Material behind rear seats disintegrating

[Gab Bernard]

Same Issue with mine. I tried different methods to fix this problem, but it seems like its hopeless. This is a manufactures flaw. Most other cars that I have seen don't use material for the rear dash like the ford Fusion. What's the point  in saving 0.11 cents , just use cloth or something more durable ffs.

[Helixal]

A survey might be interesting.  What’s your model year?  Date of manufacture?(it’s on the left side door opening   Mine is 2020 and October 2020. If others provide this info it might be enlightening.

 

Al

[CourtneyLloyd]

On 11/17/2020 at 6:39 PM, Helixal said:

There was nothing impolite about my post. I even thanked you for your reply.   So please hold off on the criticism when it is not warranted.  I am simply seeking the experiences of other fusion owners.  This doesn't seem to be a one off problem and other 2020 fusion owners might have had the same problem.  The disintegration of a material in so short a period is at best a serious problem.  

Mine is doing the same thing. There was nothing impolite about your post. I’ve had my car a couple months over a year now and I have video if this deterioration. I will call Ford about it. But this isn’t the first. And you aren’t alone. Kind of scary. Like are we breathing in all of the deterioration? Is it unhealthy for us? And how did it start? Why is it happening? I’ve seen many more posts about this..

[CourtneyLloyd]

On 3/14/2021 at 11:03 PM, bbf2530 said:

 

Hi MK. Since it has only been reported by three members here, I don't believe anyone has been able to come to a consensus on the cause.

 

In my opinion, it would seem the most likely cause is simply a batch of defective material that escaped quality control and got into a limited a number of vehicles. Of course, your guess is as good as mine or anyone's. And yours being a former rental car, god knows what someone may have shoved up on that shelf.

 

Let your Dealer fix it under warranty and only use a proper automotive glass cleaner on your rear window. It's not like it is a food tray, so I don't see the need for anything other than light vacuuming back there. No need to use a detergent to clean the package shelf.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

It is most defiantly not a food tray. It is a running vehicle in which I pay a lot of money for. Which should not be happening to. It “could” be a bad batch. But don’t brush it off like it is no big deal at all.. This post is not impolite either.. I vacuumed the exact same in my 2020 fusion. BUT, how long have I been breathing all of this stuff in for? It sweeps so easily onto my fingers like it could fly away with the wind. And no one on here apparently has any idea what it is… still?!

[bbf2530]

12 hours ago, CourtneyLloyd said:

It is most defiantly not a food tray. It is a running vehicle in which I pay a lot of money for. Which should not be happening to. It “could” be a bad batch. But don’t brush it off like it is no big deal at all.. This post is not impolite either.. I vacuumed the exact same in my 2020 fusion. BUT, how long have I been breathing all of this stuff in for? It sweeps so easily onto my fingers like it could fly away with the wind. And no one on here apparently has any idea what it is… still?!

 

Hi CL. You are jumping into this thread rather late and working under several misconceptions. Therefore, I want to point out that no one, including me, made any attempt to "brush it off like it is no big deal".

 

Stating it may be a defect in the material is not "brushing it off". It is a theory on what the problem may be. And if it is a defect in the material, the vehicle needs to be taken in to the Dealer and Ford needs to replace it. Since those having the issue state they have not used chemicals/cleaners on the package shelf, nor have pets that ride with them, then the most likely cause would seem to be a material defect. So the car needs to be brought in for warranty service. That is not "brushing it off", that is explaining to someone exactly what needs to be done.

If there is a problem with our vehicles while under warranty, the smart thing to do is bring it to be diagnosed and repaired. Always.

 

If you had understood what I was stating, you would have realized I am on the side of those having the problem, since it is better for an owner if it is a defect in material than if it was a chemical/cleaner that was used, or a pet...etc. A defect in material will be covered under warranty. It the damage was caused by a cleaner/chemical. pet damage etc., the warranty claim could be denied.

