Never buying another FORD.
Let me start off by saying, I've always been a BIG 3 supporter, and have never owned a Honda, Toyota, Nissan, or other foreign car. However due to a recent experience with my 2008 Ford Escape, I will never buy another Ford.

Overall, I like the Escape. Sure, it is low on power, but I didn't buy it to win any races. The car was purchased in the fall of 2008 as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle. It now has about 40,000 miles on it.

In January after a big snow storm, the ABS and Traction Control lights came on, and the car was difficult to drive. (Lots of jerking and noise coming due to ABS activation). Being a bit of a do-it yourself guy, I had previously purchased the Factory Service Manual for the Escape. Using the manual, I was able to quickly determine thru visual examination that the ABS Tone Ring (Speed Sensor Ring) on the front left wheel was broken.

The service manual says the Tone Ring is not serviceable, and to fix this issue to replace the Axle Half Shaft. I then consult my Certified Pre-Owned Warranty to confirm the Half Shaft is a covered component. Which it was.

I then drop the car off at the dealer to get this fixed. A few hours later, the dealer calls me at work telling me it’s going to cost me about 250 bucks to get this fixed, and that they will replace the tone ring, without changing the half shaft and this is not covered under warranty.

My wife had just had a baby, I didn't have time to fix it myself, or take it to another dealer, so I told them to go ahead and fix it, figuring that I could straighten it out later.

A few days later I write a letter to Ford customer service. (I couldn't email them, as web site comments are limited to 1000 characters, and I had a lot to say to them). Customer service responded about 2 weeks later saying this is a Workmanship Issue and they don't get involved with that, and I need to resolve the issue with the dealer.

I respond online to Customer Service indicating this is a WARRANTY issue, not one of workmanship. I'm fine if the dealer uses an alternate method to complete the repair, but don't use an alternate method, and then tell me it’s not covered.

Customer service again responds telling me all Warranty issues are handled by the dealer and to address it with them, or go to a different dealer.
I then write to CEO Alan Mulally, which of course went unanswered. Hence my post here.

My take aways from this experience:

Ford customer service is a complete waste, and provides no assistance to owners with real problems, and will punt everything back to the Dealer.

Ford does not give two craps about their image, since they apparently do not exercise any control over the dealership and will hide behind the dealer for everything.

Ford does not honor their CPO warranty, and will use any loop hole they can to get out of it.

Ford does not need my business. Hopefully, they won't get your business anymore either.

 

I`ve never had a vehicle of any kind under warranty so can`t speak from experience but I would doubt that either GM or Chrysler would cover accidental damage under their warranties. But I could be wrong.

 

Lazy..there is no 'accidental' damage here. Its not like I scraped a curb and expected FORD to give me a new wheel and tire because I scratched them due to my carelessness. The Tone Ring BROKE due to I don't know what...Poor design maybe. The Tone Ring is connected to the Half Shaft, which is clearly covered by the CPO warranty. Unless something is considered a WEAR item, like Brake Pads or Tires,or is specifically excluded from the Warranty, then it should be covered.

 

Have you thought about posting this in the Escape forum in order to seek advice or assistance with your problem? Here's the link to it:

Escape & Escape Hybrid - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

While I can sympathize with your situation, posting a rant here will not necessarily do anything to help you out with the predicament at hand.

I would suggest posting a thread in the forum I linked above. Perhaps someone there can assist you or possibly has had the same type of problem with their vehicle.

Oh, and by the way, Welcome to FTE!

 

Interesting first post...a complaint. If I read your post correctly...you self diagnosed your problem...the professionals at the dealership diagnosed a different issue. In your diagnosis...the issue would be covered under warranty...in the professionals diagnosis...the issue isn't covered under warranty. Of course Ford would back the professional diagnosis...how could you expect anything else???

While I sympathize with your situation...I would side with Ford on this one. I would think that somewhere in the verbage of your CPO Warranty there are words to this effect..."Failure of a covered componet resulting from failure of a non-covered componet is not covered"

As John suggested...head over to the Escape Threads to see if anyone else has the same issue and how it was resolved.

Good luck.

