Recall Accountability...
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 817
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Recall Accountability...
So, according to archived news articles, Ford has over the past two years RECALLED (not just TSBd) millions of a variety of Ford cars, vans and trucks over the door latch issue. My question, under the recall Ford is accountable on a much higher level to 'get it right' as compared to a 'mere TSB' between the dealer and customer (where it's apparent from these posts that the TSB is often times unsuccessful)...so, is Ford proving to the NHTSA that they are making good on the recalled vehicles? If so, why are they failing posters on this forum who are protected only by the TSB, why are those not covered under a recall not getting the same fix? If Ford is not providing positive feedback to the NHTSA, what is the NHTSA doing about it???
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 652
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From: Katy Texas
It all boils down to business.....the devils dollar will always prevail. One more recall is just another dip in the manufacturers bank account. Dips in the bank account cause shareholders and investors to lose faith in the company, which inturn will effect cash flow going in and coming out. One more publicized recall will cause consumers to lose faith in the brand, which will cause investors to funnel their money into a different direction. Unbelievably with the cost of new vehicles, the profit margins are still tight (which is debatable when you take into account the amount of money the people at the top drain out of these companies) the sad thing is that for a manufacturer to have a nation or a world wide recall, people have to be severly impacted by the faulty product. Terrible scenarios have to play out due to the faulty product before they will be forced to take it seriously. If your late to work because your door latch is frozen shut is looked at as an inconvenience. Now if you are trapped in your truck flipped upside down on the side of I-10 and you cant get out because of frozen door latches, then it is taken seriously. Unfortunately the latter scenario is usually what it takes in order for the powers that be to review the issue in a more serious light.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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...I'd think that taking care of affected customers to avoid a recall would be a top priority...the fix they presented to the NHTSA either solves the issue or not, and if it does, why are they not using it for the rest of us?
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,182
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
To my knowledge, Ford's "Customer Satisfaction Program" is an internal "recall" and not mandated by the NHTSA.
I would assume that Ford would like to avoid a full scale recall. My truck is at a local dealer right now getting the "fix". They told me that they were budgeting two trucks per day on the program (they are a VERY small dealer) and that they were flooded with F150s on the program. So I assume, since the 17+ super duty shares the cab it also shares the door assemblies and therefore the problem.
I didn't have any trouble last winter but mine froze 4 days before I got home from that trip to find the letter in my mailbox (a week ago). Being 500 miles from home, on a tight schedule, late at night, and not being able to close and latch a door, when its 19 degrees outside, is a problem. But then we have had an excessive amount of rain this year. Like its crazy how much rain. Didn't have that last year.
I would assume that Ford would like to avoid a full scale recall. My truck is at a local dealer right now getting the "fix". They told me that they were budgeting two trucks per day on the program (they are a VERY small dealer) and that they were flooded with F150s on the program. So I assume, since the 17+ super duty shares the cab it also shares the door assemblies and therefore the problem.
I didn't have any trouble last winter but mine froze 4 days before I got home from that trip to find the letter in my mailbox (a week ago). Being 500 miles from home, on a tight schedule, late at night, and not being able to close and latch a door, when its 19 degrees outside, is a problem. But then we have had an excessive amount of rain this year. Like its crazy how much rain. Didn't have that last year.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2004
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...that's why I am hoping that Ford has the foresight to introduce these 'fixes' to the production line...alleviate the stress on dealers and satisfy customers (assuming it indeed is a 'fix...perhaps when implemented as part of production on a more easily repeated basis instead of in a repair bay, what works on paper may actually work in reality), but this is all pie-in-the-sky wishful thinking on my part...
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 741
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From: IA/GA/HI/FL/VA/CA/ME
Taking care of the customers is definitely not the priority. Their bottom dollar is. The TSB allows them to spend as little as possible fixing on the vehicles that people complain about. If it was a recall they would potentially be fixing every single vehicle produced. That’s a big difference in cost. Specifically with the freezing locks, a lot of people live in warm areas where they don’t have to deal with freezing locks, so Ford will try to only fix those effected instead of spending the money to fix all of them. As far as the requirement to make things right with the recalls, they are taking act to correct the issue which is all that is really required. They probably had to show that the solution they came up with would fix the issue, but it was probably only shown on paper or in a controlled environment. So the fix also has to fail enough times in the field for them to have to correct that. Again, they are not really concerned with customer satisfaction. They are concerned about the bottom line. As long as people buy the car initially, that’s what really matters. And being that Ford sells hundreds of thousands of trucks each year it shows that customers are happy. Even if there are a few thousand people so pissed off about these issues that they walk away from the brand forever, it’s not enough for them to change their business model.
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netprformer1
1997 - 2003 F150
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Jan 13, 2002 02:26 PM
