear film.

dannyhilton · 03-07-2009, 04:13 PM

A massive advantage for me perhaps, having a 3-door. There appears to be no reports of 3-door models having this issue. Appears quite serious, though I bet these cars drive on gravel roads quite often, not a concern for me as mine stays on the tarmac. I'll keep my eyes open for it though, thanks for the heads up mate!

LethalLeigh · 03-07-2009, 08:03 PM

I would suggest it's reasonably common on a few FWD cars. Have a look at the front of the rear wheel arch on a Mitsubishi 380, it has a type of 3M tape protecting it from stone chips. These kinds of faults would only be discovered pretty late in the manufacturing process and it would be too late to modify the design of the car to avoid it.

greenfoam · 03-07-2009, 09:20 PM

I've noticed that this area does and will get hammered by dirt and stones if you take the car on gravel roads. But hey it's only paint, it's not the end ofthe world or something

Candyman2 · 03-07-2009, 10:24 PM

The times ours has been on gravel/dirt, that area is one place that seems to stay quite clean.

Looking at the body panel flow, I fail to see how stones from the front wheels could even hit that area.

The other cause could be people getting out of the rear ?

There are other more exposed areas on the car that would get hit by stones from use on gravel.

Still, hardly a "serious flaw"

A "serious flaw" or design fault would be a faulty engine compnent like the first run of 09 XT Foresters !

I would be worried by something like that.

Still, the original post suggests if you are worried, a simple application of 3M film would deal with any issues.

greenfoam · 04-07-2009, 12:42 AM

Behind the rear wheel is the most dirty place on the car most of the time and there's no chips there either, suprisingly

Candyman2 · 04-07-2009, 09:51 AM

I wonder if the little "spats" on the wheel arch are there for that reason - to deflect stones off the rear tyres.

dannyhilton · 04-07-2009, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candyman2

I wonder if the little "spats" on the wheel arch are there for that reason - to deflect stones off the rear tyres.

I was about to bring that up!

Fi.ES.TA · 04-07-2009, 11:59 AM

In all honesty looking at the paint work damage in the pics they must of been driven on some pretty poor quality roads,ive had mine 5 days and drive to work everyday which is 70klms from out gatton way to near the CBD and theres some poor roads on this trip with lots of small stones to be deflected and im not seeing any damage on the inflicted place where others have claimed to have lost paint.

dannyhilton · 04-07-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fi.ES.TA

Ive had mine 5 days and drive to work everyday which is 70klms from out gatton way to near the CBD and theres some poor roads on this trip with lots of small stones to be deflected.

You don't happen to have a 5-Door Vision Zetec do you LOL? I've keep seeing one!

Fi.ES.TA · 04-07-2009, 12:25 PM

no lol just the 5 dr cl ocean blue,you no ive not seen one ws on the road
yet and i work from brisbane to gympie everyday truck driving.

Twinpiston · 04-07-2009, 01:20 PM

Having a look on the area just in front of the rear wheel on my WQ 3 door has an indent in the metal work, same thing has been peppered with little areas of missing paint!!!

greenfoam · 04-07-2009, 03:38 PM

I had a look at ours today (WS 5 door Zetec) in this area since I hadn't for a few months and it is fairly heavily damaged when you have a look at it, similar to the pictures, but it's harder to see on a Silver car. It's only been on dirt roads a couple of times but the sealed roads here are made from large stones and there are quite a few loose ones on the road. But then again it was one of the first cars sold (had it 6 months) and it's only on the corner on the panel so it would be very easy to repaint if/when you wanted to sell the car or whatever.

I doubt any/many of you live on roads that are like ours not matter how bad you imagine your roads are

so I don't think it will be an issue for most

Fi.ES.TA · 18-07-2009, 09:43 PM

Just cleaned the car today and found two stone chip marks in the same place,major ****ed off.Mud flaps have been ordered not having more of this happening only had it 3 week and i dont drive on unsealed roads :(

Candyman2 · 18-07-2009, 11:13 PM

Glad ours seems to not have this design flaw
:the_finge

Had it since mid Feb, driven on plenty of gravel roads

No stone chips, anywhere.

Sounds like some paint flaws in some of the later runs in the Fiesta. Glad we got a good one.

Don't bother with mud flaps, get 3m film applied on the prone areas.

Fi.ES.TA · 18-07-2009, 11:16 PM

This 3m film can you buy it from most auto spares dealers?

greenfoam · 18-07-2009, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Candyman2

Glad ours seems to not have this design flaw
:the_finge

Had it since mid Feb, driven on plenty of gravel roads

No stone chips, anywhere.

Sounds like some paint flaws in some of the later runs in the Fiesta. Glad we got a good one.

Don't bother with mud flaps, get 3m film applied on the prone areas.

You are dreaming mate

, take it on a road with loose large basalt stones or lend it to me for a couple of weeks and you will soon see the chips, it's not a design flaw it's just where the stones happen to land, they are all the same car

.

Ours has quite a few chips in this spot and it's the exact same car as yours, just that we don't have the luxury of roads that are built with small stones and swept clean. That's just the way it's going to be with this car unless you stick tape over it. But since it's only on the very edge of the panel, repainting will be simple and cheap

dannyhilton · 19-07-2009, 09:35 AM

It's something ALL five door Fiestas seem to have, and develop over time. I can say, my car has been through plenty of roadworks and crap roads of late, and nothing yet. I seem to think the side skirt helps, as you look underneath it and there is PLENTY of chips under the skirt (not visible unless under the car).

Candyman2 · 19-07-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenfoam

You are dreaming mate

, take it on a road with loose large basalt stones

No dreams, has been on three trips on the roads you speak of.

Maybe it's the Conti tyres that others have.

As for repainting that particular area - it won't be cheap at all, you are dreaming on that one

. Uless you are doing a backyard rough up job.

The panel edge is always a notorious place for a costly repaint.

As for the film, give Invisible Car Bras a call. I made up a template for the Fiesta for that area and was talking to them about it. I initially made a template up after all the scare mongering but never went ahead with it because I've had no problems qwit ous and have seen 5 doors with 15-20K o the clock with no damage either.

I can send the template if you want, or make your own.

Ben85 · 16-09-2009, 05:43 PM

bump bump

Thought this topic had been discussed before.