2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Dash Fade

I have to say that the NA Ford Flex that we rented back in July was a joy to drive. But the interior design, fit and finish and plastic quality was the pits. Ford needs to update it to the new Explorer interior design quick!

It might be some sort of cleaner residue - try cleaning it with a wet towel.

I think maybe your cleaner may actually be harming the plastic over time. Maybe you should stick to a damp dust rag and leave it at that.

http://www.fordfusionforum.com/index.php?/topic/4192-2010-fusion-to-of-dashboard/

Seems like other people are experiencing the same issue

I tried with a damp towel and then, in a test patch, with some sturdier interior cleaner. Neither trick did a thing.
^mm

I'd buy that if we hadn't had some 60 other cars being used in the exact same way with the exact same cleaners.
^mm

It is not cleaner residue nor any degradation from cleaning products. I've driven 2 Lincoln MKZ rentals with this same problem (both with less than 20K miles on them) and I had a corporate MKZ from Ford (<10K miles) that also had this exact same problem. I also saw this on a Fusion SEL with probably around 20K miles on the clock.

It is a quality problem with the plastic. I'm not surprised this is happening to IL's Fusion as well given how many other cars I've seen this on.

Its from the armorall you guys or the car washers use on your interior!!! get a damp rag or re-armorall it. It's not sun damaged! Lol. This happens every once in a while on my Jeep's interior too.

Thanks. Really strange that heat would cause a brand new dash to leach like that. ^mm

Oh wow guess we all replied around the same time....You guys make a point, guess its car. Thats ridiculous either way.

I owned a 2003 Mazda6 (made by Ford UAW) for 7 years and never parked in a garage in TX heat. The Dash never showed any signs of fade or wear and tear. In fact my brother who had an audi showed signs of dash fade in 3 years. Go figure...

This could be a result of some spray that should not have been sprayed in the first place.

I never sprayed anything on my dash. Just cleaning with a damp cloth.

it looks like the UV coating they use might be coming off.

All you need to do is reapply some Armorall to the interior. My parents have had two Fusions now, and they both required a little extra care for the dash and door materials. I've found that it worked best to apply a really generous coat of Armorall first, then go back over it with a dry cloth to get rid of the greasy film... basically just soak the extra Armorall up. If you just slap on some Armorall and go, the plastic will have a strange mottled look. It's a pretty weird problem, but this worked on both of their Fusions. I hope it works for you!

Take it to the dealer, will be interesting to see how Ford responds. I recall the 2003-2004 base Expedition (XLT) had gray cladding along the bottom of the doors that when new matched the gray plastic bumpers. Different plastic however and the door cladding turned a blotchy off-white after a few years. Ford refused to do anything unless you raised hell. I still see Expeditions with the blotchy cladding intact, so not a structural thing, just fading.

MY 2008 Hyundai didn't do that for 80,000 miles (the whole time I owned it)... The only time it was garaged was during winter. No sunshade either...

I agree, I think that it just needs another application of interior protectant. It looks like it has absorbed more in some areas then others. Which is why it has that splotchy look. You can see where the spray from the protectant directly hit the dash and where it didn't. Try spraying it onto a applicator or towel and then wiping the saturated towel on the dash, that will give it a more even application.

isend2c, that's nice. I can say the same for our 13 year old Ford.

Except that no interior protectant has ever been used on it. Just, as I said before, a very mild cleaner. That's not overspray you're seeing, it's just the way it's fading.
^mm

Who knew you still had this car? Last written about June 1.

I'm surprised the people think the writers at IL have no idea about wear versus contamination. It's not Armor All it's a manufacturers defect. This is what they do for a living folks, believe them. How Ford responds is the next chapter. Keep us posted Mike.

No interior should require treatment to keep from degrading. Looking forward to hearing what happens.

