Leave the stickers on there it's to prevent excess moisture from getting under the metal

 

Weatherstripping will hold dirt which will eventually wear your paint away. Clean your weatherstripping people. I usually clean it with a soapy towel and then wipe it with a light coat of protectant like a tire shine. Also roll your windows down after a wash and clean the seals that touch the glass. People really overlook these.

 

Sorry but this is Ford's fault. The paint on the bottom of trunk lid is not protected because if it were there is no way the paint would rub off. I've never seen this happen to any other car I've owned. Additionally, this piece of weather stripping was recently added to the S197 and has caused problems ever since.

I'll be requesting a new trunk lid, which will be declined. They'll repaint it and then I'll keep it silicone-d

 

I checked them out on my 2011 and I had them too. What was disturbing was that they seem to be drain holes that should be opened. I had crud built up behind it and a rusty stain under it. I peeled them off and cleaned out the crud and buffed off the rust stain.

 

My stickers weren't making good contact and were half off. I took them off and sealed the holes with silicon. I think they are there to keep water from collecting in that area and getting into the trunk lid skeleton. I also had some rubbing from the plastic strip. I sealed the area with clear touch up and then covered with electrical tape.

 

Bring it in as soon as possible, Rando. Then, PM me with your VIN, dealer, mileage, full name, and best daytime number so I can escalate it for you.

You’re welcome, puma1552.

Regarding the stickers, the holes are there to allow the e-coat (we dip the bodies in an electrically charged paint/coating prior to painting the car) to get into all the nooks and crannies of the body and to drain back out. The clear plastic stickers are placed over the holes to eliminate an air/water leakage path in to the trunk. They need to be left on the car.

Thanks for your input, Gogoggansgo!

Deysha

 

Deysha - in thinking about what I saw on my car, it seems they are not that water tight and moisture is getting past them when the trunk is opened and the car is in the rain or has been washed recently. I did not observe any other way for water to get behind them. I removed them to clean up the mess they had caused. I have to figure a good way to seal them up again.

 

Use this:

http://www.revereproducts.com/store/product/23431

It's more of a putty like material (not rubber) which you can form into ***** and plug holes in anything, roof, metal, plastic. It is sticky and adheres well and will not fall off. I use it to seal holes in the firewall under the hood or in the trunk area when I run wiring through sheetmetal panels.

I even had this stuff on the exterior of an '86 Fox body, before I had a chance to do bodywork and it was still pliable after 15 years outside.

 

Here are some pictures of my trunk lid.

 

Thanks, I will leave the stickers on…glad to hear I'm not the only one with those bumps on the corners of the trunk lid, I'll keep an eye on them.

 

a few more that show the large openings in the corner of the trunk lid opposite of where the hole covers were.

 

^^^Thanks, I noticed it looks like your left side corner has more gunk on it while the right corner looks like it has nothing, just like mine. Hopefully it's just sealant/thick paint.

 

Deysha, how can I get new stickers for those holes, dealer doesn't have them

 

It just looked like clear tape. A bit of packing tape cut into a circle should replicate it. I want something that won't let water in. I might use butyl caulk and shove it in there.

 

^ I like to keep **** like that oem.. I may be overly ****.

 

I hear ya. I am like that with my 2 Trans Am garage queens. This one is a DD during fair weather so I am trying to convince myself not to be as ****.

 

I hope they are old Trans Ams.

 

Well - I am a product of the 80's, and one was my first car. The other is a Pace car.
Third gens.

 

Ok I will let those slide I guess.
I'm a pontiac fan but can't stand the last gen birds.

 

Who knows what any of that stuff is on our trunk lids. Mine looks like it has quite a lot of imperfections along the seam at the bottom of the trunk lid. I hope it's not rust but after seeing the underside of my car and how much surface rust is there as well as how much salt spray was under there when I first got the car, mine probably is rust. I'll just keep an eye on it and get if fixed if it is before the warranty runs out.


I'm still undecided if I need to cover the holes up that I took the clear tape like stuff off of.


Wayne