[bluefront]

If it's anything like my '06 ZX5. The problem is the rear bumper fascia. The top edge rubs on the body, rubs through the paint, and starts the rusting process. My car has never been hit in the rear.....it looks simply like a poor fit during assembly. There should be clearance at that point. My car had rust in three different spots along that edge. Looks like this...

The fix....cut off about 1/8-3/16"" of that edge. This next photo shows the areas I cut, between the black lines. I used some thin plastic pieces to protect the paint as I was cutting. I first tried a Dremel....didn't work very well, since the cutting wheel didn't quite fit in there. So I settled on some small hobby knives (the type with the snap-off blades). The fascia is soft, and cuts fairly easily. Just be careful not to scratch the paint.

I removed the four plastic clips and took loose the hatch rubber edging. You can then pull up the edge of the fascia, to get some clearance. This job would be a piece of cake if you had the bumper off the car....but it can be done just like I did easily enough. I sanded the rust spots, and finished it with a small can of touch-up paint.

Save your paint finish.....check for starting rust spots, and fix Ford's screw-up. [!]

 

[ShamrockSVT]

great solution.

 

[cagedcbr]

Before I took my '01 wagon to my mechanic for safety when I first bought is I had called to make an appointment. As soon as I told him it was a Focus he immediatly told me to Rust Check it before the winter even comes. Obviously this is a different situation but as soon as my car was plated and on the road it was in my driveway and getting any suspect areas touched up and protected.

 

[WagN]

Who drives their Focus's in the snow?? [smackbum]

I thought you guys loved your cars! [joke]

Thanks for the tip bluefront [cheers]

 

[Waffles ZX3 Kona Sport]

Nice solution, good work!

 

[evanjfrancis]

Who drives their Focus's in the snow?? [smackbum]

I thought you guys loved your cars! [joke]

Thanks for the tip bluefront [cheers]

i live in VT...no choice [] poor little guy gets bashed in the winter

 

[bluefront]

One more mod to this area.....and this will be it unless I have the fascia completely off. In case you guys never noticed it, this area which is completely hidden when the hatch is closed, is actually a water drain channel for the roof. So....quite a bit of water goes across this area, then drains behind the fascia, and down to the ground. Your finish better be pretty good back here, or you'll get rust. The added clearance with my little cut mod, gives the water a better drain, which keeps down trapped debris, and lessens the rust possibility.

At least that's the general idea. This area was completely neglected by Ford, with respect to the finish. The paint is much thinner, there are spot welds visible, and body adhesive is also visible. Doesn't look very nice.... Short of body work with body filler, there's not much you can do about it.

Well....to improve the looks of this visible section, I cut out two pieces of white window "V" channel (Ace hardware $8, about 1/4" per side). Comes in a big roll either white or brown...it's paintable also. Anyway....the adhesive edge goes on the body, and the other edge flaps under the fascia. It's hard to see in the photo because the color matches my paint well. But the whole 12" strip covers up a number of spot welds, and some sloppy body adhesive. And it also keeps the water off the body areas that were rusted.

Looks much nicer.

 

[jgustafson]

OMG this is EXACTLY what I'm looking for. Thanks!

 

[captcurt_18]

that looks good. I hope that I dont have you use this, but if I do, im using this method.