Some glass cleaner should take care of that. I had the same problem in my Fusion and that took care of it right away. Also I cleaned the inside of the winshield, that helped too.

i reckon this post would have 203u4akas x10^23 comments if it was about the cruze or regal

Ford's been experimenting with different interior materials lately for both environmental and economical reasons; maybe this is a failed experiment. Or, equally probable, a supplier is experimenting with new materials. Either way, Ford should step up, research the issue, find a fix and then issue it.

hmmm...if nothing was used on the dash then maybe you should try using a vinyl protectant on it. it would help to reduce further fading and might help to mask the damage that was already done by rehydrating the dried out plastic. Try some 303 Aerospace protectant, that stuff is good and should help to darken the plastic a bit.

Unless someone sprayed some odd protectant or harsh cleaner on this dash, which Mike has made clear is not the case, this should not be happening. Not on a 1+ year old car. Not even if it was parked in the sun for that year. Sounds like shoddy materials or a manufacturing defect.

My old Camry had a soft top dash that was in perfect condition after 14 years, and it was parked out in the weather for the last 8 of those. So something is wrong here.

Maybe Ford should spend less time building Lego Explorers and more time on quality.

Just sayin'.

I guess I would try the glass cleaner on a section of it, it could be a film from all the chemicals in a new car, I'm having trouble getting it off the inside of my windshield.

It's from the "mild interior cleaner".
We had the same thing happen to our Nissan Murano when it was new.
From how shiny the steering wheel looks, you must be using the same "mild interior cleaner".

Dashes have been heat and sun resistant for what, 20 years now? Why all of a sudden would a car manufacturer forget how to make a heat and sun resistant dash?

My first thought was similar to feloniousmonk's. Ford has been trying to use--or have its suppliers use--more sustainable materials, like bio-based foam.

It's Called a Ford, the best way to fix this issue is STOP BUYING AMERICAN CRAP!

My 1997 Nissan Maxima with 275k nor my Infiniti FX with 88k hasn't done this...the american's are doing better building cars but no matter how good they get I will stay with the Asian automakers.

I love the fact how people believe that just because Ford didn't take the government bailout that they aren't still capable of making mistakes or cutting corners, or, just putting out mediocre products as they always have.

Reminds me of days back in the 80's and 90's when Ford's exterior paint started to fade on the hood. Many people went to court to have their cars properly primed and repainted at Ford's expense. Base Mustangs in particular.

Is it soft-touch or hard plastic?

Try some Plexus or 303 Aerospace protectant on it and see if it will soak it up and even out the look of the surface.

Of course if it has, in fact, started to bake away that's a problem. One of my Volvos was over 30 years old before stuff like that started happening.

I'd be pretty displeased if this were my car.

Use of incorrect chemical cleaner is most like culprit.

To bad the Ford fanboys won't admit Ford took billions in loans from the governmont. some of it probably went to develop that cheap dash that spots in sunlight!

But Ford did seek a line of credit from the feds, borrowed billions under a government program to "retool" its plants and effectively failed first. That's why it recruited a superstar CEO from Boeing Co. and gave him some $23 billion in borrowed money to save the Blue Oval from bankruptcy.
Or it would have taken the money, too.

I could give a rat's patooty about who took or didn't take loans from haters or fanboys. The national haters/fanboys are probably the most ridiculous and irrational. I am interested in how the dash fix will work out.

OEMs and Suppliers make mistakes. This shouldn't happen, but if you are going to post about the forgotten fusion hybrid, how is it driving?

"Use of incorrect chemical cleaner is most like culprit. "

So why doesn't it happen to the other LT cars? And why is it happening with other owners as well? This is not an issue with any cleaning agent.

Magrath states that

"xcept that no interior protectant has ever been used on it. Just, as I said before, a very mild cleaner. That's not overspray you're seeing, it's just the way it's fading."

BS....anybody who has EVER put Armor All on any dashboard can see it is drying out. How can MM state what he does......has he taken the Fusion through EVERY car wash? Since the car obviously has been gone for a while, that is crazy. As for others that have seen this "defect", all you have seen in a dashboard that has its Armor All drying. (especially rentals) This would not change the look because cleaners would just dry it more and make it worse. I am astounded at the lunacy of this post. Even though I dont like it, put some more Armor All on it like the poster above states and watch it go away.....it will be better if not perfect. I bet Ford does not recommend anything on the dash and it has been blemished by what was put on it. Saying that there was never, ever anything put on it is really, really stupid. How many people have driven this car and taken through a car wash?.....did they watch the guys that dry it?(probably got wiped with a Armor All soaked rag). It is impossible to state with certainty that NOTHING but a mild cleaner was ever put on the dash. And since it looks JUST like drying Armor All I in no way believe that it was never wiped with anything but a mild cleaner.