 

this thread very much reminds me of the guy who came here to **** and moan about how ford stuck it to him by selling him a junk truck that needed a new torque converter after only 500 miles. ford fixed it free of charge, but it was still junk.
even though he would not say why it needed a new torque converter, or what cause the vehicle to go back to the dealer in the first place.
my call is spammers trying to ruffle our feathers.

 

Guys, thanks for pointing me to the Escape forum. I'll give that a try.

BigKen... Yes, I did self diagnois the problem. However the "professionals" did NOT diagnois a different problem. They replaced the tone ring which I identified as the issue. Problem solved.

At issue is the fact that the Tone Ring is part of the Half Shaft, which is a covered component under the CPO warranty. Why is my wallet lighter by 250 bucks?

 

I was sure someone would call me a 'hater' or whatever. So please re-read my post. In the past, I've always been a big 3 supporter, and overall think the Escape is a decent vehicle. I have nothing bad to say about Ford vehicles. This complaint is soley about a failure to honor the Warranty.

 

i could re read your post 500 times, and the very first thing i see is the name of the thread, and the first four words: Never buying another FORD.
to me, that does not read as "i have nothing bad to say about ford vehicles".

but besides that, as BigKen said, this is a dealer issue, not a ford corporate issue.
ford does not offer the extended warranty plan, it is dealer issued through a warranty company.
if you can document the tone ring is part of the shaft, you should also be able to prove it is a covered repair and you should get your money back.
unfortunately for us, dealers are in business to make money, not do free repairs.
i have had 3 warranty repairs done, and had problems with the dealership trying to reneg on the warranty on two of the three repairs.
the third time, i found an honest dealership, and i have stuck by them for 15 years now.

 

Are you saying that a Ford CPO is not really backed by FMC? I think you are mistaken. BigKen can clarify.

The overall issue here is (lack of) customer service from corporate. This is a problem for the whole industry, not just Ford. Read forums about other brands and the same type of threads pop up. "Never buying a Ford again" will not save you from this.

The franchised dealer, who is not owned or operated by FMC is expected to be the only interface between the customer and manufacturer.

If I buy a GE refrigerator from Home Depot and have an issue, GE does not direct me to deal only with Home Depot.

 

Indeed...Ford is the ESP provider for Ford CPO vehicles. Interestingly enough...manufacturers do not look at ESPs as money makers for the corporation...they look upon them as a Customer Satisfaction issue. No manufacturer wants an owner body to be upset with them. Unfortunately...due to the nature of the beast...it's bound to happen.

In the past...manufacturers have budgeted between 90% and 110% of premiums they collect to be paid out in repairs. Sometimes they make a few bucks...sometimes they don't. These are figures I've been given in the past...things could have changed now.

Ford would not deny a claim unless they felt that they were right in the situation.

 

what i meant was that the extended warranty is not written by Ford. it is an agreement between the purchaser and the policy writer. while some may be favored by Ford, none are written by Ford.
certified pre-owned is not the same as an extended warranty.


on edit:
Ken posted at the same time as i did, and i see i am wrong in my thinking. i was not aware that ford actually writes the ESP's. the 2 that i had were written by independent firms that had nothing to do with Ford other than the fact that Ford honored the policy's.

 

Tom...there are many companies that write extended service policies...mostly insurance companies. The best...and...most expensive ones...are the ones backed by the manufacturers. Twenty eight years in this business has taught me to avoid the "aftermarket" ones...sometimes almost impossible to get them to pay a claim!!!

 

good to know Ken.
the only one i used was with the crown vic when the tailshaft bearing went and took out the seal. they replaced the tailshaft of the trans.
they wanted to replace the whole trans with a reman, but i told the dealer to just replace the tailshaft. that was 40k miles ago.
the only other thing i was going to have done was the window motors, 3 of the 4 are bad, but they wanted a $100 deductable for each and i can get the motor for $65 each, so it was not worth it in my eyes, cause i have only used the driver side window in the 11 years i have owned it.

 

Being a big three supporter doesn't make a Ford enthusiast, or a hater. Your service manual said the part was not serviceable and yet the dealer serviced it. So, a discrepancy exists between the service manual, your interpretation of the service manual and the dealer. Now your mad at Ford because the dealer was able to repair the faulty part and that part is not covered.

Does Ford Motor Company really deserve to be crucified over this? Has the car been good otherwise?

I would make an appointment with the dealership service manager and plead your case there.