 

And concerning my statement that "it is not a food tray": Again, you misread. That was not a shot at anyone. So I will clarify for you.  An early poster stated he had his car detailed and was worried perhaps the person who detailed his car used some sort of chemical to clean that area. So I was making the true statement "it is not a food tray". In other words, nothing dirty or messy is normally placed up there, so the only cleaning that should be necessary is vacuuming. Therefore, hopefully the person who detailed it did not use any not harsh cleansers or chemicals. Or any cleaner/chemicals at all. Again, "since it is not a food tray". I did not think I needed to explain it in that much detail in my original statement.

 

The Ford Fusion Forum is not run by Ford. We are an enthusiast forum made up of fellow owners. Therefore, we do not always find out the cause of some problems, unless someone who had the problem comes back to tell us what their Service Department may have said the cause was. And so far, no one here has done that, other than to say the Dealer is replacing the package shelf under warranty (which is what we would hope).

 

So perhaps you will take your Fusion to the Dealer and then come back and tell us what your Service Department rep told you is the cause of the problem in your car.

 

Let us know and good luck.

Edited June 18, 2021 by bbf2530

[Dale95]

First post here.

Just chiming in to say that my 2020 fusion SE is doing the same thing.

No cleaners ever used on interior, 40k miles, 17mths of ownership, stored outside with UV exposure 24/7/365

Only noticed because I went camping and filled the car to the brim. After I unpacked I realized I had compressed the extremely fragile material and it left minuscule black fibers over everything it touched. Ran my hand across it and it just disintegrated into fibers in my hand.

Going to call the dealership today when it opens and discusses options.

[bbf2530]

2 hours ago, Dale95 said:

First post here.

Just chiming in to say that my 2020 fusion SE is doing the same thing.

No cleaners ever used on interior, 40k miles, 17mths of ownership, stored outside with UV exposure 24/7/365

Only noticed because I went camping and filled the car to the brim. After I unpacked I realized I had compressed the extremely fragile material and it left minuscule black fibers over everything it touched. Ran my hand across it and it just disintegrated into fibers in my hand.

Going to call the dealership today when it opens and discusses options.

 

Hi Dale. Sorry you are having an issue. Come back and let us know what your Dealer's Service Department says they think the issue is with the material.

 

Good luck.

[j_money]

Same issue here. Fuzzy, disintegrates in my hand. 

 

I decided to vacuum the rear window well which was a bad idea as it basically vacuumed away the entire carpet leaving noticeable grey crystallized lines. 

 

Outside of the 36,000 mi warranty, and extended warranty won’t cover. Called parts and came out to $230 for it. Haven’t gotten labor estimate yet as i’m trying to figure out whether I actually care it looks like it does. 

 

Should honestly be a re-call issue. 

 

[Helixal]

Ford should pick up the tab on this one.  You are clearly within three years and this defect is not related to mileage.   Recall would have been appropriate.  I think the installation is quite easy so you could do it yourself.  

Also you might consider getting a written estimate for the installation of a new deck and filing suite in small claims court.  In many states a corporation must be represented by an attorney - a cost far greater than fixing your car.

 

Helixal 

[j_money]

4 minutes ago, Helixal said:

Ford should pick up the tab on this one.  You are clearly within three years and this defect is not related to mileage.   Recall would have been appropriate.  I think the installation is quite easy so you could do it yourself.  

Also you might consider getting a written estimate for the installation of a new deck and filing suite in small claims court.  In many states a corporation must be represented by an attorney - a cost far greater than fixing your car.

 

Helixal 

 

How does one go about the warranty exception, I agree wholeheartedly but feel like I’m going to get the answer “it is what it is” - who has the power to make a warranty exception? Service Writer, Service Manager?

[bbf2530]

1 hour ago, j_money said:

 

How does one go about the warranty exception, I agree wholeheartedly but feel like I’m going to get the answer “it is what it is” - who has the power to make a warranty exception? Service Writer, Service Manager?

