Q: Bought Ford F150, noticed rust under vehicle. No warranty, dealership silence. Options?
I recently bought a 2019 Ford F150 from a dealership and noticed a significant amount of rust under the vehicle, including the spare tire, axle, rotors, calipers, and frame. There was no warranty, and the dealership provided no disclosure documents, though there was a Carfax report online with no mention of accidents or flooding. I purchased the vehicle about two weeks ago and have not had an independent inspection yet. I've contacted my salesman to inquire if it was a flood car but haven't received a response. Is there anything I can do about this situation?
A: I understand your frustration. Rust on the underside of a vehicle, especially one that is 6 years old, could just as easily be neglect on the previous owner. If the previous owner drove in muddy conditions a lot, such as a construction company and they didn't wash the underside properly, or if they are near a coast line where there is a lot of salt water, then the rust could be completely natural. Other areas to check for flooding are going to be inside the vehicle, such as looking for rust on the brake pedal, water in the headlights / taillights, or pull the seatbelt all the way out and look for water damage on it, if a dealer was trying to hide flood damage they often overlook the seatbelt. If you determine there was in fact flood damage, then you should get an attorney because the next step is the tough one, to prove they had knowledge of the damage and failed to disclose it. Best of luck to you.
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