The driver's door and front passenger door (to a lesser extent so far) have suffered structural damage to the area surrounding the check strap mounting plate. There has been no damage to this door. It has not been in an accident. It has not suffered from being flung open from a gust of wind or anything else. The hinges are not bent. The door is not bent. However, the area around the check strap mounting plate has cracked. The metal around the entirety of the check strap mounting plate is cracking out and soon the entire mounting plate will be detached from the door.
I have taken it to two dealers. One dismissed it out of hand. The other agreed that it looks like a manufacturing defect and submitted the problem to Lincoln. It was summarily dismissed with no reason given.
I have researched online and found many people who are suffering from the same problem, some to a lesser degree.
My family has been in the auto body repair business since 1964. We have never seen anything like this. It is clear to me that the stamped metal is not sufficiently strong for the mount plate of the check strap to manage the flexing as the check strap does its job to keep the door open and to prevent it from opening too far and damaging the hinges.
Ford/Lincoln needs to acknowlege that this is a design/manufacturing defect because the the check strap mounting plate and surrounding metal to which it is mounted is insufficiently strong to handle everyday use of the door. They need to 1) revise their design, and 2) replace the doors on those vehicles that suffer this defect.
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The driver's door and front passenger door (to a lesser extent so far) have suffered structural damage to the area surrounding the check strap mounting plate. There has been no damage to this door. It has not been in an accident. It has not suffered from being flung open from a gust of wind or anything else. The hinges are not bent. The door is not bent. However, the area around the check strap mounting plate has cracked. The metal around the entirety of the check strap mounting plate is cracking out and soon the entire mounting plate will be detached from the door.
I have taken it to two dealers. One dismissed it out of hand. The other agreed that it looks like a manufacturing defect and submitted the problem to Lincoln. It was summarily dismissed with no reason given.
I have researched online and found many people who are suffering from the same problem, some to a lesser degree.
My family has been in the auto body repair business since 1964. We have never seen anything like this. It is clear to me that the stamped metal is not sufficiently strong for the mount plate of the check strap to manage the flexing as the check strap does its job to keep the door open and to prevent it from opening too far and damaging the hinges.
Ford/Lincoln needs to acknowlege that this is a design/manufacturing defect because the the check strap mounting plate and surrounding metal to which it is mounted is insufficiently strong to handle everyday use of the door. They need to 1) revise their design, and 2) replace the doors on those vehicles that suffer this defect.
- Butch A., Coto de Caza, US