PROBLEM WITH FINISH ON 2007 GT FACTORY WHEELS

[Marine One]

Hi All,
When washing & drying my 07 GT today I noticed that I have what appear to be cracks or fractures in the clearcoat finish of each wheel. The wheels are the factory 17" silver painted bullet style that was standard on the GT for the 2007 model year. The damage seems to be contained to the polished and clear coated outer rim portion of each wheel. I do live in a high salt environment (one block from the ocean), but the car (which is now one year and three weeks old) is in a carport every night and washed at least once a week. This is the only car we've had since living here that this has happened with. It didn't happen with the factory wheels on the 95 GT, 96 Cobra, my Wife's 2005 Magnum or my 99 Blazer daily driver. They've all had clear coated wheels. If these wheels look like this after only one year there's no telling what they will look like 2, 3 or 4 years from now.
My plan is to take it to the dealer tomorrow after work and be satisfied with nothing less than a new set of factory replacement wheels.
Anyone else hear of anything like this happening with our cars?

 

[ARTTII]

Can you get the cracks to show up in a picture? A visual would help... You are correct in expecting the finish to be more durable, I don't think the salt water would have any (noticeable) effect on your wheels... or car in just one year.

 

[Marine One]

It's not even salt water, it's just the salt spray that blows in with the evening breeze and can be rinsed right off with water from a hose. Like I mentioned in my original post, we've had no problems living here with clear coated alloy wheels on other vehicles. No pics yet and it's dark out; maybe tomorrow.

 

[kooldawg6]

I wouldn't expect them to do anything. However that is a load of bull that it happened. Good luck with the situation.

 

[stang8urimport]

I wouldn't expect them to do anything. However that is a load of bull that it happened. Good luck with the situation.

I agree. Expect the worst, and hope for the best.

 

[stangdude2000]

I lived right on the ocean with my old mustang for about 6 years of its life, and never had any issues with my aftermarket knock off wheels. Hopefully the dealer will do something for you. They should. Chances are though, you won't get replacement wheels - they aren't obligated to do that if there is a lower cost option. They would likely end up refinishing the wheels. On my old car, a dealer scraped up one of my wheels on a curb and they fixed it absolutely perfectly. I couldn't tell where it was damaged at all. It would've sucked for them too because you can't buy matching wheels for my old car any more. They will likely just have your refinished as well.

 

[seal614]

One of my wheels has what looks like an imperfection about 1" by 1/4" on the outer lip.

It looks sorta like when you stretch a clear plastic bag and it goes white.

I didn't find it until at least a couple of weeks after taking delivery of the vehicle and I know their rule is when you leave the lot. No need to go take a few years of my life arguing with a bunch of people who make a living off this type of thing.

 

[ARTTII]

Good news is if the wheels REALLY bug you, just buy new ones. The market is literally FLOODED with them. I see them on craigslist all the time, $300 range. That is cheaper than a set of new tires!!

 

[Mark25]

If worse comes to worse...go to this site and get four almost new ones for a very good price...(I purchased a spare 17" wheel for my GT to have onhand just in case)...

http://www.newtakeoff.com/

 

[Hoboattacker]

I think you guys are missing the point here. The issue isn't that he can't get new wheels. That is always a possibility, the issue is that this shouldn't have happened in the first place and Ford needs to fix it. If this is "normal" (doubt it) then they need to disclose that information to residents in coastal counties and areas.

 

[Marine One]

Update

Thanks for all the responses guys.
I took the car to the dealership yesterday afternoon. I explained the situation to the ticket writer (who I've had less than favorable dealings with concerning this car in the past), and she immediately referred me to the service manager. Once he completed his meeting with two of his wrench turners, he and I went out and looked at the car. He asked me to drive it around back to the dealer's body shop. Once there, he, the body shop manager and I looked at the wheels. The body shop manager informed us that he could probably refinish them, but that would not remove a couple of the corroded spots and that the right thing to do would be to replace the wheels under warranty. The service manager agreed but also said it would be up to the zone/district manager to approve the warranty claim. When I asked him if the wheels shouldn't be covered under the 3/36 bumper-to-bumper warranty he basically said it was up to Ford. We went back the service desk and he had the ticket writer open a ticket. He was supposed to call Ford today. I figured I'd give him until tomorrow morning then I'd call him and see where we stood.
As for all the responses about this, I really am not interested in aftermarket wheels. The only other wheels that interested me were the optional Mustang 18" chrome spoke wheels. Interestingly, they are the only OEM Mustang wheel that isn't listed as available through www.newtakeoff.com, so I couldn't get them even if I wanted to use this situation as an excuse to upgrade to them. I shied away from getting them when I ordered the car because they are chrome and anything with a chrome finish just doesn't stay rust free where I live for very long. I was afraid that polishing them would be so time consuming as to qualify as a new hobby so I skipped them and just went with the standard wheels. I've had many compliments on how well the wheels set off the car.
Hoboattacker I agree with you 100%. It shouldn't have happened in the first place and Ford needs to take care of it. It looks, at least for now, that we're on the right track. Time will tell.
Seal 614, I would take your car back to the dealership and show them the defective finish on the wheel ASAP. At leaset get it documented in your vehicle's case history.
Stangdude 2000, I'm with ya. My 95 GT and 96 Cobra sat out in the same carport as the 2007 GT, as has my wife's Magnum, and her Sebring Convertible before that, and my 99 Blazer daily driver/boat hauler. All of them have had clear coated factory alloy wheels, and none of them have exhibited any wheel finish issues as as result of the beach climate.
Given the fact that both the service manager and body shop manager agreed that the wheels are defective and should be replaced under warranty, I don't plan to let this drop if Ford won't agree to replace them. But I'm getting ahead of the game here.

