2004 SCAB FX4 W/5.4
I HAVE FINALLY HAD ENOUGH, THE DEALER HAD MY TRUCK FOR TWO WEEKS THIS TIME AND ALL THE DID WAS ROAD FORCE AND INDEX MY TIRES AND PUT GOODYEARS ON IN PLACE OF THE BFGS. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS B/C OF FLAT SPOTS ON THE TIRES AND IT GOES AWAY AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES. AFTER GETTING IT BACK THE STEERING WHEEL STILL HAS THE NIBBLE. I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK IN MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR, SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN FEB. OF 2004, FOR THIS PROBLEM AND A LIST OF OTHER PROBLEMS. NEED SOME DIRECTION FROM THE GUYS WHO HAVE WON THERE DSB'S ON WHAT I NEED TO DO TO GET THIS STARTED.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

Jr, what speeds are you experienceing the nibble at? The tires can't be balanceed for much above 50mph. The tire balancers only spin at ~25mph...

 

the nibble only shows up at 70mph +.

 

Do a search on "DSB", "Lemon Law" and "Vibration" there is lots of good info in those areas.

There is a post titled "won my DSB hearing" where it will tell you how, when, where and what to do.

There is also information in your owner's manual and an application is available from any of these places:

Your selling dealer
The Ford customer hotline (in your owner's manual)

The dispute settlement board itself-
P.O. Box 1424
Waukesha, WI 53187-1424

1-800-428-3718

Good luck

 

Could someone explain what this Nibble is? I THINK I may have it but just wanted to have an explanation. Is this the same movement in the steering wheel as when you have warped rotors?

 

Does mentioning the Lemon Law make a difference to the dealer? I'd like to get my truck problems resolved without an ugly fight. teecee3

 

To JRFX4 - - They had my truck for a week and put 72 miles on it. It came back with the same nibble and vibration. I'm tired of having to fool with it all and still pay new truck payments. teecee3

 

If it's only happening above 70mph, then it's just the balance on the tires.

 

teecee3,

It didn't with my dealer. Throughout the entire process up to the point that I turned in the lemon FX4 nobody really seemed to take it seriously. Neither Ford corporate or the management at the dealer were helpful in any way and as far as threatening them with "Lemon Law" I would bet that it would cause them to totally shut down and refuse to help you at all. It is a card you can only play once and you better be ready to dig in and fight when you throw it down.

The only people that were in any way helpful were the service dept techs and mgrs at the selling dealer. That is why I finally did the DSB, because I was sure that everything had been attempted, and if there was a solution at the time the guys working on my truck would have found it.

 

Neither Ford corporate or the management at the dealer were helpful in any way and as far as threatening them with "Lemon Law" I would bet that it would cause them to totally shut down and refuse to help you at all. It is a card you can only play once and you better be ready to dig in and fight when you throw it down.

There's some truth to that. Once the lemon-law card is played, the dealer's actually out of the process.

 

You can get the dsb app. from your dealer or call the 800 # in the owners manual. I just won my dsb. Make sure you have your dealership give you copies of everything in the file on the truck, inculding techs notes, they may write down somthing that may be very helpful. Send a letter with your paperwork stating your concerns, but don't get nasty, just give them the facts. If you find out the review is somwhere you can attend, request from the board office that you would like to do so. What you say at the review can help your case. Ford called me a week or so before the meeting and made me an offer, but I wanted my money back and was awarded it. Good luck.

 

Thanks for your advice. I don't want any meanness or confrontation but I have got to get the service records from the service manager. He has been very nice but he always says the service paper is unavailable(several different reasons) at the time I ask for it. I'd like to think he's not been 'told' to keep them away from me. I have kept a 'diary' of all contact but I still don't know for sure what was done each time. My beautiful NEW truck is not fun anymore. teecee3

 

Go to a different dealer and ask for a "vehicle history" for your VIN. They should be able to give you complete info about every service that was done to your truck, even before you owned it.

I did this because there were repairs done to my truck prior to my purchase. The vehicle history showed this. It will show ANY type of service or check done up to and including the key programing.

There is a differance between confrontation and service. If you can't get what you need it is poor service regardless of how nice people are treating you. You spent upwards of $30,000 for a vehicle. You pay their salaries, you keep them in buisness, it is not unreasonable to expect that you get good service when and where you need it.

 

This is excellent advice. Whenever I have taken in my Fords for service, everything is on the computer and they can call up the service record whenever and for whatever. I would think getting a copy of this record and communicating with Ford ought to be able to resolve the problem. As one who dealt with unhappy people in my former life it was always best to get to the crux of the problem in a logical way rather than all of the histrionics and mouthing off. That just wastes time and doesn't solve anything.

 

Yea, I thought of that already- -I PAID Carfax for a search on my truck. There is nothing on it that shouldn't be(none of my services are there at all!). My husband talked to the service guy at the dealer Thursday (3-10) and managed to get a copy of one more service order- -now I have two. The guy also told him they couldn't get the steering rack replacement parts to fix the steering "nibble". . . . he says its up to the parts guys now. It's all very frustrating and dissappointing. teecee3