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Driver Lower Seat Panel - Outboard Side
- Thread starter Slunik
- Start date
Thread Starter
#27
Absolutely a design issue! Understand your frustration....I've lost count on my replacements (4) but my most recent replacement has broken as well and my dealer will replace it at my costs!
Looking at the in-mold detent connections on the side panels, the front plastic cross-member that connects the left and right side panels may be the culprit. It's possible with leg pressure on the front of the seat, entering and exiting, the bulk seat padding and leather seat cover stresses that front cross-member forcing it to flex downward snapping the detent connectors and/or disconnecting the side panel. Again, I'm not a design engineer but trying to make sense of what we're having to live with.
I would hope Ford engineering management/dealers read these messages as great customer feedback from the field resulting in corrective action bulletins. Good luck.
Looking at the in-mold detent connections on the side panels, the front plastic cross-member that connects the left and right side panels may be the culprit. It's possible with leg pressure on the front of the seat, entering and exiting, the bulk seat padding and leather seat cover stresses that front cross-member forcing it to flex downward snapping the detent connectors and/or disconnecting the side panel. Again, I'm not a design engineer but trying to make sense of what we're having to live with.
I would hope Ford engineering management/dealers read these messages as great customer feedback from the field resulting in corrective action bulletins. Good luck.
So, somehow on twitter I got the attention of Ford Service Canada over the lower seat panel.
They had a rep call me to discuss the issue. Their first reaction was to contact the dealer. But, I explained my dealer already has parts on order for the repair. And, it’s the quality of the part not the repair at issue.
I explained that this is a common problem and a permanent durable fix needs to be designed by Ford. They agreed and said that my comments are being forwarded to a higher authority.
Also, took the opportunity for us Canadians, who could not travel to the the USA to attend an ST Experience to look into having one in Canada.
Finally, I asked that they should publish what the changes/improvements are with each update release of Sync.
Maybe something will come of this, maybe not?!
They had a rep call me to discuss the issue. Their first reaction was to contact the dealer. But, I explained my dealer already has parts on order for the repair. And, it’s the quality of the part not the repair at issue.
I explained that this is a common problem and a permanent durable fix needs to be designed by Ford. They agreed and said that my comments are being forwarded to a higher authority.
Also, took the opportunity for us Canadians, who could not travel to the the USA to attend an ST Experience to look into having one in Canada.
Finally, I asked that they should publish what the changes/improvements are with each update release of Sync.
Maybe something will come of this, maybe not?!
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Based on the questionable quality of so many components on this vehicle not the mention the expected poor long-term durability, I doubt I will keep this ST much past the 3/36K warranty! I absolutely am still in love with the vehicle but quite frankly I can't trust it longer than a few years. I will not want to pay to repair or replace so many things that should have lasted 7-10 years.
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I know. My driver seat is broken and the dealer superglued the front bracket back to the side. This essentially ruined the side panel, and they dripped glue on the carpet. I've been through 10 fords or so in my life, and this is the first time I've had a car that has so many issues. It is the first run of the car during a pandemic, so I can live with some of it, but if Ford continues to ignore the shoddy construction, it might take legal action.
They changed the seat totally on the 2021/2022 by the way. There is no longer a front bracket on the new design. Clearly an admission that this 2020 design was garbage. I can't believe it passed QC, but we were in mid pandemic I suppose.
They changed the seat totally on the 2021/2022 by the way. There is no longer a front bracket on the new design. Clearly an admission that this 2020 design was garbage. I can't believe it passed QC, but we were in mid pandemic I suppose.
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I believe that to be correct. On ingress/egress many people will slide across and push down on the bolster. But, the plastic clips aren't strong enough to hold that action and they break.
Soon mine will go in for replacement/repair as the parts are on order. When that happens I am going to request the old one to see if there isn’t some tinkering I can do to improve it.
Soon mine will go in for replacement/repair as the parts are on order. When that happens I am going to request the old one to see if there isn’t some tinkering I can do to improve it.
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I was at the dealership today and deliberately took a look at the driver seat. Ford, indeed has changed the design. Not sure if there is an improvement however.
On the late year “21” the panel on lower front is not there.
I wish I had thought to take pictures.
Can someone who has a late year 21/22 take pictures of the lower front portion (Under the Seat Bolster) for comparison sake?
Thank you
On the late year “21” the panel on lower front is not there.
I wish I had thought to take pictures.
Can someone who has a late year 21/22 take pictures of the lower front portion (Under the Seat Bolster) for comparison sake?
Thank you
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I just picked up a 2021 ST today, (10-08-21), and I do see that the outboard drivers side seat panel is a DIFFERENT design than my wife's 2020 ST which has broken 5 times already. As of this writing, it broke again last week, and I will once again bring it in for another repair. An awful design flaw that is very frustrating. I will say that the positive news here is that Ford "got the message" and did something about it here in late 2021. I literally looked at the seat design at the first glance of the vehicle to see if it is different, and sure enough, it is!
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