Mon. April 7, 2003 7:20am Took Lightning in for service work local dealership (truck was spotless throughout and running perfectly) Service that I requested: Oil Leaking from motor, Haze in between layers of windshield, Trim on back glass was warped, power steering was noisy at cold temps, and Turn signal lens had condensation. Left paperwork listing issues as well as contact information (several phone numbers as well as e-mail address)

Tues. April 8, 2003 5:30pm Called service writer to ask about status. Responded with a return call stating all but two issues was resolved (oil leak and p-steering pump) and that it should be ready Wednesday afternoon. I was surprised that all of this was stated to be completed so I stopped by after work only to find none of the items had been fixed. Truck was outside and now covered in hard water spots from dealers sprinkler system.

Wed. April 9, 2003 5:30pm Did not hear back from service writer so I called to check up on the status and he stated that it should now be ready Thursday around lunch time. I stopped by again after work only to find none of the items had been fixed. Truck was outside still and more hard water spots from dealers sprinkler system.

Thur. April 10, 2003 5:30pm Have not heard anything, called to check status and service writer said he was optimistic and now stated it still had not been looked at quite yet. Also said it looks like Friday evening or Saturday afternoon for sure. Truck was now inside the shop and looked as if the coolant was drained. (truck on lift, catch pan beneath.)

Fri. April 11, 2003 11:00am Returned the free loaner car and upgraded to a larger vehicle, as I was departing the dealership I saw my truck was in the shop and being worked on. The cab of the truck was up in the air on a lift, while the rest was below. This seems to allow better access to the engine. What I wanted to know, was how come no one contacted me about removing my aftermarket audio enclosure/equipment so the service tech could have open access to several bolts that hold the cab to the frame. Had camera with me and took several pictures of the disassembled vehicle. Tech said he had a hard time removing the items in order to access the bolts, and I asked how it was removed, response was the enclosure just "popped" out, when in fact it was screwed to the floor of the cab. (pics show this as well) I also noticed the air tools the tech was using, had the air hose dragging/rubbing across the front bumper facia and could see obvious new clear coat scratches from this. I left note with tech for him to contact me when the cab was going to be reattached to the frame so I could properly re-install my equipment. Also saw drivers seat in the bed of the truck, which both had coolant splattered all over (spots seen on the bed and on the seat). Brought this to the service writers attention and he said it would be cleaned before it was returned to me, he also said they could have an "electrician" re-install my equipment, but I did not accept this offer and stated I would indeed re-install my equipment in the interior of the truck.

Sat. April 12, 2003 12:00pm Was in the area so swung by to see if the truck going back together and in deed it was. The cab was now back on the frame and I was able to see the interior. My enclosure was sure enough laying face down on a bracket that damaged the vinyl/mdf. The screws were there in plain site. I disconnected the wiring and took the enclosure with me in order to get an estimate on repairing it. Asst. Service Manager saw all of this as well and suggested talking with the service manager during the upcoming week.

Mon. April 14, 2003 Heard nothing from dealer. Contacted person who fabricated my enclosure and scheduled a time to get the process going on repairing the damage.

Tues. April 15, 2003 5:20pm Contacted the service writer about the status and he said it would be ready for me on Wednesday. They had one item that was ordered that should be coming in then I could get the vehicle back. I went by the lot after work and my truck was outside with the sprinklers going right behind it. Noticed the drivers window was cracked down about one inch. (so water was able to get inside the cab from sprinklers). Saw they had replaced the trim on the back, the windshield had also been replaced. The truck was filthy now with hard water spots and pollen dust. Also noticed the keys to my truck were not locked up in the small key box that the dealer hangs on the window of the vehicle, but in fact were sitting on the windshield wiper on the front. This was at 10:30pm and the dealerships security gates were still not closed/locked since the place was new and just started operating at this new location. Any person could have come by and stolen my vehicle from the lot with the keys. I secured the keys.

Wed. April 16, 2003 9:45am I returned to the service department along with the lock box that was on my window (closed without the keys inside) and my keys I had found the night before on the windshield. Handed them to the service manager and wanted to know why this happened and is this a regular thing at this dealership. He stated the truck would have been safe because of on site security and the gates they have at the entrance/exits. I told him the gates are not in function yet (he interrupted saying they would be that week then) and that no onsite security personnel every approached me any of the times I had been on site after hours. He also asked about the status with my service writer and again was told about the part that was ordered, and on it's way. I also gave the service manager the estimate for the repairs on the audio enclosure. $225.00-$250.00 and his response was "I have no choice on this, Bill Me"

Wed April 16, 2003 6:00pm After being contacted by service writer that the truck was ready and that the part never showed up and was now on backorder. (turn signal housing). He also said that he took it for a test drive to listen for any squeaks or noises (I didn't have any before) also said he didn't "tear up" my tires but did get on it a little to build boost on "the turbo." (my lightning as with others came equipped with a supercharger, not a turbo). He said it appeared to be fine except it would idle low and that his tech said this was normal with that vehicle. So I arrived at the service department and got my paperwork and keys and my truck. After departing the dealership the idle was in fact not correct. At stop signs/lights it would surge between 400-550rpms and before taking it in for service would normally be around 700-750rpms. Could also smell a strong fuel odor upon start up and at idle. Normal driving seemed fine. I was not sure what to do at this point, the dealership was now closed and would not open until 7am the next morning. I carefully monitored gauges all the way home and parked it. I looked over the engine compartment looking for any signs of problems(ex. loose hoses, loose wiring, loose vac. hoses/lines etc etc) I did come across a vac. line and had hoped this would resolve the idle issue. After re-connecting the vac. line the truck still had the same idle problem so I planned on returning it first thing the following morning. Also noticed the front bumper facia was now covered in swirl marks all over the top/side surfaces.

