Well, dealing with the Disbute settlement board is finaly over .The dealer handed me my check and I went the same day and purchased a 2004 Silverado. And yes this vehicle drives beautiful, no vibrations, the air conditioning is actually cold ,and the breaks are not choppy. I'm really satified
with this Silverado. For anyone else out there fighting the battle "DONT QUIT"
I recieved every penny back ,all I had to pay was .10 a mile for the first 1066
miles ,thats when I first took the vehicle back to the dealership with the vibration problem.The sad part is I was a loyal Ford customer for 26 years .And the way I fell now I'll never own another ford product.Well good luck to anyoue else fighting this battle

 

Let's see........

Ford failed to produce a perfect vehicle, and that's unfortunate. But they turned around and gave you a 100% refund (has Microsft EVER done that with their hopelessly and fatally-flawed Windows 98? For even one customer? NOT!!!), and you used the money to buy a competitor's product. I can understand that, but what I don't understand is the last comment, "..the way I fell now I'll never own another ford product..." So why should Ford have given your money back? If there's nothing they could have done to make you happy, then where's the incentive for them?

Companies make a mistake, and then they bend over backwards to try to make the customer happy. The consumer then rewards them by stating that they'll NEVER do business with them again. I think the least you could do is state that you'll give them a chance later on, once they've proven that they've re-earned your trust and patronage. Hey, if you're just here to rant, then go ahead and get it over with, but it still strikes me as a rather unreasonable attitude. I don't know, maybe you're doing Ford a favor......

 

Depending on how long he has battled with his problem, I can understand his reasoning with buying a completely different make. If I had a bunch of troubles with a vehicle and had to goto a board and such, I don't know if I would turn around and sink another 30k or more.

I am on my 4th Ford p/u, but I owned a Chevy and a GMC in between the 3rd and 4th Ford. My other fords never had a bit of problems. The Chevy and GMC were in for about 3 problems each, but each were corrected on the first visit.

I have the vibration problem and have had the truck in 4 times for a total of 4 weeks. I bought the truck at the end of April. I am trying to be patient as my dealer is trying to resolve the problem. After a few more times I will probably ask them to replace the truck for one without the problem.

 

Describe the vibration, is sounds like it's a serious one... It may just be tires that were not balanced properly at the factory......

 

Driveline vibe. They have road forced balanced the tires, installed vibration dampener, replaced ring pinion gear. I am now waiting for a new drive shaft. It is backordered as Ford has said it has had a "unexpected demand" for repalcement drive shafts.

My vibe starts around 30mph and it is at its worst from 40-45.

 

I HAD A VIBRATION AROUND 55-75MPH, THAT DIDN'T START UNTIL I HAD ABOUT 2000 MILES. I JUST CHANGED THE OIL AND ROTATED & BALANCED MY TIRES, MY VIBRATION IS NOW GONE.

 

1956MarkII, joe martin is certainly justified in his comments.

First of all, joe's issue was not with the fact that Ford didn't produce a "perfect vehicle". The issue was that Ford did not, could not, and would not repair the defect. Joe gave them many chances, which surely would've re-earned his "trust and patronage" had Ford taken those opportunities to make it right. Ford simply expected joe to live with the problem, not offering him any reasonable type of resolve. They drug him through the mill, pushed him, frustrated him, and used his precious time and effort so he could get what he deserved in the first place. Ford certainly didn't "bend over backwards" to make him happy. In fact, as determined by the Dispute Board, they openly breached the warranty agreement.

Secondly, Ford didn't exactly turn around and give joe a 100% refund out of the kindness of their hearts. Joe had to fight for that refund. It was only after that fight, and a review of his case by the Dispute Settlement Board, that Ford was mandated to give him a refund. Remember, the Dispute Settlement Board is made up of unpaid, volunteer, non-Ford employee members who deal with these cases as fairly as possible. They determined there would be a refund, not Ford Motor Company. Obviously, and as evidenced by the Board's decision, Ford was not cooperating with joe or resolving his issue. Otherwise he wouldn't have needed to take his case through the dispute process.

Lastly, there is no obligation with the refund that says joe must buy another Ford product, or give Ford another chance. I think he's already done that. He says he's been buying Ford's loyally for 26 years. And we all know the chances he allowed Ford along the way to the Dispute process. Why should a customer like that have to take his truck through the Dispute process in the first place?

Now...had Ford stepped up to the plate, taken responsibility for the defect, and saved joe the hassle of being dragged through the Dispute process, then I would say Ford did the right thing and he should be happy for that type of service. But that didn't happen.

