I bought my truck at a different dealer that I normally go to, so I'm testing out their service. Today I brought it in with 8,500 miles on it 11 months after I bought it. Both front tires are feathered on the outside so I asked to have the factory alignment checked. The result is that it is in spec and because nothing needed to be done I will be charged. This did not seem right to me, so I'm looking for your opinion.

First, do you think it would need some adjustment if the wheels are not wearing evenly?

Second, do you think I should be charged because nothing needed to be done?

The story I was told is that Ford changed the way they do things with alignments, and what the are willing to pay for.

Third, I usually get this done under warranty. How long and how many miles is too long to wait?

 

The dealer is charging you becasue they had to hook it up to there machine a tech had to check the specs. Thats how he gets paid for doing his job. So unless it say free alignemt check then i think you will have to pay.

Questions about feathering

Do you rotate your tires ?
you check your tire pressure? feathering could a bad toe but they said alignment was with in spec.
My wife had the factory continentals and did the same thing and alignemt was good, they said becasue of the weight of the expo and the tires were designed to do that.
since its new i dont think you would have a bad shocks either.

 

I believe alignment is covered for 12 months/12,000 miles. Sounds like bs to me.

 

The problem is that they didn’t find anything wrong so there is no labor to charge to Ford. I had something similar to this happen to me with my truck’s electrical system. I was told that they would hook it up to the machine for diagnostics but if nothing came back wrong I would have to pay for the diagnostics. I was mad at the time but now looking back on it you can not blame ford for not paying if there is nothing wrong with the truck

 

Tires were rotated about 4000. I checked the air last week. It was in the 35 - 37 range. I have the alignment numbers, which were within spec, and that spec is rather wide. My alignments are always within speck, I believe I'm asking them to fine tune the numbers so the truck goes down the road straight and the tires don't feather.

 

That's kinda shady.

I work at a Goodyear Auto Service Center. If a customer brings a vehicle in and wants an alignment done, and the vehicle ends up not needing it, we only charge them for an alignment check, as opposed to full price for an alignment. $31 for the check, as opposed to $59 for a front end alignment, and add $42.50 to do a rear toe set on most vehicles. (of course some vehicles require more, and it is priced accordingly by what needs to be done.)

Sometimes, my boss won't even charge the customer to check the alignment if they are getting other services performed while they are there.

 

did you take this up with your service writer? did you ask if an alignment check is free?