Yep mine is pitted too. Really bad. It wasn't when I first got the car (with 3k on it) but after me putting about 4k on it, it started and looks ridiculous. Mine was built in NOV 04 if that matters.

 

Bringing this back to light to see if anyone has any answers as to why this is happening. The only theory I've seen put forth so far is a heat issue. I got my car in the middle of July and have noticed discoloration in my horn button that seemed to show up out of nowhere a week after I got it. I actually did a double take the first time I noticed it since it looks like the pony has stitches! The same stitch pattern is all over the pony and visible in the black as well, giving the logo a bit of a jeweled look.

Here's a question: does anyone make a replacement sticker or button that'll slap over the top of the tri-bar and pony?

 

You can get your horn replaced if you take it in. Just a pain, but you can get it done.

 

I've been trying to get the local dealership to replace my discolored pony emblem, but the field rep has the last say. He sez that it looks like some kind of foriegn substance caused the damage. I've tried to get his boss, to no avail, and then tried the Ford Customer Resolution Center. They told me that the field rep's decision is final. It's an '06 with 9600 miles on it. The only people that've cleaned that interior are the service people at the dealership. If anyone out there has experienced the same dealership BS, drop me an email.

 

I've had the same problem. I have an '05 Sonic Blue GT that I got in October 2004. I haven't had a problem with the selling dealership replacing the horn button, but when I had a dealership check it out before I took it back to the selling dealer (2.5 hours away - we moved), they wouldn't do anything about it. They told me I must have sprayed something on the wheel -- NOT!! They told me I had to return it to the selling dealer. The selling dealer replaced horn button in 2005. Last summer, the pitting returned. The car is in again at the selling dealer for another issue and they are checking it out while the car is in there. I'll post the determination on the forum.

In case you all were wondering why I'm taking the car back to the selling dealer, well, we moved again. Now the dealer is only 1.75 hours away. Last time the car was in at the local dealership to have the tires rotated and balanced, they broke the wheel lock lug for my locking wheels. They said they didn't use an impact wrench on the wheels, but I know better. And they were told specifically not to use an impact wrench on the wheels - it is tearing up my wheels! They replaced the locking lug key that they broke (the entire inside of that key was obliterated), but that was not the point. They have screwed up my car and lied to me for the last time! Anyone else have a locking lug key get broke at the dealership?

 

My 07 has the same problem, I noticed it at around 1,500 miles, and I now have only about 3K on it.

KC, is the emblem cheap and easy to replace? I haven't brought mine in for warranty work before, and would like to avoid it if it is a cheap fix I could do myself.

Thanks!

 

Unfortunately this is a problem with ALL the horn buttons as far as I know. I have the same problem... my friend with and '07 has the same problem and yet another friend with an '05 has the same problem.

It's not an easy replacement. They have to replace the entire wheel because the airbag is back there... that's why the dealership didn't want to replace yours I'm sure.

You could try another dealership. Ford... customer care at work yet again.

 

They don't have to replace the entire wheel, just the horn button assembly. I know because examined the wheel before and after and all the same scratches were still there.

 

Mine is also pitted .
It is an '05 and it happened pretty fast. I do live in Texas, but it is not usually out in the sun, and when it is it is covered with the windows cracked. still....

 

 

Just an update. Took the car into the dealer. They say the horn button issue is "cosmetic" and therefore can not be replaced under my Extended Warranty Service Plan. I e-mailed Ford. They claim to not know anything about it and that it wouldn't be covered anyway. All this even after I pointed out to them the fact that if there is indeed condensation occuring and it shorts out the electrical components in the steering wheel -- that would affect not only the horn, but the airbag system as well. And if a resulting airbag system failure occurs in accident as a result of this, it would be a very bad thing for Ford. Can we say Class Action Lawsuit?? I'm printing out my correspondence and notes from conversations from Ford regarding this and putting it in my file. If anything happens to me or my car as a result................. well, you figure out the rest!

 

So they won't replace it because it is cosmetic? Well the trim that runs along the roof line is cosmetic and FORD is replacing mine on Tuesday because it is a little lose. The foam on my drivers seat felt a little loose, which caused the leather to wrinkle, they fixed it and that was cosmetic. For replaced the door panel on the drivers side because there was a small scratch on it from when they installed it, and that was cosmetic.
I think your dealer is either full of crap or I have the best service department around.

 

Apparently, they only cover cosmetic type things under the original 36,000 mile warranty and not under the Ford Extended Service Plan warranty. I have 66,000 miles on my car with a 75,000 mile Ford ESP. Just after 36,000 my door sill plate loosened up and they wouldn't fix it either because I was out of my original 36,000 mile warranty. The dealer is a good dealer and I did have written conversations back and forth with Ford directly. They still won't cover the horn button -- even though the replacement was obviously defective!

 

I don't know if I'm just the odd man out or what, but I just went out to look at mine and there are no marks, pits, scratches whatsoever...

My car is a daily driver, got it in November 2004, and have never touched the horn with anything other than my microfiber towel. No Maguire's, Mother's, Armor All, nothing. I even use my horn occasionally to remind people to go on green. Guess I'm just lucky.

 

Has anyone had this in a cold-only environment when it happened? I had my 06 for a year and never saw it(never in a garage either with no window tint), and I checked 3 used ones today and don't see it. I've also never seen it in the hundreds of new in-stock cars we have had, and some sit here for months and months, a few even over 300 days. I would of spotted that in an instant if it had it going on.

 

No problems with my '06 either ; its a daily driver so my interior gets a lot of use ...

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but I have a poll on TMS somewhere (too bad the moderators didn't keep it up as a poll), that questioned this very thing. I know I am in an area of the country that has different temps all season. We have cold in the winter and hot in the summer. It seems that the spots and pitting are more noticeable in the hot summer and if I remember correctly, the results of the poll indicate it appears that high humidity triggers it. So if you live in an area that gets hot but doesn't have the high humidity, you may not get the spots. That's what leads me to believe that there must be condensation occuring since there is high humidity and the Ford tech thought there was moisture under there causing the problem.

 

My Sonic Blue '05 (bought late in the model year) has the problem. And, it's an occasional use car, so we only have about 7,000 miles on it. I just noticed it the last time I used the car.

If they all do it, I might get my dealer to commit to doing it as part of the 'last service before the 36 month warranty runs out' service.

The car sits outside in California weather, and is generally clean. The interior has never been cleaned with anything other than a vacuum because it hasn't needed it yet. So, it's not a chemical thing.

SoCal94

 

My 05 has this same problem. It has 5000 miles and has never been in temperatures above 85. It has never been in the rain or has the interior been detailed. Its the same as the day we picked it up. My dealer will not replace the horn button.

 

I went to another dealership 20 miles south, and they had no problem with replacing the entire airbag assembly. They just earned all my business. If you find yourself in the Bryan/College Station area and need service, just remember. "There's no I in TEAM". And the short drive south is well worth the excellent customer service.

My pony is looking good once again.