Thur. April 17, 2003 7:10am Arrived back at service department and the service writer that had been helping me all this time was leaving for training off site, and passed me over to another person. I did tell him he was right about the idle problem, that was not normal. New service writer took my info and I was going to wait on it. I waited on it for 3 hours and no obvious problem was found as of yet. 10am and they had me back in a loaner vehicle.

Thur. April 17, 2003 5:30pm I called the service writer and asked about the current status, and he replied saying they had tested and checked a lot of stuff and still nothing could be found, and now they wanted to change out an intake gasket because it might not be sealed correctly.

Fri. April 18, 2003 5:30pm I called in for status, was told they were in the process of changing the intake gasket, and it could be ready for pick up on Saturday if the problem is fixed.

Sat. April 19, 2003 10:20am Had passed by dealer and noticed it was outside, so I called to see if it was ready or if not what was next. My service writer said he would get back with me in 30minutes and took my phone number again.

Sat. April 19, 2003 2:30pm 10 minutes = 4hours? I called back and he said he forgot about me, and told me that the gasket had been changed, but problem was still there. He said it would have to wait until the following week so they could seek further assistance from ford or svt directly. I made it clear to the service writer that when I originally brought the truck in on April 7 that it was running perfectly fine, and only mechanical issue was the oil leak. On way back into to town noticed the truck was in exact same spot.

Mon. April 21, 2003 Heard nothing from dealer.

Tue. April, 22 2003 4:00pm Called service writer for an update and he said he would get back with me in 10 minutes.

Tue. April, 22 2003 5:20pm Never got a response back from the service writer so I called and talked with service manager and asked what the hold up was, and that I felt this was getting dragged on for too long. I also stated that the truck was running fine when I left it in the dealers hands to fix the oil leak and that I don't understand why there are more serious problems now with my vehicle. He stated that they are trying to get the solved.

 

Wed. April 23, 2003 3:30pm I got a call from service advisor stating that they had checked everything and it all seemed fine (problem still exists) so next step is the PCM, and they said it had been tampered with so they can not change that item out since it had been tampered with. I told him that I had before had a aftermarket chip installed and he replied that this Ford would not exchange/warranty a PCM that has been tampered with. I explained to him that my PCM and rest of the engine was operating completely fine and normal when I dropped it off on April 7. Now after the took down the engine to swap a head gasket that failed (covered by warranty) they can not get my truck to idle correctly. He transferred me to the service manager who would have to return my call later. I called SVT directly and talked with a customer service person there and gave him all my information and what has been going on with this dealership and the events that have happened up to that time. He asked if I did have a chip and I said yes, and that it had not been in the truck for several months. I said that I agree if Ford wants to void my PCM's warranty because of my chip, but the dealer needs to repair my vehicle since this problem happened while it was in their possession. He said he would call the service manager as well and discuss it with him. The service manager called back and said the same thing basically the service writer said and that he could not do anything else until the PCM was replaced and that I had to pay for the replacement. I asked why do I have to pay for it? There should not be anything wrong with the PCM since it was fine when I dropped off the truck, unless the service technician did not reassemble the engine/wiring/etc correctly and that damaged the PCM. He argued that he was not going to take the blame for this and that I modified it so it's my problem now. When again I clearly tried to explain how this could not be the fault of a PCM that once had a chip installed it, and that my truck was running in perfect condition up until they returned it back to me is when I clearly noticed it was not running right. He began to get impatient and no longer wanted to deal with me, I asked him to contact SVT and talk with them. I also contacted another person at dealer who oversees operations and explained the situation at hand and explained that I was not satisfied with the service departments actions.

Thur. April 24, 2003 8:45am Got a response from SVT and they said they would get in touch with a regional service person who would look at my trucks situation on Tuesday April 29, 2003 this would be the next time he would be in town. This tech would then look into the PCM as well as the rest of the truck and see in fact the PCM is to blame and if not, hold the dealer responsible for all problems on the truck and have them repaired. Now if it comes down to me having to buy a new PCM and they install it, and the problem does not go away, I want to make sure ahead of time that I will be refunded completely.

Mon. April 28, 2003 3:30pm Got a message from service writer at dealer saying the regional engineer had been by and removed the PCM to test. I asked about how long before any response or when I'd get the truck back and he didn't know.

Tues. April 29, 2003 4:00pm I called and got service writers voice mail, left message to see if he had found out anything about when I would know about my truck. No response

Wed. April 30, 2003 11:00am I called service writer and he said the service manager was out to lunch and when returned he would ask him about the situation and see if they could figure any new information out.

