Concerned what I found when installing hitch

[RedDragon]

All - installed the draw-tite hitch on my vehicle today. While under the car I noticed two things that are concerning me - please let me know if the concern is warranted or not. By way of background I have a 22 premium extended range. It was picked up from dealer in mid October 22. As if today, my car only has about 1370 miles on it. It is always parked in a garage. Iive in New Jersey, and there hasn't even been much of a winter yet.

Concern number 1:

The picture below is of the arm that extends from the rear electric motor to the wheel. There is an orange substance on the cylinder that is closest to the motor and a lot of this substance at the part where the arm meets the wheel. It look like rust to me but I'm no expert. What do you guys think? If it is, is it normal to have this much in those areas for a car that is this new ?

Concern number 2:

On the back of the battery casing, unnoticed this brown substance? Is this normal? Is that some sort of sealant?

 

[Mach-Lee]

Ha, yes that’s rust and it’s perfectly normal. Those axles rust almost instantly, it was probably like that before it left the factory. One rain and it will look like that.

The brown stuff on the battery is the sealant they used on the seam when assembling the bottom of the battery case. Also perfectly normal.

 

[passtc]

yup. everything normal

 

[awp0]

I noticed your first concern when I installed my hitch. Actually what seemed more bothersome was that it seemed like I was missing a seal/cover (like on the right side of your second photo where the shaft looks weirdly exposed). I remember googling around for photos of the rear drivetrain just to make sure that was normal!

 

[RedDragon]

Thanks all - you have successfully quelled my innate paranoia!

 

[newmme]

It is probably ok. Ford did have some large recalls for this in the past.

 

[macchiaz-o]

It is probably ok. Ford did have some large recalls for this in the past.

Dude, knock it off. You're not helping 'the cause.'