Driver seat ActiveX material failing after 13k miles.

Ride_the_lightning

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I have generally loved my Mach E since I got it in December of 2021 (2021 job 2). It’s a Premium standard range AWD model. But this just turned me from supporter to “I will never buy a Ford again.” I have babied this car. It doesn’t have a single scratch or door ding after 13k miles and 13 months. The dealer even did an exterior and interior protection coating of some kind (I caved and agreed to it since they were wonderful and never even tried to add ADM). My daily use consists of driving my kids to school and running errands. I work from home and it’s garaged all day and night.

I’m sorry, but this sorry excuse for “vegan” leather is absolute shite. My 2017 Nissan leather looked better at 70k miles, not to mention the near-perfect leather in my 2013 Acura TSX at 75k miles. Both of those cars I bought used for $25,000 and retailed for under $40k.

I bought a first model year willing to put up with early adopter EV issues. My HVJB hasn’t failed, and I would rather deal with that. I assumed seats are one thing Ford has been making for 100 years.

In fact, this experience is similar to exactly one car I owned, a 2021 Tesla model 3. At 4k miles the paint started peeling off after a car wash. I sold it to CarMax the next day. FFS Ford, this is embarrassing. I don’t care how good the rest of the car is, if it falls apart when I sit in it, it’s a POS. No software can make up for that. I weigh 155 lbs btw. Not exactly a big guy.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Driver seat ActiveX material failing after 13k miles. C65D0514-23DC-4049-9471-E2F9812822F2
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ARK

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Might something be pressing into it such as some keys or tools that caused this?

Perhaps warranty will cover it, though I vaguely recall reading a long time ago about how they might say no if they claim the owner did something to the material.
 

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I have generally loved my Mach E since I got it in December of 2021 (2021 job 2). It’s a Premium standard range AWD model. But this just turned me from supporter to “I will never buy a Ford again.” I have babied this car. It doesn’t have a single scratch or door ding after 13k miles and 13 months. The dealer even did an exterior and interior protection coating of some kind (I caved and agreed to it since they were wonderful and never even tried to add ADM). My daily use consists of driving my kids to school and running errands. I work from home and it’s garaged all day and night.

I’m sorry, but this sorry excuse for “vegan” leather is absolute shite. My 2017 Nissan leather looked better at 70k miles, not to mention the near-perfect leather in my 2013 Acura TSX at 75k miles. Both of those cars I bought used for $25,000 and retailed for under $40k.

I bought a first model year willing to put up with early adopter EV issues. My HVJB hasn’t failed, and I would rather deal with that. I assumed seats are one thing Ford has been making for 100 years.

In fact, this experience is similar to exactly one car I owned, a 2021 Tesla model 3. At 4k miles the paint started peeling off after a car wash. I sold it to CarMax the next day. FFS Ford, this is embarrassing. I don’t care how good the rest of the car is, if it falls apart when I sit in it, it’s a POS. No software can make up for that. I weigh 155 lbs btw. Not exactly a big guy.
Ford Mustang Mach-E Driver seat ActiveX material failing after 13k miles. C65D0514-23DC-4049-9471-E2F9812822F2
Bro, is this a joke? Never buy a Ford again because of bad upholstery? Talk about a tough customer. You know Ford will warranty replace your seat covers on the 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty, right?

Our ‘21 Job 2 4X has 14 months/22K miles and our seats still look perfect. Space grey as well. I’m 6’4 225 and I drive it often.
 
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Ride_the_lightning

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Might something be pressing into it such as some keys or tools that caused this?

Perhaps warranty will cover it, though I vaguely recall reading a long time ago about how they might say no if they claim the owner did something to the material.
Yes, you’re right! I distinctly remember wearing pants while driving my car. Maybe that caused it.

No. I wear jeans and workout pants. Nothing in my back pockets. I’ve worn pants my wire life while driving and plan to continue wearing pants while driving.
 
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Ride_the_lightning

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Bro, is this a joke? Never buy a Ford again because of bad upholstery? Talk about a tough customer. You know Ford will warranty replace your seat covers on the 3/36 bumper to bumper warranty, right?

