Road salt badly collected into engine compartment

[mxanotcar]

Does anyone know why there are salt water spots appear on plastic wire covers, electric inverter, nut, bolt inside engine compartment?  There are rust layers (brown color) appear now whereever the metal materials are in the engine compartment.  The engine compartment is now look even horrible than at 5,000miles.  Current mileage is 21,000.  Built date is somewhere in September 2013.

 

When I noticed the 1st occurrence, when I jumpstarted the dead 12V battery in the engine compartment (twice had to jumpstart), the shining inverter box, sitting on top and on the right next the to engine, was no longer shinning and it had some sort of dust layer covered it.  Now around at 21,000miles after driving on highway with rain, snow and salt on the road, I can see the white spots covering everywhere in the engine compartment now.  Whatever rust on the metallic matterial that I noticed at 1st is now even worse since the rust had been settling in.

 

And yes, the hood indeed has been locked and closed down all the way (more on this below).  Recent further inspections revealed further bad news: there are no proper hood weatherstrip (except the two front plastic strips and one whole rubber seal near the windshield) to prevent water and salt spot from entering engine compart when driving during inclemental weather.

 

At the current state closing the hood all the way with locking, there are still bad gap openings (you can use the flashlight and actually see how and where the water and salt get into the engine compartment).  There is no seal even around the 2 headlight plastic covers. 

 

Also recent, I checked a friend of mine who owns Nissan Maxima.  The car engine compartment is clean as normal, no water or salt spot, no rust settling in, and there are proper seals surrounding its compartment: 1 continuous rubber in the front, 2 continuous rubber seals on the both side, and 1 continuous rubber near the windshield.

 

I am thinking the CMAX Hybrid was not designed to last long espcially it is rusting from inside out.  I also listed the problem to  the dealer service, but they said they could not duplicate the problem about water or salt spot.  I am guessing that the dealer service will not fix anything when it comes design problem with a vehicle even if they know it is a problem.  They do, however, the recalls.  I highly doubt Ford will fix this.

 

I am sorry about the long description and thank you for reading.  And Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this (besides getting a different car in the future or do not drive in the rain, snow, or when there are salt water mixture on the road)?  I do not think Cmax Hybrid 2014 new has this problem resolved.

[Zathrus]

Welcome to the forum. I also have noticed the salt spray deposits on my engine components, and share your corrosion concern. 

 

Has anyone tried to spray/clean the engine? Is there a proper technique to cleaning the CMax engine without creating a problem with all of the electronics?

[mxanotcar]

Correction on the built date: It is sometimes in September 2012 (not 2013).

 

And I have not tried to clean the engine compartment yet because I have the same concern as "Zathrus" about the potetial electronics problem, except driving during the rain and water was spraying into the inside of the compartment and may be it was cleaned a bit during those times but then it comes back to not normally dirty.

[FordService]

...  I am sorry about the long description and thank you for reading.  And Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this (besides getting a different car in the future or do not drive in the rain, snow, or when there are salt water mixture on the road)?  I do not think Cmax Hybrid 2014 new has this problem resolved.

 

 

... Has anyone tried to spray/clean the engine? Is there a proper technique to cleaning the CMax engine without creating a problem with all of the electronics?

 

mxanotcar and Zathrus,

 

If you're having a concern with this and your dealer is unable to assist, PM me your name, phone number, VIN, mileage, and dealer info. I'll see how I can help.

 

Additionally, if you check out p.312 of the third edition of your owner's manual, there are some guidelines and tips for cleaning out your engine compartment. I'd start there if you're looking to spray things out. :)

 

Ashley

[ptjones]

Welcome to the forum. I also have noticed the salt spray deposits on my engine components, and share your corrosion concern. 

 

Has anyone tried to spray/clean the engine? Is there a proper technique to cleaning the CMax engine without creating a problem with all of the electronics?

 

Correction on the built date: It is sometimes in September 2012 (not 2013).

 

And I have not tried to clean the engine compartment yet because I have the same concern as "Zathrus" about the potetial electronics problem, except driving during the rain and water was spraying into the inside of the compartment and may be it was cleaned a bit during those times but then it comes back to not normally dirty.

All the water, dirt and salt go through radiator and all over the engine compartment and can be sprayed off with  high pressure water. Even with Grill Covers stuff gets all over the place. It's the owner responsibility to keep his CMAX Clean unless your can talk your Dealer into doing it. LOL :) 

 

Paul

[mxanotcar]

The dealership does not fix the issue/s.  They usually play confusion and write what they found in the receipt a few paragraphs long in capital letters as to why the issue/s is normal so that they do not have to fix, especially if the issue/s is come from the manufacturers.