@tbone85: I agree. I don't understand why people care about these money issues. As long as a manufacturer can make, sell, and service their cars-- with some hope, by the buyers, that said company will be around for a while-- then there is no problem as far as I am concerned.

After all, there isn't anything in this world that is cast in stone. (Except stuff that is cast in stone, of course.)

This theory would make some sense if we didn't have a default carwash we use with every single car in our fleet.
-mm

"On Sep 27, 2011, bimmerjay commented on 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid: Dash Fade

"Use of incorrect chemical cleaner is most like culprit. " So why doesn't it happen to the other LT cars? And why is it happening with other owners as well? This is not an issue with any cleaning agent. "

This.
-mm

I have had that happen on my cars with window/glass cleaner. Any of that stuff that mists down onto the dash will 'dry' it out. So after I clean the windshield, I go over the dash with cleaner/protectant. I personally use Meguiars and have used Armorall perviously.

Not saying this is what's happening, but it is a possibility.

"This theory would make some sense if we didn't have a default carwash we use with every single car in our fleet. "

LOL do robots dry and wipe down the interior of the car every time? Can you say that every rag they use is perfectly clean and has no Armor All residue on it? Come on, man.....think about it. This is a tempest in a teapot. Put some more on it and see what happens.

"So why doesn't it happen to the other LT cars? And why is it happening with other owners as well? This is not an issue with any cleaning agent. "

This.
-mm

Because the same thing was not put on the others by accident.......how hard is that to understand. You draw conclusions without knowing all of the facts. Just because the other LT cars do not have the same problem, that does not "prove" anything. The same with the people that have seen rental and other cars with this problem. They have no idea what and where chemicals have been applied on the dash. Has anyone taken the time to read the owners manual and SEE what it says about chemicals on the dash? If indeed it is made of something different AND something was put on it that should not have, how is that the cars fault? Where has the Fusion been the past few months?

"And why is it happening with other owners as well?"

Because they put Armor All on the dash and then it evaporates.......not that hard to grasp is it? Also I bet owners with the darker dash colors see it more.

I just got off of the phone with my buddy that has a 2010 Fusion he bought at CarMax a few months ago. His has the Camel interior. He says that when he bought the car it was really shiny inside and that it got duller in the past 4 months he has had it. Kind of like drying Armor All. It just depends on who details the car and what they put on it.

My cousin's 2006 Fusion's dashboard is curling up and showing lots of warpage now at 90,000. Also, stuff like door handles have broken. It's had a gentle life, too. Their materials quality is not up to snuff with the competition, regardless of what they say.

It seems the cleaning instructions on all the eco-friendly stuff we buy these days mention to "use damp cloth only; do not use chemicals". Some newer plastics may be more fragile to chemicals. RTFM and see what Ford says.

@bodyblue,

I have seen this happen on 4 different cars. It's more than just a coincidence that owners are reporting the problem in the forums and Edmunds' car turns up with the same issue. And I personally know the owners of one of the cars I've seen this on, and I know they never used any cleaners on the dash. Armor All or another product is not causing this.

You guys still have this thing? Why such low mileage and blog posts?

Wow, I thought this car was long gone. Perhaps this is simply the car's way of saying it didn't appreciate being left out in the cold.

Also, I'm starting to feel like a '1487'-sized hole has simply been filled with a horse of a different color. It's not necessary to impeach the character of every editor who writes for IL.

So Mike, if you say your car wash guys don't use armorall (frankly, I don't think I've ever been to car wash that would armorall the inside of a car without paying for an interior detail), I believe you.

Can anyone else hear the resale values plummeting?

I love everyone being like "typical Ford crap." My 2001 Focus with 120k that's parked in the sun every day has no interior fade or anything.

Every car has its unique problems.

