NHTSA Complaint #10245632 — 2008 FORD EXPEDITION

I PURCHASED A BLACK 2008 FORD EXPEDITION 14 MONTHS AGO FROM COURTESY FORD IN ALTOONA PA FOR 40,000 CASH. I RECENTLY RELOCATED TO CLERMONT FL. AND NOTICED WHAT SEEMED LIKE SANDY GRIT UNDER MY BLACK PAINT. I THOUGHT IT WAS A XZILON PAINT PROTECTION ISSUE AND ON OCT.10 PAUL KISTE ACCESSORY MNGR. FOR JARRETT FORD DAVENPORT GAVE ME A SIGNED LETTER WITH HIS NAME AND TITLE AT THE BOTTOM THAT STATED "UPON INSPECTION OF MR. CONTE'S VEHICLE IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE PAINT PROBLEM IS A FACTORY DEFECT AND NOT DUE TO THE XZILON PAINT PROTECTION APPLICATION" IT WENT ON TO SAY I AM REFERRING MR. CONTE TO OUR PLANT CITY STORE(45MILES AWAY)TO HAVE OUR PAINT AND BODY SPECIALIST RECOMMEND THE PROPER ROUTE TO TAKE REGARDING THE FIXING OF THIS ISSUE. UPON ARRIVAL MY VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY CARL DEMUTH BODY SHOP MNGR,STEVE FLACK,AND A PAINTER NAMED MIKE. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM,TOLD ME THE SAND LOOKING SUBSTANCE WAS AIR BUBBLES UNDER ALL THE PAINT AND POINTED OUT EVEN MORE DEFECTS THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF SUCH AS,"DIMPLES",TINY CRATER LIKE HOLES,BLEMISHES EXPOSED BY THE SUNLIGHT,AND A FEW OTHER BODYMAN TERMS THAT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WOULD CAUSE THAT,CARL SAID "WHEN THE VEHICLES LEAVE THE FACTORY THE MILL SPEC ON THE PAINT SHOULD BE 3 TO 3.5 MILES. CARL WENT INTO THE OFFICE AND RETURNED WITH A HAND HELD MACHINE THAT MEASURED THE MILLS OF PAINT ON A VEHICLE. HE STARTED AT THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT QUARTER PANEL AND WORKED HIS WAY AROUND THE VEHICLE STOPPING AT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT QUARTER PANEL. THE FIRST READING WAS 11 MILLS,THEN 12.5 MILLS,THAN 12 MILLS,THEN 13 MILLS AND FINALLY 14.5 MILES. HE SAID THAT IT WAS CLEAR TO HIM THAT AT THE FACTORY THEY PAINTED MY VEHICLE SAW FLAWS THEN REPAINTED AND SO ON AND SO ON. HE ESTIMATED I HAD 4 TO 5 COATS OF PAINT ON MY VEHICLE AND THAT IF NOT FIXED THAT MY PROBLEMS WILL ONLY GET WORSE. HE SAID THAT HE WAS SURPRISED THAT IT HASN'T STARTED CRACKING AND STARING YET. HE TOLD ME A FORD REP. WOULD LOOK AT IT,SHE DID AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. *TR