 

Paul (ptjones), you are kidding about using the high pressure water, right? Definitely not, if you do not want to get the corrosive salt get into further inside cabling covers and any other electronics.

 

The area in about the same height of the radiator, suprisingly, has zero water spots or white salt spots on my Cmax.

 

The link below show what a new engine compartment looks like.  It is of the Energi but has same layout.  In mine, water spots and salts spots from the road spray while driving are covered from left to right, and even on top of the inverter controller.  The water and salt spray coming through the radiator cannot reach to the top of the inverter controller because of very different height and locations and the layout is compact.  The water and salt spots also has covered the inner wall of the crown rubber 1 long piece seal (right on top of the inverter controller) and that is higher than the radiator.

 

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/lead6-2013-ford-c-max-energi-fd-1352958909.jpg

[ptjones]

The dealership does not fix the issue/s.  They usually play confusion and write what they found in the receipt a few paragraphs long in capital letters as to why the issue/s is normal so that they do not have to fix, especially if the issue/s is come from the manufacturers.

 

Paul (ptjones), you are kidding about using the high pressure water, right? Definitely not, if you do not want to get the corrosive salt get into further inside cabling covers and any other electronics.

 

The area in about the same height of the radiator, suprisingly, has zero water spots or white salt spots on my Cmax.

 

The link below show what a new engine compartment looks like.  It is of the Energi but has same layout.  In mine, water spots and salts spots from the road spray while driving are covered from left to right, and even on top of the inverter controller.  The water and salt spray coming through the radiator cannot reach to the top of the inverter controller because of very different height and locations and the layout is compact.  The water and salt spots also has covered the inner wall of the crown rubber 1 long piece seal (right on top of the inverter controller) and that is higher than the radiator.

 

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/11/lead6-2013-ford-c-max-energi-fd-1352958909.jpg

I took a 6K mile trip last month and got spots all over the engine compartment(everywhere) and used my water hose with sprayer to wash off the complete engine compartment as well as the underside of the CMAX. There is no way to keep the engine compartment sealed and you don't want to for you need air circulation to keep various electrical and etc. components cool.   Simple solution just spray  it off, problem solved. :)

 

Paul

[hybridbear]

Does anyone know why there are salt water spots appear on plastic wire covers, electric inverter, nut, bolt inside engine compartment?  There are rust layers (brown color) appear now whereever the metal materials are in the engine compartment.  The engine compartment is now look even horrible than at 5,000miles.  Current mileage is 21,000.  Built date is somewhere in September 2013.

 

When I noticed the 1st occurrence, when I jumpstarted the dead 12V battery in the engine compartment (twice had to jumpstart), the shining inverter box, sitting on top and on the right next the to engine, was no longer shinning and it had some sort of dust layer covered it.  Now around at 21,000miles after driving on highway with rain, snow and salt on the road, I can see the white spots covering everywhere in the engine compartment now.  Whatever rust on the metallic matterial that I noticed at 1st is now even worse since the rust had been settling in.

 

And yes, the hood indeed has been locked and closed down all the way (more on this below).  Recent further inspections revealed further bad news: there are no proper hood weatherstrip (except the two front plastic strips and one whole rubber seal near the windshield) to prevent water and salt spot from entering engine compart when driving during inclemental weather.

 

At the current state closing the hood all the way with locking, there are still bad gap openings (you can use the flashlight and actually see how and where the water and salt get into the engine compartment).  There is no seal even around the 2 headlight plastic covers. 

 

Also recent, I checked a friend of mine who owns Nissan Maxima.  The car engine compartment is clean as normal, no water or salt spot, no rust settling in, and there are proper seals surrounding its compartment: 1 continuous rubber in the front, 2 continuous rubber seals on the both side, and 1 continuous rubber near the windshield.

 

I am thinking the CMAX Hybrid was not designed to last long espcially it is rusting from inside out.  I also listed the problem to  the dealer service, but they said they could not duplicate the problem about water or salt spot.  I am guessing that the dealer service will not fix anything when it comes design problem with a vehicle even if they know it is a problem.  They do, however, the recalls.  I highly doubt Ford will fix this.

 

I am sorry about the long description and thank you for reading.  And Does anyone have any ideas how to fix this (besides getting a different car in the future or do not drive in the rain, snow, or when there are salt water mixture on the road)?  I do not think Cmax Hybrid 2014 new has this problem resolved.