"Armor All or another product is not causing this."

Really? Have any evidence other than the 4 owners you know? I am not saying it is not happening....what I am saying is that nobody on here really knows WHY. IF one is not supposed to use chemicals on this dashboard and they get used, it could indeed be happening. The pics look EXACTLY like drying chemicals....

A real study in no way resembles what people say on blogs on the internet. IF a customer was not supposed to put chemicals on the dash....and they do......do you really think that some would not lie about it so Ford would pay to fix it? Come on.....

Who knows? Its not like the IL eds or carwash workers read every owners manual now is it?

"So Mike, if you say your car wash guys don't use armorall (frankly, I don't think I've ever been to car wash that would armorall the inside of a car without paying for an interior detail), I believe you."

LOL who are you trying to impress?

Do ANY of you guys read ANYTHING? Here is the original question and some responses on the blog reported as "proof"

"Let me run this by you. I have a 2010 Fusion Sport and I have noticed the top of the dash fades out with the heat from the sun. If I wipe down the dash with an auto degreaser, all is fine. About a month later, the top of the dash begins to discolor."

The idiot put de-greaser on the dash.

Answer:

"I use a damp cloth to wipe down the dash, and never use something like Amor-All. I don't have any issues with my 2010 Fusion's dash fading"

answer:

"Like I have said, I wipe down the dash with a diluted cloth of Simple Green and the dash looks perfect afterwards. About a month later, the discoloring begins. "

again...another idiot put Simple Green on the dash.

answer:

"I seem to have experienced the same with my 2010 SEL and it definitely seems related to the heat. I have been using Meguiars quick interior detailer when it gets splotchy looking and then it looks fine for a while. "

Did anybody actually READ the blog? Did not think so.........you folks must get really tired with all of the jumping to the wrong conclusions.

OK anybody else want to offer this blog as proof?

"I am not saying it is not happening....what I am saying is that nobody on here really knows WHY."

I agree, we don't know the root cause. If this is happening on multiple cars (i.e. I've personally seen it on 4 different cars, Edmunds' has the problem and there are Fusion forum posts linked above citing the problem) it points to a quality issue, as it is very unlikely to be a perfect storm of owner-error. The pattern was the same on the cars I saw too - the discoloration spotting occured mainly on the horizontal surfaces away from the edges and diminished on the portions that aren't as exposed to direct sun.

"The pics look EXACTLY like drying chemicals...."

But that doesn't mean that's what it actually is.

"Edmunds' has the problem and there are Fusion forum posts linked above citing the problem) it points to a quality issue, as it is very unlikely to be a perfect storm of owner-error. "

WRONG....did you READ the blog in the link provided? I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you posted this before reading the blog....just like everybody else. The original post was from somebody that put Simple Green on the dash.

"WRONG....did you READ the blog in the link provided? I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you posted this before reading the blog....just like everybody else. The original post was from somebody that put Simple Green on the dash."

Yes, I read the entire thing before I posted. That poster also said this-

"The problem started before I wiped the dash down with anything."

"the problem started a month after I had the car. I've never had it detailed because only I clean the car. Simple Green had nothing to do with it."

"...this problem started before I even bought a sun shade. I went to the dealership today for an oil change and they told me that my dash issue is probably a defect from the factory and there is nothing I can do."

There's also this one from another poster:

"I have that same issue with my '10 SEL dash board. The "rubber" gets all blotchy looking, with some shiny spots and some dull spots. It is definitely caused by the sun/heat."

Wait so this car, 4 of your cars, and some forum posts have an issue? How many fusions have been sold? Seriously, did anyone take statistics in high school?

"Simple Green had nothing to do with it.""

That is what I was talking about.....this idiot ADMITS he put a chemical on the dash...but he ASSUMES that it had nothing to do with it.

""I have that same issue with my '10 SEL dash board. The "rubber" gets all blotchy looking, with some shiny spots and some dull spots. It is definitely caused by the sun/heat.""