 

Hi j_money. Let me start by stating I totally commiserate with your problem and wish it could have been repaired under warranty. But I have no control over that.

 

So...dealing in reality: If a vehicle is outside the 3 year/36,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty period, only Ford Corporate entities can make a decision to cover it under warranty/make a "warranty exception". 

 

A Service Writer or Service Manager can not make a decision for Ford to cover an out of warranty vehicle under warranty. A Service Writer or Service Manager can make a decision to cover it by having their Dealership eat the costs, but they can not make a decision for Ford to cover warranty costs on an out of warranty vehicle.

 

As far as lawyers...Ford, like all large corporations, has their own fleet of lawyers. They don't need to go out and hire a lawyer if we take them to small claims court. Their lawyer are being paid anyway. You can give it a try, just be aware of the reality. Te Warranty Guide we are all given, when we purcahse our vehicles new, explains the warranty limitations. 

 

Your best course of action may be to call Ford Customer Relations and file a formal report and request for a warranty courtesy exception. You can also report the problem to NHTSA.

 

It is highly unlikely this issue would ever trigger a "recall". The reason is because "recalls" are reserved for safety related issues. Neither NHTSA or Ford are likely to issue a recall for a rear package shelf shedding issue.

 

Keep us updated and good luck.

Edited January 21, 2022 by bbf2530

[David R]

On 4/3/2021 at 9:30 PM, bbf2530 said:

 

Hi Bolt. Good, because bringing it to the Dealer for proper diagnosis and repair is the smartest thing to do.

 

Let us know who you make out and good luck.

Just bought my 2020 Fusion Hybrid and was detailing the interior and when I cleaned the rear window I touched the package tray cover and well it is disintegrating as well.

So now I get call my local dealer since fortunately it is still under the 3/36 warranty  

[Tonya]

I just bought a 2020 Titanium and came across this message because my car is doing the same thing.  
 

The previous owners were heavy smokers, don’t know if that’s a factor, but I discovered the problem trying to rid the car of the smoke stench.  
 

I have no answers or fixes but, you’re not the only one with this problem ?

[bbf2530]

14 hours ago, Tonya said:

I just bought a 2020 Titanium and came across this message because my car is doing the same thing.  
 

The previous owners were heavy smokers, don’t know if that’s a factor, but I discovered the problem trying to rid the car of the smoke stench.  
 

I have no answers or fixes but, you’re not the only one with this problem ?

 

Hi Tonya and welcome to the Ford Fusion Forum. No one is ever the only one with a problem. ?

 

If your 2020 Fusion is still within the 3 year/36,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty, make a service appointment at your Ford Dealership and it should be taken care of.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

[Laciebear]

On 11/17/2020 at 8:02 AM, Helixal said:

I have a 10 month old 2020 fusion SE with black cloth interior.  The shelf behind the rear seats under the rear window has a covering that is shredding .  If you run your hand over this material it will be covered with fibers.  If you press down on it it will compress and deform.

 

Does any one else have this problem?

 

What is Ford doing to fix this problem?

 

thanks,

 

Al

 

 

Hello, I just bought my 2020 Ford Fusion like 2 weeks ago, just took it in to get it detail and I noticed the same exact thing I’m the space Above my rear space. You are not alone.

[bbf2530]

1 hour ago, Laciebear said:

Hello, I just bought my 2020 Ford Fusion like 2 weeks ago, just took it in to get it detail and I noticed the same exact thing I’m the space Above my rear space. You are not alone.

 

Hi Laciebear and welcome to the Ford Fusion Forum. If still within the 3 year/36,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty, call your Ford Dealer for a Service Appointment, and bring your Fusion in so they can take care of this.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

Edited September 18, 2022 by bbf2530

[Tonya]

I recently removed the rear window shelf from my 2020 Fusion Titanium and used a stiff brush to remove all the shedding fibers.   You can run your hand over it now with no shedding fibers.  I used wet cloths and swifers to clean up the loose fibers from under the shelf and was able to get the window tinted finally, and put the shelf and trim back in place.  Pain in the butt but it worked.  You could also get the shelf recovered while it’s out.  It’s very simple to remove - I just watched a YouTube video 

[skipper146]

Mine is doing the exact same thing. I'll take it in next week and hopefully they'll order a new panel. If you rub your hand over it your covered in black fibres so fine it looks like soot from a fireplace.

