2012 5-Door tail lamp scratching body

[nerdrage]

I just got a call from Gene Latta Ford in Hanover Pa. They have ordered a new Tail Light. They hope that solves the problem. Should be in by Friday.

[craigsfocus]

Well I noticed today that my car has this issue. Its pretty bad on the drivers side (appears to have chipped all the way down to the metal), looks like its just starting on the passenger side.

[cbdallas]

I guess mine needs to be taken in...upon closer inspection, I see that the driver's side taillight is scraping paint off. Ugh.

[iBuryTheLiving]

Originally Posted by MC1992

So how do I loosen it? Do I take the inner panels out? Don't really have the time or see the point to drop off the car for them to have something fix while I could do it 15 minutes or less.

There are two small removable panels, one on each side that you pop off then there is a fastener behind it that hold each light on. The second fastener is just below the window molding, there is a small hole that you reach in to loosen.

[cbdallas]

Removed the light. Looks like a few factors working together to produce this situation.

Mis-alignment of the forward positioning peg hold, 'play' in the rear positioning peg hole, and a VERY sharp edge along the perimiter of the taillight.

I did discover something that may help they guys that are experiencing the paint chipping at the forward section of the light. The positioning peg is adjustable. Gently back it out with a wrench, a little at a time until it positions the light where you want it. I backed mine out a couple of mm and now my light stands out away from the paint.

It may also help that when you put the light back in position, and before tightening the nuts, lift upward on the light to get it away from the bumper. That added a couple mm of space between the light and the bumper, where mine was touching the bumper before.

Now I have a bit of space all around the edges of my light.

*Sorry if this is all a repeat for some of you...I just took the time to read though this entire thread, and the positioning pin adjustment had already been discovered. I guess I was just so excited that I don't have to take the car to the dealership... :-)

[Mykal]

Awesome; the right steps were taken! If you'd like, I'll be glad to document your positive feedback on record. Shout-out to Tom at Lebanon Ford!

Thomas, sure that would be great! I'm guessing that you already know them as a great dealer from some of the regional ratings I checked out.

[riparke]

Just checked mine and both sides have the paint damage starting but not thru the paint yet, so I backed out the peg a little and tighten the plastic nuts holding the lamp in the position I wanted it in. A simple test to see if the lamp is rubbing without taking the lamp off is to fold a piece of paper in half and see if you can slide it around the light's edges without binding

[Yanner]

I just noticed I've got paint missing on the driver's side tail light just like many others posted. That tail light has always squeaked when washing/drying the car.

[Pretherius]

I took my car to my Service Dept for an oil change & rotation (the rotation they didn't do but I can't prove it). I had them look at my chipping paint and the guy told me I had to take it to their body shop 5 miles away.

Yaaaay Ford.

[cbdallas]

See the dealership's general manager about that. It's the service department's job to coordinate a repair at the body shop. Whomever you spoke to is being a lazy ass.