I have had better luck with service here in San Diego. The lemon law here is if they can't fix the problem by the third time they buy the vehicle back. I have had one friend use this to dump his chevy suburb.

 

Yeah, I got lucky. Ford bought my '08 back after they hosed it up beyond repair, but it was not at all easy. BBB had to get involved, I got a lawyer involved, etc.

 

Hmmm... zip ties in my mind are unacceptable.

However, some of the other stuff, is kind of irrelevant. I think first off, you should do some reading on the internet on how cars/trucks work. Like the basic stuff, like transmissions, engines, torque converters, rear ends, gearing, etc. Possibly watch some DIY videos on brake jobs, oil changes, and some other basic maintenance. Just to get a feel on how things work on the truck.

Secondly, feel free to open the hood and poke around. Look at where the plugs are, where the washer reservoir is, oil dipstick, etc.

Lastly, remember that AAA or a mechanic might not be there for you in a pinch. Practice removing the spare tire and jacking the truck up. Or lock yourself out and try to get back in. Even better, do an oil change yourself and get familiar with the underneath of the truck; where all the magic happens.

I never rely on a shop for maintenance. Even with that sign from the state saying they can repair and inspect vehicles, well, to be frank, anyone can get those signs. I like to change my own oil and brakes... makes me respect my truck more. Not to mention I know what to do on the side of the road in case of an emergency.

 

Barritia is complaining about the lack of quality service that is supposed to be covered by the warranty/Dealer. If a part that is under factory warranty is defective and needs to be replaced are you going to pay for the new part and replace it your your self? I doubt it.........

 

he's also complaining about them not checking certain fluids. That is not a warranty issue, it is maintenance. One of the fluids he was upset about he did not even know he didn't have. I believe that's what the last poster was getting at.

 

No, absolutely not. I didn't say that in my expression.

Yes, that is exactly what I'm getting at.

For the OP and some others:

If you don't know what the mechanics are doing, even in the slightest way, you can be driving a death trap.

With that in mind, you should have some clue on how things work on the truck; that's all.

Being oblivious to how your truck works, well, to be blunt, is not good. Why? Because you are driving a 6000 lb piece of machinery at 55-65 mph down the road and if something goes wrong you are responsible -- joeblow mechanic at Ford can be sued, but if it causes and accident, regardless, it's your fault. Let alone if it kills you or someone else, again, joeblow mechanic at Ford can be sued, but what does he care? He's still living, while you are either dead or in trouble up to your eyeballs.

 

It sucks that you guys are having issues with your service departments. I have always gotten excellent service from the two different dealerships I've had to take my truck to. The dealer I bought my truck from in Madison, WI offers free oil changes for life for all of their customers. I never had any issues worthy of visiting the service department other than routine oil changes, tire rotations, etc., but they eventually started greeting me by name when I stopped in. The dealer I go to now in the KC area has always been friendly and is almost overly communicative. I've had a few issues that I've had to take my truck drop off my truck for, but they call at least 2 or 3 times per day to let me know the status. I know this isn't an option for everyone, but there are at least five different dealerships within a 30 minute drive of my house. If you're unhappy with the service you're getting, go somewhere else.

 

I also can say that I am happy with the service dept that I go to. I had the same seat issue that Barritia had. In my case they immediately ordered a new cover for the seat bottom and installed it when it arrived. Anytime I take the truck in they do a great job. They usually repair or make adjustments to more than I ask for. The service manager told me" When you pay almost $50,000 for a truck it should be right. If it isn't then Ford can pay to make it right". How can you complain about that?

 

Hi KingRanch101... I see you had the same whistling window that I had on my new '09... was also fixed by slightly adjusting the driver door. Just for an example of how awful the service departments are here in Austin. The whistle was apparent as soon as I got on the highway during my overnight test drive. I called the sales person, let her know if they fixed ithe whistle that I was sold. She said to drop it off at the service dept. the next morning and they would have it all fixed up and ready for delivery (I cringed). When I pulled into the service dept. the next morning, the service writer (recognized me from my 2008 that they just bought back) said, "you again?" Shaking his head... he then said, "I don't think we are going to work on your issues any more." He was 100% serious. I couldn't believe it. I walked in and grabbed the sales person, they went on a cruise in it, couldn't believe the whistle either. I let her deal with the service dept. By that afternoon it was fixed, but I am not going back to their service dept. That's for sure. Two others in town are also just awful... but I there are two others (further away) that have been decent in the past, I think I will try them again.

 

Well Johnyb777 I am sorry that your dealer has to be that way. I would certainly reconsider where I buy my next vehicle if I were you. Certainly there is no reason to act like they are acting. The service manager at the dealer where I bought the truck actually said that his job was to make me happy and he was going to do his best. He said if I wasn't happy it would be unlikely that I would buy another vehicle there. So far so good. I didn't really think the window seals were bad but he didn't like it and said they would make it right. I was a bit stunned. But then I have always gotten along with the guys that work there and never give them a rough time.

Guess I have bought 4 vehicles from them in about a 6 year period. Perhaps that helps. Who knows? I will say they were rather easy to buy from and very nice on service. The deal when I bought the truck also included 6 free meals of my choice at the best barbecue joint in the area.

What is there to complain about?

I forgot to mention that they also offered me something to drive for the 2 to 3 hours that the job on Monday will take. I turned them down as I was beginning to feel guilty!