I have a '03 F150 Supercrew 4x4 truck. Well back in November I noticed a problem with my 4x4, it wasn't engaging consistently. Well the first time I took it to the Ford dealership (where I bought it) they said everything was fine, I got it home and it still didn't work right. Took it back again....and got the same story, with the same results. Took it back again, they said it was the shift forks, well it still didn't work right. Took it back again, they said it was the transfer case. they rebuilt that....well you know the rest by now! Problem is that I only have a choice of two dealerships that are close by, and the "other" one has screwed me over in the past big time, I wouldn't take my truck there...NEVER!. Do you guys think I should contact Ford about this problem, or will that be like talking to the wall. They've had four times to fix it and I'm still back at square one...I'M FRUSTRATED! I've been pretty civil with the service manager thus far! What would you do?

 

Heres my experience with dealers. Had a Toyota, spent $3500 in 05 fixing problems, many of which they told me for more than 18 months, did not exist. After all that, I then find damage to the front differential bearings (estimated at $1800), the 02 sensor, and the exhaust that was replaced four years ago, needed to be replaced again. I went back FIVE times for issues with the brakes ($1200!). That was a 60 mile drive with two cars, to leave it there for each repair. Prior to leaving it the last time, I talked with the dealership manager, trying to explain what was going on, and that I was being charged for what should have been under warranty. They left a note in the van, it had not been fixed, and don't ever come back! We bought our Camry there as well, and my van had been serviced here for four years. I traded it the next day. They also lost the sale of a new 06 Camry.

This brings me to my current situation. I traded my Toyota for a Ford Van, purchased out of state. Turns out it needed over $2k in repairs, dealer would not make good on his sales pitch. Took to a local Ford Dealer, estimates 12 hrs to fix, calls me less than five hours after I left it there, and labor fee is the same as if it had been there for 12 hrs. I was fuming. Had more problems, took to other Ford Dealer in town, only to find it was owned and operated by the same person. Too many issues to get into about this..... Spent more than an hour with the FORD Company< accomplished nothing.

Finally took it to a small one-man garage, installed new computer and MAFS, got new tires, and the rest was up to the Executive Offices of American Express to settle the dispute on the excessive charges from Ford. The complaint with the Dealership I bought the van from, has been forwarded to a Consumer Affairs Office.

My mom bought a new Subaru, made all kinds of strange wheel / drivetrain noises and vibrations. Went back repeatedly for two years, they said nothing was wrong. Had to trade that in, and someone else got stuck with it.

Had a Honda Civic purchased new, took it in for 100k service, came out with an engine knock it never had before. Sent back 4-5 times to get fixed, then another 3 garages, could not be fixed. Almost a year trying to get the Dealer to make good for the problem, they would not.

If you are being charged for repairs and you are not satisfied, you can dispute the charges within 60 days, if charged on a credit card. This has so far saved me almost $400 in the past three months.

Point is, you can have problems with any dealer. Check your area for a drive-train specialist. May save you a lot of time and money.

 

yep, you basically have two choices here, keep going to the dealer and have them give you the same bravo sierra story, or find a good independant repair shop. you can try complaining to the district office about the dealer run around you are getting. be prepared to call them several times a week to see if you are going to get any satisfaction though.

also if you are in california, you can contact BAR and have them look into the dealer.

 

you want a nightmare dealersip service story? I got one that involves my brother and VW. He turned his car in cause it was cutting off. They changed the coil pack and plugs at a cost of around $1500. didn't fix the problem. He had it in and out for over 3 months. He got the car back 3 times and it immediately died. He drove their loaner for all that time. They finally called him after almost $4000 in repairs. Said, Oops we put a defective coil pack in the first time and that was causing the problem along with a bad computer module. Which they had also already replaced. Plus they expect him to pay for all of it.

 

I have a rule that I have used for myself and tell others.

After the warranty runs out, never take your vehicle to a dealer. I had to file lemon law on one truck with Ford and threated to do it on the next one, after they had given me a new truck.( with me just paying for mileage on the turned in one)

They just don't take any interest in customer complaints and don't seem able to repair anything.

I have had problems with GM, as well as Ford.

Don't go back.

 

How about $418 to replace one coil pack on a 5.4. It was cyl 5, which is about the easiest to access. Coil pack was $118, $300 labor. I changed it in about 15 minutes. What a joke!

 

We have a Ford Dealership within 2 miles of a Ford Plant here in SE Michigan. The guys that work at the Ford Plant have been screwed over so badly and repeatedly from this dealership that they now go to one that is 20 miles from their plant. You know it is bad when even the Ford Employees get screwed from the dealership.

 

Keep going to the dealer to document the problems, and if they can't fix it, you may want to try and return it due to the lemons laws that may apply to your state. Had
a simular problem with the wifes focus, took it in 4 times and they finally found the
problem after calling the engineers in detroit. If they had'nt fixed it that last time i
was assuming it was a lemon. So now my wife wants to trade it in for a 06 fusion.

 

I assume this truck is under warranty am I right on that one. Seems like to me that would be an easy fix. Sounds like they dont know what there doing to me. The first time they told me everything was fine an when it wasnt I wouldntgo there again. If you get a survey from Ford on the dealership experience. Give them all the bad marks you can. Ford takes not off those surveys an they could lose there blue oval certified status Hurt em where it hurts most in the pocket book. If you have to drive 50 miles away to another dealership. Do it. There are good service departments out there.

 

That dealership must have some unexperted mechanics, my old dealership that i worked for. When a customer had a problem we fixed it without telling the buyer some BS story.

 

Beware of what shop you take it to, as well. My father in law took his 2000 Grand Marquis to Midas to find out why the check engine light came on. It turned out that he just needed his spark plugs changed (he had 98,500 miles on the original plugs). They wanted $500.00 for labor because they claimed that they had to take off the fuel rail to remove the coil packs.

Unfortunately for them, two weeks prior I had changed the spark plugs on my 2000 Grand Marquis (I did mine at 75,000 miles). It took me all of 20 minutes and the only thing that I had to take off to get to the coils was the engine vanity cover, which is one nut.

I explained to them that they don't need to take off the fuel rail and how even Ford doesn't list that as part of the spark plug change procedure. Their response? "What would Ford know about how to work on a Mercury?" I reported them to the better business bureau.

 

I bet that got traction and saved the world. BBB is run by them and is just a feel good front for consumers. 99.99% of the people only involve the BBB after the fact and then it is to late and the damage is done.

Hootbro

 

He didn't pay for it, I wound up changing the plugs myself, mr. sarcastic.