LOL you really stand by using this blog as some kind of "proof"? ONE person said they did not put anything on his dash....a total stranger on the internet....and one person you know that claim they have NEVER put any chemical on the dash, EVER? That is the most ridiculous stretch of logic ever. If this is not what you are saying then what am I missing? It is so obvious that SOMETHING has been put on this dash that is evaporating from the sun....then somebody (who did not read what he googled) posts a link to a blog that supposedly shows that there are "problems" with dashboards on Fusions. Google any subject you want and you will receive a link to a blog with a discussion of that question. It says more about modern search engines than any defect with the Fusion. Then you state that "Armor All" is not causing this, a statement you have no way of backing up. You usually post much more carefully thought out posts, Jay. This time is not the case.

"Wait so this car, 4 of your cars, and some forum posts have an issue? How many fusions have been sold? Seriously, did anyone take statistics in high school? "

LOL But a link to a blog was given! It must be true! Only on a blog like this one, that so many people rush to make judgements, could such an obvious problem be blown so out of whack. The best thing of all is that people on that blog are astonished that a chemical would evaporate faster in the sun (the HORROR) and that the sun MUST be causing this! DUH. That a smart guy like Jay would base his argument is very surprising....

The glee and stupidity shown by posts like this are the best:

"It's Called a Ford, the best way to fix this issue is STOP BUYING AMERICAN CRAP!"

"LOL you really stand by using this blog as some kind of "proof"?"

What proof do you have to the contrary and why does it matter? Do you want a press release from Ford? Because even that could be disputed.

I'm stating my opinion based on my observations and experience - and backing it up with the information available at hand. Those are other owners' experiences whether or not you choose to believe them. If you want to believe something different, go right ahead. You have no better evidence to indicate the problem is due to any kind of cleaning agent.

"and one person you know that claim they have NEVER put any chemical on the dash, EVER? That is the most ridiculous stretch of logic ever."

Why would someone I know personally have reason to lie to me when seeking my advice on the problem? How is that not a stretch of logic on your part to assume they are being intentionally deceptive or mistaken?

I wish 1487 was still here...

Bodyblue you sound exactly like the guy you so passionately wanted to get kicked off of this blog...get over yourself.

"What proof do you have to the contrary and why does it matter?"

LOL why does anybody talk about anything on a forum? The simple fact is that your tiny sample size ruins any credibility for the sources you site. You are really doubling down on this? Really? OK so your friend has the same spots on his cars dash. You believe him when he says he never put anything on his dash....and you believe that if he ever had his car washed that nobody EVER even accidently put something on his dash. OK fine....if you want to base your argument in this matter on those points, I dont know what to say. Thats what you believe.

"Those are other owners' experiences whether or not you choose to believe them. "

I believe that indeed there is the same "problem"....its just that it is not a problem at all. It is a result of a drying chemical on a dashboard. Any other car treated with such chemicals will show drying spots JUST like this. My experiences over 35 years of cleaning and detailing my own cars back up what I say. When I was a kid I thought that the super glossy shine looked the best but then I changed my mind and rarely in the last 20 years have I put anything on my dash but clean water.....just because of things like this.

I really hope that IL takes the time to print what the owners manual actually says what to use on the dash.

BB - seriously - take a step back and look at your posts here and on the Explorer blog - desperately and repeatedly shouting down ANY criticism tendered, casting those who make those criticisms as misguided fools or agenda-driven haters. Seriously, who does that remind you of?

Isn't it just barely within the realm of the posssible that what we are seeing here is a materials defect?

jaeger: I am fully prepared to admit I have been channeling my inner 1487 just a bit. :) But the utter absurdity of some of the posts really bugged me. If you consider typing in all caps shouting then I concede the point. But actually going to the link provided and showing that it does not prove what the other posters were saying it does is not shouting anyone down. I just took the time to actually read what some did not. Also I did provide evidence that there is agenda -driven hate going on. That fact has been proven on the Explorer boards that there is some serious Ford bashing in the past few days. This thread again proves that. Of course it is possible that there is a defect, but the evidence give hardly proves anything....now if the dash had cracked then there would be no debate. But I will do something that 1487 would never do....I will bow out and shut up on this issue. People can draw their own conclusions.

"I am fully prepared to admit I have been channeling my inner 1487 just a bit."