 

[djs94gt]

All 4 wheels (clear coat 17" standard) on my 2007 GT developed cracking and corrosion around the center caps after only 1100 miles. The dealer replaced them all, no problem. I don't know how the new ones are going to hold up, but so far so good.

 

[Marine One]

All 4 wheels (clear coat 17" standard) on my 2007 GT developed cracking and corrosion around the center caps after only 1100 miles. The dealer replaced them all, no problem. I don't know how the new are going to hold up, but so far so good.

That's interesting. Mine are actually cracking on the outer polished rims.

 

[kooldawg6]

With both of their recomendations on replacement, if Ford drops the ball and says no to that then that is just poor business. Good luck Marine One, it looks like your on the right track Hopefully it is just a man. defect and won't happen when you get your replacements.

 

[Marine One]

With both of their recomendations on replacement, if Ford drops the ball and says no to that then that is just poor business. Good luck Marine One, it looks like your on the right track Hopefully it is just a man. defect and won't happen when you get your replacements.

So after not hearing from the Service Manager Thursday, I called him yesterday. It was then that he informed me that whoever it was within the Ford authority chain that he needed to speak to was on vacation until next week. Then he tried to tell me that he had informed me of that fact when I was at the dealership, that he had my telephone number on his desk and would call me as soon as he had some information to pass. He was acting like I was bothering him for no reason. I explained to him that if he had in fact told me that this person was unavailable until next week (which he hadn't) then I wouldn't have called him in the first place.
Sometimes ya just gotta wonder where they find these people. As an aside, this is the same dealership whose service department overfilled my engine when they performed an oil change.

 

[TheVin]

So after not hearing from the Service Manager Thursday, I called him yesterday. It was then that he informed me that whoever it was within the Ford authority chain that he needed to speak to was on vacation until next week. Then he tried to tell me that he had informed me of that fact when I was at the dealership, that he had my telephone number on his desk and would call me as soon as he had some information to pass. He was acting like I was bothering him for no reason. I explained to him that if he had in fact told me that this person was unavailable until next week (which he hadn't) then I wouldn't have called him in the first place.
Sometimes ya just gotta wonder where they find these people. As an aside, this is the same dealership whose service department overfilled my engine when they performed an oil change.

Find another dealer. You are not obligated to take your car to the dealer that sold you, and other dealerships, if they are smart, will think of it as an opportunity to secure a customer for future purchases.

 

[Marine One]

Find another dealer. You are not obligated to take your car to the dealer that sold you, and other dealerships, if they are smart, will think of it as an opportunity to secure a customer for future purchases.

I'm with ya, but it's easier said than done. The selling dealer is the only one that is reasonably convenient to where I live and work.

 

[Marine One]

Update 2-Replacement Wheels Ordered!

The Service Manager got back to me yesterday and asked me to bring the car in so that they could order the right wheels. That was done today. The Service Manager told me that he hadn't heard back from Ford yet but wanted to make it right and was prepared to eat the wheels if Ford would not replace them. When I took the car by the dealer today, the Parts manager pointed out how the wheels were also corroding around the center caps (like djs 94 gt mentioned his did). I should have my new wheels in about a week.
Through this process I learned a little about my service manager. Seems he started at this dealership as a mechanic back in 1968 when he was 18 years old, and has been there ever since. I believe that he sincerely wants to do the right thing. We shall see.

 

[kooldawg6]

Cool Marine. Hopefully the new set doesn't start corroding as well.

 

[Marine One]

Cool Marine. Hopefully the new set doesn't start corroding as well.

Yeah, me too!