Door Entry button crack

[sockmeister]

Supposedly these are not cracks. This same discussion was going on on the Facebook group page, until someone weighed in with a Ford Engineer's statement that those "cracks" are actually part of a "capacitive element" for the numpad touch-to-lock feature, when the key fob and PaaK are nearby.

You might notice that every single car has them in the same spots, since new.

EDIT: found the thread on that Facebook group. It's anecdotal, but it is a perspective that might prove true.

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[macchiaz-o]

Supposedly these are not cracks. This same discussion was going on on the Facebook group page, until someone weighed in with a Ford Engineer's statement that those "cracks" are actually embedded "antennas" for the key fob and PaaK receivers.

You might notice that every single car has them in the same spots, since new.

I know this is anecdotal, but you'll have to take my word for it. They're a feature, not a defect

No. I can feel the line with my fingernail. It's on the external surface of that plastic.

 

[sockmeister]

No. I can feel the line with my fingernail. It's on the external surface of that plastic.

Because it's a seam. I found the thread in question. They are supposedly actually a capacitive element for operating the touch-to-lock feature on the number pad, when the fob or PaaK is nearby.
I'll update my original post with that info.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Mine of course has a slight crack in the same area, slightly off / on topic: Anyone notice these things scratch like crazy? I'm an auto detailer, haven't let the vehicle out of my sight (3 CCTV's on it at home) and the driver side door sill is scratched to an almost 'they forgot clearcoat' amount.

Could just be me and needs some polish, but before I noticed the crack I noticed the ridiculous amount of scratches... and it's covered with a brand new cover.

No crack on mine, but my detailer did comment on the scratches on the panel and how hard they were to safely get out. 3 coats of ceramic coating and hopefully it'll keep it at bay for a long time.

 

[macchiaz-o]

Because it's a seam. I found the thread in question. They are supposedly actually a capacitive element for operating the touch-to-lock feature on the number pad, when the fob or PaaK is nearby.
I'll update my original post with that info.

Ok well then that's good news if it is true. I'm sure someone with access to the WSM can very easily verify this.

Doesn't it seem hard to believe though, given the inconsistencies observed on an individual vehicle and across vehicles, the lack of noticeable seems on the tailgate (or have we just not found it yet?), the odd angles involved for the lines, and the poor choice of location?

If an RF transparent area is needed for Bluetooth, why not hide that between the layers of materials at the back edge of the b pillar instead of the user facing front touch area?

If capacitance were the issue then we'd have lines through the pinpad on the driver door, too.

 

[sockmeister]

Ok well then that's good news if it is true. I'm sure someone with access to the WSM can very easily verify this.

Doesn't it seem hard to believe though, given the inconsistencies observed on an individual vehicle and across vehicles, the lack of noticeable seems on the tailgate (or have we just not found it yet?), the odd angles involved for the lines, and the poor choice of location?

If an RF transparent area is needed for Bluetooth, why not hide that between the layers of materials at the back edge of the b pillar instead of the user facing front touch area?

If capacitance were the issue then we'd have lines through the pinpad on the driver door, too.

Logically, I'd tend to agree with you that there are some inconsistencies that make this explanation a bit eyebrow-raising.
I still think they are, at the very least, a manufacturing process seam of some kind.

In the WSM, the only mention of this panel is as a complete module as shown:

So no clues there.
I did notice that the Bluetooth antennas are in fact located in the doors though. That's probably how it knows which phone is approaching the driver's door vs passenger:

 

[Brademcee]

OP- So I reached out to my Ford contact who is pretty high up to get his thoughts. Seems odd that the seam or cracks is not consistent.

 

[ERIC8585]

Are you sure that's a crack and not a seam? I have that line on all 4 doors

 

[MarkP213]

Upon closer inspection of mine, I've concluded they are part of the plastic trim molding and not actual cracks. Probably for what Sockmaister said above. Especially since they are all symmetrical - front doors are both at a slightly angled vertical line from the lock icon down, and the rear doors are both at a sharper vertical line from the lock icon down.

First two photos are of each front door seam, and the bottoms are the rear doors. Sorry for the dust and hopefully you can see the seams. (I swear there is no dust when I'm looking at the car! )

 

[macchiaz-o]

Upon closer inspection of mine, I've concluded they are part of the plastic trim molding and not actual cracks. Probably for what Sockmaister said above. Especially since they are all symmetrical - front doors are both at a slightly angled vertical line from the lock icon down, and the rear doors are both at a sharper vertical line from the lock icon down.

Yes. I concede! I think @sockmeister and you are right.

I wasn't able to see the hairline on all four doors with my eyesight, but using the phone camera I was able to confirm what you've observed on all four doors.

 

[sockmeister]

Upon closer inspection of mine, I've concluded they are part of the plastic trim molding and not actual cracks. Probably for what Sockmaister said above. Especially since they are all symmetrical - front doors are both at a slightly angled vertical line from the lock icon down, and the rear doors are both at a sharper vertical line from the lock icon down.

First two photos are of each front door seam, and the bottoms are the rear doors. Sorry for the dust and hopefully you can see the seams. (I swear there is no dust when I'm looking at the car! )

Yes. I concede! I think @sockmeister and you are right.

I wasn't able to see the hairline on all four doors with my eyesight, but using the phone camera I was able to confirm what you've observed on all four doors.

Agreed! I have them on all four doors in exactly the same positions as you. Any "waviness" observed by others on the cracks I think chalks up to various distortions in the plastic moulding itself.

Also, it's very interesting to note that
a) All the seams were there on my car from delivery day, and
b) suspiciously, they never, ever got any worse, even with daily use.

 

[Brademcee]

Mine appeared after 4 months of ownership. So if there is a seam, it wasn’t there in the beginning. That sounds like a flaw.

 

[MarkP213]

Mine appeared after 4 months of ownership. So if there is a seam, it wasn’t there in the beginning. That sounds like a flaw.

It sounds like yours may have opened up? Can you press one one side of the crack and see the plastic actually depress and separate? So far mine do not. Funny thing is, in my original post, even though I looked really hard, I only saw them on the drivers side of the car. Now I see them at all four doors, in perfect lighting. But I have to look hard to find them.

There was an Explorer model back befor they got all sleek looking that had a rather large and major crack flaw in the rear lift gate. In all the ones I’d ever see on the road, I only noticed one Explorer WITHOUT that huge crack! I’m surprised it wasn’t recalled and fixed.

If you take your MME in to the dealer for this, please keep us posted!

 

[Brademcee]

It sounds like yours may have opened up? Can you press one one side of the crack and see the plastic actually depress and separate? So far mine do not. Funny thing is, in my original post, even though I looked really hard, I only saw them on the drivers side of the car. Now I see them at all four doors, in perfect lighting. But I have to look hard to find them.

There was an Explorer model back befor they got all sleek looking that had a rather large and major crack flaw in the rear lift gate. In all the ones I’d ever see on the road, I only noticed one Explorer WITHOUT that huge crack! I’m surprised it wasn’t recalled and fixed.

If you take your MME in to the dealer for this, please keep us posted!

I am waiting to hear back from my contact on the Ford Mach-E team. He sent my photo down to some of the Mach-E fabrication engineers to get their input. Hopefully hear back next week.

 

[jjwolf]

Just saw this today on my car, too. Rear driver’s side (left).

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