The trim piece behind the driver side door handle is gone. It's been gone for a while now and I've searched through all the cubbies and under the seats to see if it's just hiding, but to no avail. If you see it out there on the mean streets of Santa Monica, can you tell it to come home?
At least the passenger side is still intact. Here's what it's supposed to look like.
I guess the Flex is starting to show the wear and tear of nearly 35,000 long-term fleet miles.
Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com @ 34,751 miles
cornbears says:
11:48 PM, 10/ 5/09
My 2008 focus came from the factory missing that very piece. Dealer ordered one and it just popped right in.
jerome81 says:
05:45 AM, 10/ 6/09
My aunt's Honda Civic had this part continually fall out.
Its not a Ford thing it seems.
dougtheeng says:
06:25 AM, 10/ 6/09
Seems like a strange place for the door locking switch.
cx7lover says:
08:22 AM, 10/ 6/09
My car has a setup like this and if it fell out, someone knows about it. This piece isn't tiny nor is it just going to pop out of the door and fall on the floor, something happened here.
Mad_Science says:
09:13 AM, 10/ 6/09
@doug: right next to the door handle? Completely illogical.
I'm betting that part's less than $20 from Your Local Ford Dealer.
cx7lover says:
09:44 AM, 10/ 6/09
Shouldn't be more than $8 and less if you order online
altimadude00 says:
09:51 AM, 10/ 6/09
Window switches on the doors are totally irrational as well. They should be on the ceiling next to the dome light.
The part missing would annoy me. It's an area that doesn't get a lot of wear and tear, but it's also a place that is highly visible and I would see it every time I get out of the car.
civilag says:
01:32 PM, 10/ 6/09
That's a warranty issue. Dealer trip!
jedienigma says:
08:19 PM, 10/ 6/09
I had that part fly out after 1 week of owning my 2010 Flex. I reached for the handle, gave a quick tug, and it the part flew into my lap. I was able to snap it back into place. It just snaps in so it can be easily removed to get to the bolt shown in the picture. After snapping it back into place, I have not had any more issues with it. I would get a replacement piece at the next dealer vist.
hybris says:
10:25 PM, 10/ 6/09
Considering how many long hard trips the car has done already this isn't unexpected and thus forgivable.
bodyblue says:
08:36 AM, 10/ 7/09
"Seems like a strange place for the door locking switch."
It must be in the wrong place because BMW has not re-invented a stupid place or function for something that is not broken or non-functional.
But what a great vehicle...hopefully this will silence some of the anti-American views in the marketplace. Toyota is going through a ton of recalls lately (Tundra this morning)...the Nissans in the fleet have been terrible, The Mazda irritating.....The Ram, Challenger, Focus, Flex have been quite good. Just because a car is foreign or domestic does not mean the quality is good or bad anymore.
cr_driver says:
12:16 PM, 10/12/09
So we got 2 flex having this issue....and counting.