Our ‘21 Job 2 4X has 14 months/22K miles and our seats still look perfect. Space grey as well. I’m 6’4 225 and I drive it often.
Not a joke. If expecting my car not to fall apart is a “tough customer” then yes I am. We have been preaching that Fords build quality and fit and finish is better than Tesla’s. I’m not sure I agree anymore. They both suck.

Ikea also warranties their products, but that doesn’t stop them from being cheap, low quality upholstery made for college dorms. I assume Ford will replace it with the same low quality seat cover, that likely won’t perfectly match the rest of my seats. And it will fail again in another year.
 


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You should claim warranty and have them replaced. Your assumption that the problem means the material as spec’d is deficient may be incorrect. Maybe yours is from a bad batch.

I weigh 190, don’t baby my car, and wear pants. It has 19,000 miles in almost 2 years, and my seats look like they did the day I bought the car.
 
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Ride_the_lightning

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You should claim warranty and have them replaced. Your assumption that the problem means the material as spec’d is deficient may be incorrect. Maybe yours is from a bad batch.

I weigh 190, don’t baby my car, and wear pants. It has 19,000 miles in almost 2 years, and my seats look like they did the day I bought the car.
Of course I will do this. But it’s a seat for God’s sake. A bad batch? This isn’t a case of the runs from eating bad Chinese food. It’s vinyl. Suppliers should know how to make vinyl.
 

Scarpia

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There are literally thousands of Mach E owners on this forum, and this is the first report I've seen of this. I love the material and it's not showing any wear at all in my car.

Nothing personal, but I'm inclined to think there's something in your specific situation causing this, not the seat material.
 
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Ride_the_lightning

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There are literally thousands of Mach E owners on this forum, and this is the first report I've seen of this. I love the material and it's not showing any wear at all in my car.

Nothing personal, but I'm inclined to think there's something in your specific situation causing this, not the seat material.
Then you are inclined wrong. But sure, pile on me despite my record of contribution to this forum. Just because your low quality seat hasn’t failed yet doesn’t make it any less low quality. Go ahead, reinforce your buying decision by pretending this cheap vinyl seat belongs in a $60,000 car. I know a bunch of people driving luxury Teslas that think the same thing.

Look at my photo. That vinyl is the thinest seat material I’ve ever seen. It’s objectively low quality, even if it hasn’t failed for most people yet.
 

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I had a spot which cracked similar, I was denied also and had to elevate to ford customer service. They replaced it eventually but I paid $100 co-pay, which I just used my Ford points from the purchase. I was pretty frustrated too, also the space gray in a premium too.
 
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Ride_the_lightning

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I had a spot which cracked similar, I was denied also and had to elevate to ford customer service. They replaced it eventually but I paid $100 co-pay, which I just used my Ford points from the purchase. I was pretty frustrated too, also the space gray in a premium too.
The good news is I paid the dealer for their extra seat warranty thing as part of the interior protection thing they sold me, so hopefully that helps. I’m sure they will try to get out of covering it though. I’m glad I paid the $175 to get the neoprene seat cover for the back seats where my kids sit.
 

Arsenic17

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The good news is I paid the dealer for their extra seat warranty thing as part of the interior protection thing they sold me, so hopefully that helps. I’m sure they will try to get out of covering it though. I’m glad I paid the $175 to get the neoprene seat cover for the back seats where my kids sit.
Dont think seat covers would necessarily protect from this kind of damage. Seems more from sitting on the seat with pressure on the holes, rather than any kind of direct contact or rubbing.
 

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Warranty? Perhaps that tri-care thing we got? I have a MY21 Job 1. I routinely wear jeans. I’m at 16K miles and the interior looks fine except for an occasional small bluish discoloration from my jeans in one small area which comes out with an armor all leather wipe. Takes 5 seconds. And I don’t baby my car. It goes to the car spa every couple of weeks and that’s it. One very tiny ding on the driver’s door from where I believe a rouge shopping cart must have attacked it one day. Nothing else.
 

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Sorry you have this issue. Judging from other posts you are not alone, the vinyl seems to be susceptible to cracking from the ventilation holes. I hate Vegan leather as well - just call it what it is - VINYL. Haven't had an issue with the seats yet, but we only have 3K on our GT (no perforated seats, so fingers crossed the "Miko Suede" holds up in our MME.

Hope you get it replaced under warranty with thicker Vegan Leather.... ugh.
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