Very strange problem.

[Fusion2020]

I recently was cleaning the rear window instead of the car wash doing it, to find the same issue with the material, it has broken down and decaying.

Will this fall under the ruling of a class action, probably not since it is not a safety issue unless the material goes airborne and it affects someone’s ability to operate the car safely.

I haven’t found a replacement that isn’t the original, which more than likely will do the same decay.

[bbf2530]

18 hours ago, Fusion2020 said:

I recently was cleaning the rear window instead of the car wash doing it, to find the same issue with the material, it has broken down and decaying.

Will this fall under the ruling of a class action, probably not since it is not a safety issue unless the material goes airborne and it affects someone’s ability to operate the car safely.

I haven’t found a replacement that isn’t the original, which more than likely will do the same decay.

 

Hi Fusion2020 and Welcome to the Ford Fusion Forum. First...Is your 2020 Fusion still within the 3 year/36,000 mile New Vehicle Warranty? If yes, make an appointment to have them diagnose and replace it.

 

Concerning a "Class Action Lawsuit"? Well..........In theory, almost anything can become a Class Action suit, if we can find a lawyer/law firm willing to take and file the case. However, in my opinion...Finding a quality lawyer/law firm that would take a case like this, in order to file a class action lawsuit, would be difficult. In addition, don't sign anything with a lawyer who wants you to pay anything.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by bbf2530

[Helixal]

At this point it seems ford should contact those who received the defective rear shelf and offer to replace it even beyond the 3 year limit.  Several here have had this problem which is indicative of the greater problem among non forum owners.  This is not a one off failure  ford installed a defective lot of material and should be proactive in making good on its product. 

[Helixal]

In response to fussion2020. My rear deck was replaced 2 years ago and it is holding up well. The original failed within 10 months.   

Edited February 2, 2023 by Helixal

[Maria ashley]

I also have a 2020 ford fusion titanium and just went to tint the windows today, this was a problem for the company tinting the back rear windshield because of the fiber like material from the carpet disinigrating they weren’t able to tint the back window like every other car because of the fibers getting on the film they told me it was from someone spraying a chemical on it or sun damage but they’ve never seen anything like it on such a new car so I did some research and this is the only thing I could find. I am bringing it to ford to have it replaced under warranty.  But now once it’s fixed I have to go get the back window retinted so there is no issues with fiber stuck in between glass and film. 

[SR68]

I have a 2019 Fusion with the same problem.  Run your hand over the carpet in the back window, and it will be BLACK.  The substance reminds me of toner.  I have no pets and never put anything back there.  The problem is I'm over 60,000 so no warranty.  The dealer quoted me $375 or so to replace.  One of the guys there does detailing of trade ins, and he said he's seen it numerous times.  The fact that I have to pay to replace this very poor customer service in my opinion.  The kicker is that my daughter won't even ride in the car when it's hot, because she gets instant nausea and a headache from the smell.  It makes me wonder exactly what the residue is composed of.  Anyone know anything about that?

[OCMomma]

Hi, first time poster! I bought my 2020 Ford Fusion Titanium Hybrid in Feb 2023. In April 2023 I had my rear window tinted and guess what?? The fibers from the package tray hindered the tinting process. The company had to remove the package tray in order to tint properly. After reading this thread, I now realize that I am most likely in possession of a defective package tray! I'm going to research when I car was produced to see if I can get a replacement under the three year warranty. Thanks for all of the insight! BTW, I also realize that the previous owners were heavy smokers! Have bombed the car with smoke eliminators from amazon, but the smell came back! Any advice?