The only "favor" joe has done for Ford is make them realize they can't continue to expect owners to put up with defective vehicles. As a car salesman who sells these trucks, you'd think you would be trying to understand joe's scenario and win him back as a customer...not push him away.

I think you should consider the comment you made to joe, yourself....."if you're just here to rant, then go ahead and get it over with, but it still strikes me as a rather unreasonable attitude."

 

Some people Ford may be better off losing as customers, because there is no pleasing them

 

I don't know ftsrb01...joe seems pretty pleased with his new Silverado.

The Dispute Settlement Board, not Ford, found joe's concerns to be legitimate. So maybe it wasn't a matter of being "pleased" at all. Instead maybe it was a matter of buying a defective truck.

The best way to "please" a customer is to take care of the problem. Not make them go through a formal dispute process.

 

 

Ford did NOTHING to make the customer happy, that is why the DSB FORCED Ford to buy back the truck!
"Ford bent over backwards" thats funny
My Ford rep would not do anything about my driveline vibration. He said the vibration was a normal for a Ford truck and if I was not happy go the the DSB. I have my DSB hearing tomorrow morning for my 2004 Scab, 5.4 driveline vibration problem.

 

LAB MAN!

Let me know how it goes...if you could give the process you had to go through. I need to do the same...I feel really awful since this is the worst riding truck/car I have ever owned and the most expensive. I WANT OUT OF IT and I do not want to take a $10,000 hit in it!!!

Thanks man and GOOD LUCK!!

 

ANAP, if your dealer won't or can't help you get the problem resolved, you can start the process by requesting a Dispute Settlement Application from Ford Motor Company at the Customer Service 1-800 number. If Ford doesn't send the application out immediately, then you can request one directly from the Dispute Board at:

DSB Administration
P.O. Box 1424
Waukesha, WI 53187

or

Dispute Settlement Board
P.O. Box 5120
Southfield, MI 48086-5120

or try calling 1-800-688-2429

That should get the ball rolling. FYI, keep all records, etc. If you have a legitimate case, your application will be accepted and you will receive a case number. From there it's just a matter of being patient, following procedure, and making your case with a professional attitude. The DSB is there to help you, so thank them.

 

Hey All,
It looks like I am headed down the same path. I have an (04 FX4 SCAB loaded), my first Ford product. Build date was 4-14-04 and I purchased it on 6-10-04. It has been back to the dealer 3 + times now, they replaced the driveshaft first (told me it was fixed), then replaced the complete differential from wheel to wheel (told me it was fixed), now they added a vibration dampner on the left rear side of the frame. In all three changes the vibration has also changed. Now I have the vibration between 50 and 60 mph and also during deceleration. The service manager called me after the dampner was installed and basically tried to sell me the truck again and give me a story. He now blames it on the new 5.4L causing the problem and that I should live with it until Ford has a fix. Has anyone heard of the engine possibly causing this? I went and picked up the truck after the dampner was installed, didn't even get a mile from the dealer and called them back to make another appointment. The dampner added an extra rattle coming from the rear-end and the vibes are still there. I am going back today to take there writer and manager for a ride. I am also going to try to drive other FX4's on the lot to compare.

 

Thanks Cruel Crew,I could not have said it better.At the hearing there was a
Ford rep in attendence,and an independent certified mechanic.To make their final decision they both wanted to drive the vehicle. With the DSB the decision has to be unamious. I believe the Ford rep. felt the vibration and knew it was not normal,He owned the same year and style vehicle as mine,I
believe he was the first Ford representive that acknowledged the truth and
stepped up to the plate in my 8 month battle with ford,all the rest tried telling me the vibration was inherent in the vehicle,and just to live with it.
When I went to the hearing I had all the information from this site and others, I had pictures of the so called Vibration dampener kit fix (by the way the DSB got a good laugh out of that). I had a printout of all the complaints for vibrations from the NHTSB.The DSB told me from the very begining that all they wanted at to do is verify that the truck vibrated because I had supplied them with plenty of documentation.I do recomend to everyone going thru this process take the time and apear before the board.

1956 MARK II--Your statements are out of line ,I never understood it when people talk about something they have no information about.After reading your comment I was wondering if you also try telling people what its like being pregnant.I invested aprox. 250 hours time just gathering information in prep for the hearing.I had 5 trips to the dealership to try to resolve this problem,I paid 32,000 to drive a vehicle every day that was unpleasant to drive.I lost a days work because Ford thought it was cheeper for them not to acknowledge their mistake.Ford gave me nothing I did not fight for