That's the understatement of the century.

"But I will do something that 1487 would never do....I will bow out and shut up on this issue."

After how many posts? 11? Who are YOU trying to impress?

Excuses Excuses Excuses. This is upsurb after 1 yr and mostly garaged.

How come Honda, Toyota and Hyundai dashboards look great after 8yrs? Maybe Ford might want to think of using the same quality suppliers if their supplier doesn't get its act together?

"The simple fact is that your tiny sample size ruins any credibility for the sources you site. "

It would not be credible if you had an opposing sample set of better statistical significance. One of the sources is Edmunds itself. Are they not credible?

"Any other car treated with such chemicals will show drying spots JUST like this."

Then it should be able to be fixed relatively easily, yet that doesn't seem to be the case.

BB - good on you. That is indeed something 1487 would never do.

the wife's 2001 Acura CL had all sorts of interior plastic issues. The whole dash top got lumpy, the "metal" coating on the door handles flaked, the seat-back panels warped and pulled away from the seat back, and the dash top defroster vents warped and came loose. All was covered under warranty, hopefully Ford will step up and replace these panels once they identify and fix the problem.

Simple its a concentrate cleaner being sprayed directly on the dash this is a no no.

Actually, Ford issued a special service message about using a cleaner to remove the spots. Use "LA's Awesome Orange" with a damp rag and it will come off. It can be purchased at Dollar general.
If it doesn't come off, I am sure Ford will warranty the instrument panel.

Yikes. I have a 200k mile 92 accord and an 07 G35 with 45k miles. I have never seen anything like that. How does that happen with a 2010 car?

Seems to me like Ford is not sweating out the small details. Bailout money or not, product is what is going to make or break American automotive companies.

gen3 acura TLs had the same issue

Another reason I won't buy a Ford... The armrest on the center console of my mom's '07 F-150 Harley Edition faded from black to green/grey. The rest of the leather looks fine. It's been this way for a couple of years now.

I would suggest some Mother's back to black that would be my first line of defense, and then give it a good buff with a sheep's wool mitt or the like. Good luck...

For comparison my 2008 Nissan Rogue has 72000 miles on it and still looks factory fresh without the back to black. Looks like Ford just missed the UV testing when it did its material selection.

I rented a new Taurus and the rear brake light housing's adhesive had worn out and began to dangle around in the back there. The car itself drove well for being so heavy but the fact that adhesives were already melting is shameful.

I'd LIKE to buy a Ford as my next vehicle. Hopefully the new Mustang with its touted more upscale interior will fix some of these awkward quality issues.

Anybody defending this claiming that it is spray from something must forget that many people tend to use all of these kinds of Armor-Alls and crap and don't see this effect since they use it "properly" (I would never use that stuff, a dry microfiber cloth works perfectly for me). Again as Magrath stated, no other LT cars have this problem. I'll admit that it DOES look like a spray pattern but if its unclean-able, then obviously something is wrong with the plastic.

I do professional detailing on the side and from experience this does not look like sun damage or use of poor materials. It looks like some harsh chemical was used on the dash due to the spotting that is clearly visible in the first pic probably due to a harsh spray of some sort.

yea i have the fusion sport and my dash has the exact same thing happening to mine

Like what do you expect from a Ford?

Man - all this hard time for IL's car to prove it is a Ford quality issue. It seems clear they standardize what they can and this is not user error.

What I wonder is how hard it would be to get this fixed if you were an average Joe like me. I can see the dealer telling me how I screwed up, not Ford.

Actually Ford has a TSB for this problem its leftover resin from the molds that makes the dash. The factory did not clean them correctly. All that is needed is an alcohol based cleaner that Ford will provide for free and problem is gone forever. It really amazes me that IL dose very little investigating on something that is not a fading problem at all. IL try’s to make light of it like the dash is fading. When if they would have investigated they could have inform us if you have this problem with your dash take it to your Ford dealer they have a quick fix.

I work at a lincoln dealer and yes it is a concern we see with 2010 fusions, milans and mkzs. only 2010, not other years has this concern
@cobra32
thank you for this i was about to post it as well, the product is called "la's awesome orange" cleaner, or any orange oil based cleaner will work just fine.

