Smashed radiator fins

[bluesteel]

I'm not sure exactly how this progressed over my nearly 15,000 miles of ownership, because I didn't notice it until the midst of a cross-country trip a couple weeks ago, which is when I took this photo. So, sorry about the bugs and such. It was hard to get my phone camera to focus properly. But you get the idea. The radiator fins are mostly smashed in the area where the bottom two active shutters would be, had they not been phased out for safety reasons (I believe my Mav was manufactured after that recall, so I assume the shutters were never installed in the first place).

Does this mean the active shutters actually have the benefit of preventing light airborne debris from smashing the radiator fins? Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions. This kind of damage seems ridiculous, but is it normal? Am I missing something? Should I be concerned?

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[StevenK]

What was the build date on your Maverick? Could be the shutter recall was done at the dealer before you picked up your truck. A highly skilled dealer tech could have done that damage to the radiator...

 

[Xbbqpitmaster]

Also, if a pressure washer was ever used, it doesn’t take much to “bend” those super thin aluminum fins.

 

[19mustang65]

A single bug can bend a fin. Looks like you've hit thousands dude

 

[Ponchsox]

You can fix the bent fins with a toothpick and tweezers.

 

[bluesteel]

You can fix the bent fins with a toothpick and tweezers.

Okay, lots of work, though, and it would probably just happen again if bugs are causing it. I think the build was November 2022, and I bought it the following month.

So sounds like my main question should be, is this common, and should I be concerned about it?

I have been doing a lot of towing but never saw the temp gauge climb past halfway.

 

[Ponchsox]

There might be an aftermarket screen you can put on to protect it. I installed one on our Subaru Ascent.

 

[TCPTX65]

You can fix the bent fins with a toothpick and tweezers.

Better off using one of these

https://www.amazon.com/Conditioner-...ool&qid=1686676476&sprefix=fin+,aps,82&sr=8-4

 

[Peter Lukasch]

Could that damage have been caused by a pressure washer being too close?

 

[bluesteel]

Have never used a pressure washer on it, unless an automatic car wash counts!

 

[colinl]

I'm going to say no on the bugs. While I don't think it's impossible if you hit something firm like a junebug at 80... my truck has been through rural Kansas higher than 80 and killed its fair share of bugs with almost 17k on the odo. I just checked and I did not see any bent fins on my intercooler or radiator. Plus this is way too much damaged area. Even a piece of pea-sized gravel striking would not do this, it would be a small impact.

Have never used a pressure washer on it, unless an automatic car wash counts!

Many automatic washes have people standing at the entrance with wands to pressure wash the front bumper and hood edge. One of those guys could have done this if they put the nozzle very close to the radiator. I can't see how you could prove it and get them to pay for the repair, though.

 

[bluesteel]

Thanks for all of the input. I have only gone through one staffed car wash with the Mav, and the staff were pretty inept, but I confirmed from photos that the problem existed before that. I will also add that the bottom of the lower radiator is in about the same condition - yep, also where there would have been an active shutter. It seems likely that this would have happened during removal of the shutters, whenever that occurred. (I too am of the mind that bugs could not have caused it.) I find this ridiculous. But I have no way of proving it and am sure Ford/dealers would disclaim any responsibility. So I guess it's a matter of replacing (unlikely), un-folding (more likely), or monitoring as is to see if I have any cooling issues (doesn't seem like a particularly good idea).

 

[Montana]

Damn that's a lot! Even washing multiple times a week on average I have never seen it this bad.

I would definitely try my luck with the dealer. I've had ones in the past that wouldn't think twice about it and cover it under warranty and others that you basically had to threaten with serious injury to even make an appointment lol. I don't think it's anything to worry about at the moment, but if it gets worse the yea, I'd get it fixed.

How are temps currently?

 

[Joe Rambo]

You can fix the bent fins with a toothpick and tweezers.

There's a tool used in Air Conditioning called a "Fin Comb" made exactly for this purpose.

 

[colinl]

There's a tool used in Air Conditioning called a "Fin Comb" made exactly for this purpose.

And the lower finned unit is the intercooler for the turbo. Radiator above it.

I'm not familiar with an active shutter recall for ecoboost. Hybrid yes. But the active shutters are for aerodynamics at 60+.

OP are you the first owner of the truck?

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