Rust underneath car but no advisories on MOT

DocQuincy

My car is a 2013 Ford Focus. It passed MOT last month and the only advisory was Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both rears (5.2.3 (e)) — I was having the tyres replaced anyway.

I noticed today under the car there is rust in many places on the underneath (e.g. see attachment at the driverside rear of the car).

I've never had new cars and don't know much about them but this rust startled me and I am worried it is going to cost me a fortune in repairs in the near future. Having said that, I do remember my previous car, also a Focus but a few years older, rusted so badly on the exhaust I got a friend to remove the outer layer with an angle grinder. I don't recall it getting an advisory; it certainly never failed. Also, on the school run today after noticing it I walked through a residential area I did notice rust on exhausts, etc on older cars.

Is this anything to worry about on a 8 year old car? I am not bothered about the value of the car, I just want to know if a) it will likely be an issue in the next 3 or 4 years and b) do I need to do anything now to mitigate the damage. Is this just what happens from the salt on the roads, etc? Am I likely to get a couple of years worth of MOT advisories before any action needs taking? I took a damp wipe to it and most of it comes of almost like it's dust so that tells me it is surface rust at this stage.

I have it booked in for a service next month so will ask then but wanted a heads up.

Thanks.

flashg67

From the pic, it looks like just surface rust and is very unlikely to cause any issues for the foreseeable future. The metal is very thick and would take years to corrode to the point it was not doing its job.  Exposed parts like that take the brunt of the weather/road grit/salt etc so it's virtually impossible to stop this, and not cost effective to do

DocQuincy

Thanks so much for putting my mind at rest. An expensive car bill right now would finish me off!

motorguy

As per flash's comment, looks likes fairly standard surface rust

dipsomaniac

You don't need to worry about rust on a 8 year old focus. My 18 year old focus has sub frame rust advisories but I'm not concerned

jimjames

Those sort of parts like the lower arms are replaceable so if the rust did ever get so bad that it rusted through then you can replace the whole item for relatively small amounts of money. The front lower arms on my Golf were over 15 years old, surface rust like that as still originals but replacements cost under £50.

Grumpy_chap

Looks like surface rust and, on an 8yo car, it's quite unusual to have severe rust unless there has been impact damage.

The rust / anti-perforation warranty on most cars is around 10 years.  What is the anti-perforation warranty on your car?  If still in warranty, you could get an inspection by Ford to either put your mind at ease, or the job sorted.

DocQuincy

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the reassurance.

@Grumpy_chap I read on another MSE thread that it would be under Ford anti-perforation warranty but to stand any chance of using that it would need to have been serviced by Ford every year (I don't use them) and it only covers actual holes, not surface rust.

It's underneath though and you have all put my mind at rest so I will forget about it for now!

m0bov

You can get under and clean it with a strong degreaser, then apply something from Bit hamber that will protect it. Cars start rusting as soon as they leave the factory.

justworriedabit

When our cars are serviced, the engineers often say how clean the underside is. Mr J runs a jet spray wash under the car around March time this washes away the salts.  Surface rust at worst, no big deal

caprikid1

m0bov said:

You can get under and clean it with a strong degreaser, then apply something from Bit hamber that will protect it. Cars start rusting as soon as they leave the factory.

Exactly this, ideally get it on a ramp steam clean it, bilt hammer underneath