Can you please include some pictures of where you're seeing this? That would make it easier for ppl to help.

[mxanotcar]

I do not have a camera but a video camera.  I think I can get the still images from the video.  I will uploading into the album.

[Ponypower]

I agree with all of you, the engine seems to get dirty in bad weather.  I had a 2012 Ford Focus with the same problem.  My solution was to wash it off with good automotive car wash soap and apply a plastic / rubber detailer.  In the olden days we used flax soap to wash our cars, it made them shiny. So next time you go to clean your engine the dirt comes right off and looks new again.  I agree it takes a lot of time to keep our CMax's clean. I also own a 1966 Ford Mustang convertible and after every show I need to detail the car. It never ends!!!

 

PS Griots Garage sells a really good engine cleaner and detailer.

 

Thanks Ponypower 

[mxanotcar]

I just uploaded the pictures 12 of them if anyone want to see the details.  I surprised this kind of water and salt spots dirtiness has been happening in this car.  My previous car from different brand did not have this problem, and so does my friend still brand new Maxima about 20,000miles now, I listed in the above post, since it has proper rubber seal between engine compartment and the surrounding hood edge.

 

I see there are two hard plastic posts with the rubber covered on top, I turned those two clock-wise all the way down.  And I lowered and locked hood, and the front gaps and the gaps where the headlights are are much smaller.  I think I can find some after-market rubber seals to use on the hood front and may be seal the opening where those two hard plastic posts are, and also need to two pieces of the rubber seal for the headlight casings.  Then I will clean the engine compartment, ugh....

 

It might be the cost cutting or quality inspection or just design error for this issue.

[mxanotcar]

On the high way today, as I was first passing by another Cmax in white color in the next lane, I saw there was some kind of material in the gap, on the right side of that car, between the hood edge and the engine compartment outside edge.  I matched the speed of that slower car, and there it is.  There is definitely some kind of material, may be rubber, filling that gap.

 

I do not think that car belong to any members on this blog site, do you?

 

I could not stop that car and ask to look at the other side gap and the front side gap. :)

 

Another car owner found the CMax hood is not properly seal.

 

The CMax hood seal is definitely not properly sealed.  In fact, there is no hood seal at all.  This is about same with having 1/4inch to 1/2in open in the car windows and going through the car wash or heavy rain.

[scottwood2]

Another option to cleaning is just using a rag and Fantastic spray.  I have done this many times on my cars and it works great.  Sometimes I will use a small paint brush to get into some areas.   It might not be as good as a good wash but it works pretty well.  I have also done this and rinsed it off very lightly. 

 

I have also applied a light coat of oil to rusting brackets, bolts etc.  Pretty much stops the rust from growing and makes it look much better too. 

[ptjones]

On the high way today, as I was first passing by another Cmax in white color in the next lane, I saw there was some kind of material in the gap, on the right side of that car, between the hood edge and the engine compartment outside edge.  I matched the speed of that slower car, and there it is.  There is definitely some kind of material, may be rubber, filling that gap.

 

I do not think that car belong to any members on this blog site, do you?

 

I could not stop that car and ask to look at the other side gap and the front side gap. :)

 

Another car owner found the CMax hood is not properly seal.

 

The CMax hood seal is definitely not properly sealed.  In fact, there is no hood seal at all.  This is about same with having 1/4inch to 1/2in open in the car windows and going through the car wash or heavy rain.

You might want to take a pic of what you are talking about. :)

 

Paul

[Adrian_L]

All the water, dirt and salt go through radiator and all over the engine compartment and can be sprayed off with  high pressure water. Even with Grill Covers stuff gets all over the place. It's the owner responsibility to keep his CMAX Clean unless your can talk your Dealer into doing it. LOL :)

 

Paul

 

By high pressure I really hope you just mean a garden hose with a variable sprayer (40-50 PSI?)  and not a power washer (1500-3000 PSI)

 

I don't see why the C-max's engine can't be shampooed or degreased like a regular modern engine.   Just follow all the instructions about covering intakes, etc.    

[ptjones]

By high pressure I really hope you just mean a garden hose with a variable sprayer (40-50 PSI?)  and not a power washer (1500-3000 PSI)

 

I don't see why the C-max's engine can't be shampooed or degreased like a regular modern engine.   Just follow all the instructions about covering intakes, etc.    

I've used car wash one's and I have a personal one for cleaning house and car. There is no reason you can't use standard cleaning methods. :)

 

Paul