Wed. April 30, 2003 3:00pm I called SVT and asked if they had heard anything, response was the regional tech felt 99% sure that a driver in the PCM was bad. The SVT person also said he thinks that a new PCM should be on it's way to the dealer, but was not for sure of this, just was under the impression that one might be.

Wed. April 30, 2003 3:50pm Got a call back from service writer who stated the PCM was back and they had a tech working on it and so far they think the PCM is fine. Not sure if this means a new PCM is fine, or my original PCM is fine. I reminded him if in fact the PCM was fine that I wanted the loaner vehicle I had turned in a week earlier after threats of me having to pay for a PCM and this being blamed on tampering with a PCM.

Wed. April 30, 2003 5:50pm Received a message saying come pick up the loaner vehicle, a new PCM had been sent for my truck, it was installed and the problem still exists, #6 cylinder not firing. So the PCM was fine after all.

Thur. May 1, 2003 11:00am I arrive at dealer to pick up the loaner vehicle. I went to the service area and saw that my truck had again had the engine taken apart. I removed my front bumper cover to take to the dealerships body shop to have fixed. Too many added swirl marks and scratches while it has been in the dealerships hands. $279 is what the body shop says it will cost to repaint the bumper cover. I will be asking that the service dept cover no less than 50% of this charge and up to 100%. I understand the bumper was not brand new, but it certainly is not near the condition I had left it in when the vehicle was dropped off on April 7, 2003. Looks like a brillo pad had been used on it as well as deeper scratches in areas. Prior to this, i had a normal rock chip or two. Body shop says it will be ready on monday May 5.

Fri. May 2, 2003 9:45pm Stopped by the dealership to see what the truck looked like, it was no longer inside and now was back outside in the back and no motor in it. This does not look good.

 

Those of us that have been in your shoes know the anger and frustration caused by inept or sloppy techs backed by a equally inept and unresponsive service manager, backed by hostile regional rep and a useless SVT phone service.

Those who haven't experienced it will say 'you play, you pay', or some other all-encompassing stupid remark that blithely excuses the dealer, Ford, and all their contracted employees from any responsibilty.

I went through 3 dealers, 2 regional reps and 8 months of frustration before Ford finally took my '99 Cobra lemon back. I wouldn't have bought another Ford except they gave me a 5k discount on any new vehicle as part of the settlement. I bought a L, and have avoided any contact with a Ford dealership since June of 2000. I've got some small issues like you had that need to be fixed, and I'm dreading taking it in to a dealer...

Best wishes and Good Luck!!

 

I love how the dealership monkeys blame the "Compooter" for anything they can't understand.
You did a great job documenting every visit!

Now go for Lemon law!

 

I feel for you . I am currently in month three of plug launch fix. I could tell you a story but it would take too long to read and it is unbelievable. My truck is and has always been 100 % stock. It is a woefully under engineered product and goes a long ways towards explaining why Ford has a warranty expense problem. I hope to have my truck back next week. Will see.

 

Gosh Rick, I'm sorry for what you're going through. Hopefully Ford will read this thread and do something for your benefit. Unfortunately, it seems like Ford only intervenes when it's in their, or one of their dealer's, best interest. If I were you, I wouldn't even trust the body shop. You should take it to Joe Berli's place so that you'll know it's done right. It should be no different than them paying to get your enclusure repaired. Given that you're looking for a white '03, why not try to work something out such that they take your truck as a trade in. I know that Leif Johnson has a white one in stock that they could easily do a dealer trade for.

Good luck,
Edward

 

Man I wish I knew what to say other than, THAT SUCKS.

Atleast you took the time to doccument everything in a day by day fashion, and it seems you didn't rant and rave, which is what I would be doing after a month.

Good Luck in getting your problems resolved and your truck back on the road

 

In Georgia, if a dealer keeps your vehicle for more than 30 days for a warranty repair, they must give you new vehicle or refund your money. You may want to look into this in your state.

 

Dam Howd ya remember all that.. Sorry man .. Hope it all works out for you............

PEacE............
(Jim)

 

I feel for you. Sounds like a mess.

Just for clarity (I may have missed it, but I don't think so), to which dealer did you take your truck? I'm assuming it's not Leif Johnson, so is it Covert?

Thx.
Rip

 

I think he took it to Mack Haik in Georgetown.

 

What a F---ing nightmare!! I would have POUNDED someone
by now. That is why Me and my partner have opened up our
own shop cause WE DO CARE.

JEFF

 

Ouch - I felt your pain once before too! Good luck!

 

We're going to hav eto start a Lightning warrenty UNION.

We will crush the infidel ford. They will repair in an haster manner and do a quality job. Or we will do something!

 

Sorry to hear about your dealings with the service department Rick. Just know that you helped a brother out because I will not be going to them to get my truck worked on if anything goes wrong. You just might want to think about getting a new one because you never know what other "things" they have done to your truck since it's been there. Not trying to make you feel worse but they don't seem like the careful type...

In any case good luck!