Firstly, no degreaser of any type should be used on interior panels. What your doing is trying out the built in conditioning, if the interior panels. Essentially, do it once and your screwed from then on, and will require reconditioning of the panels every few days from then on. And secondly, do not used Armor-All of any type...nothing that has petroleum as an ingredient.

I have a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid with 40k miles on it. I have zero dash fade and I live in El Paso, TX and I never park it in a garage. I have a feeling that someone cleaned your dash with a bad product.

Is the current fusion going to be replaced with a Mondeo looking one?

21469 2010 FUSION/MILAN/MKZ INSTRUMENT PANEL APPEARANCE CONCERNS, DESCRIBED AS DISCOLORATION, BLOTCHINESS OR SPOTTING.
SOME 2010 FUSION, MILAN AND MKZ VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 12/14/2009 MAY EXPERIENCE AN INSTRUMENT PANEL APPEARANCE CONCERN DESCRIBED AS DISCOLORATION, BLOTCHINESS OR SPOTTING. TO IMPROVE SERVICE CLEANING CONDITIONS, CAREFULLY CLEAN THE ENTIRE SURFACE (NOT JUST THE AREA IN QUESTION) WITH A CLEAN WHITE CLOTH USING A CLEANING SOLUTION, "LA'S TOTALLY AWESOME ORANGE". THIS DOES NOT REPLACE CLEANING RECOMMENDATIONS PROVIDED IN THE OWNERS GUIDE, BUT SHOULD BE USED TO ADDRESS THIS UNIQUE CONDITION. IF OTHER CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT FOLLOW NORMAL WSM DIAGNOSTICS. THIS SOLUTION CAN BE OBTAINED LOCALLY OR ORDERED ON LINE BY SEARCHING FOR THE TITLE OF THE PRODUCT ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB.
EFFECTIVE DATE: 08/23/2010

bodyblue says:
Just because the other LT cars do not have the same problem, that does not "prove" anything. The same with the people that have seen rental and other cars with this problem. They have no idea what and where chemicals have been applied on the dash.

So bodyblue, can you please explain WHY only the Ford/Lincoln owners of this particular model seem to have all accidently gotten dried out Armour All on their dash? If your theory was correct, this would be a fairly common phenomenon and would afflict MANY different types of cars, and would probably have been seen by the InsideLine folks on other cars sometime in their history.

Are you saying that the Ford Fusion dash is NOT defective, just CURSED? It's not Ford's fault, it's a freak of nature coincidence or MAYBE, just MAYBE, it's being caused by Space Aliens who are communicating with the Fusion's MySync system through the dash, and leaving behind a residue of telepathic extraterrestrial excrement!?!?!?!

THE ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED. Stop blaming the good efforts of a Car company we should all be proud of.

Thanks joneebee and Cobra32 for the TSB.

chikoo says:

05:35 PM, 09/26/11

"I owned a 2003 Mazda6 (made by Ford UAW) for 7 years and never parked in a garage in TX heat. The Dash never showed any signs of fade or wear and tear. In fact my brother who had an audi showed signs of dash fade in 3 years. Go figure...

This could be a result of some spray that should not have been sprayed in the first place.

I never sprayed anything on my dash. Just cleaning with a damp cloth."

Funny, I still own a 2003 Mazda6, yes built by Ford, and it's been the best car I ever owned. There is no dash fade, but strangely my wife's Mazdacx7 is experiencing really awful dash discoloration. It's actually DISCOLORATION for crying out loud. The black interior on the dash is slowly but surely becoming creamy white in some large spots. The CX7 is built in Japan, BTW, but I'd never start bashing Japanese car companies just because of discoloration :)

Whatever you used to clean the dash appears to have been sprayed on directly to the dash. I always spray on the rag I'm using to avoid this. I hand wash my truck once a week in a washbay at work and I have seen this happen on vehicles when you spray armour-all or other "interior protection products" on the dash as well as leather. I guess I would always make sure you apply it to the rag first. Just my personal experience.