Dennis,

You should take a look at a 1997 owners manual and maintenance guide before you state that it "says so in the documentation that comes with every vehicle". 48Packard is correct...there is no statement which says the owner must keep the receipts for the regular maintenance on their vehicle. It makes no references even close. And if you think you can change your oil once every 2.5 years and mask any signs of poor maintenance...your crazy. They have plenty of different ways to determine whether the vehicle was properly maintained without looking at receipts.

 

48packard, no where did I imply that you or anyone didn't maintain their vehicles properly. What I DID ask was how would Ford know unless you have the receipts and the service logged down in the Scheduled Maintenance Guide?

No, I do not work for Ford or any automobile company or dealer. I was in retailing/manufacturing for many years and am now semi-retired and am pretty much just a landlord (glorified maintenance worker). I have the ability to see things from both the consumers' and the owners' viewpoints.

DFolk88, again I ask, how would Ford know that any vehicle has been properly maintained? All Ford is asking us for is a paper trail. BTW, the information I got about warranty requirements is NOT found in the Scheduled Maintenance Guide, but in the Model Warranty Guide.

You know, lots of things aren't easy to find in these guides. Lots of people didn't even know about the one year warranty on paint and front end alignment until it was brought up here by me and a couple of others.

I don't recall the specific wording of the '97 Warranty Guide, but I'd be very very VERY surprised if the requirement isn't in there.

Hell, I remember when I was a poor college student back in the mid to late 70s and had to do my own oil and filter changes to save money. I used Quaker State oil because of their warranty against engine damage at the time and even then, they required me to keep the receipts for the oil and filters.

Ya know, I think it's pretty much an industry standard that if you do your own maintenance on a warranted vehicle, all the vehicle manufacturer asks you to do is to save the receipts and perform the required tasks at the prescribed intervals using products that meets the manufacturers' requirements. I've known that ever since I got my first new car in 1970.

When my parents got that car for me, I asked the dealer about changing the oil and the effect on warranty. I didn't want to drive all the way to the dealer to have it done. I wanted to use the neighborhood service station my family always used. Dealer told me it wasn't a problem so long as I kept the receipts for the service.

These days, I don't even bother. I just take the vehicles back to the dealers for servicing. They keep the paperwork up to date. They tell me when to bring it in for the next service. If it breaks, nobody can tell me the vehicles weren't properly maintained.

 

Dennis;

I am sorry that I jumped the gun. I kept records on this truck. I kept very good records by the mileage. I wasn't worried about the dates or receipts or anything else. I had owned 8 Fords, 1 Oldsmobile, 1 Pontiac, 1 Dodge, 1 Subaru and 1 Toyota. I changed oil in all these vehicles the same way, every 3500 to 4000 miles. I changed the filters everytime also. I never had any problems with any of these vehicles, most of them accumulated 200K+ miles. I only kept the maintenance records for my own purposes. I never dreamed that I would have to prove that I maintain my vehicles.

Sure I could have manufactured the records, I have a lot of friends with service stations that would have given me receipts whether I purchased the oil/filter there or not. But I didn't want to lie and I didn't want anyone to lie for me.

As far as Ford can't take my Word that I did the maintenance correctly, I took their Word when I purchased the ESP warranty that Ford would take care of my truck. What is the difference? I feel that it is a breach of contract, so does my lawyer.

 

It boils down to customer service. Dodge did not have to fix my brothers truck they could have let him fight it out with the lube shop and filter manufacturer. The point is they did not! They fixed it promptly with little inquiry and took up the fight for the consumer. This saved time, money and bought them a customer for life. I had an extended warrenty to 60k on my last Dodge. At 64k the front bearings went. When I took it in they said do not worry about it we will contact Dodge and they will probably cover it. They did.

The burden of proof should be on Ford to prove that aligar failed to maintain his vehicle, ie. . . oil samples, engine tear down. Any moron knows it would take one hell of alot of neglect to freeze and engine at 50k.

Yes aligar you should have kept your reciepts that is painfully obviouse now; however, this does not let Ford off the hook.

Contact an attourney. With a little presure applied it will make economic sence for Ford to make it right. Cost them less to deny unless legal costs start adding up. If you win or settle Ford picks up the fees.

Best of Luck and thanks for the information it is nice to know the tactics of our manufacturers.

 

Just because you have receipts showing you bought oil and filter doesn't prove that you actually used them on any particular vehicle. As stated previously, there are many other ways to determine if the engine was properly maintained. It will be obvious if the engine seized because of improper oil changes or if some part was defective and broke. From the such little exploration they have done on the motor, I seriously doubt they know why the motor seized. I would fight this one.

 

My non Ford ESP states many times to save the receipts for all maintenance. It even says that when you bring your vehicle in for service to provide the shop with the contract and the receipts. I'm guessing that I have only 1/4 of them. I began seriously saving them after my 36K fact warranty ended.

 

A little off the subject but not too much.
When I got married in 1974 my wife and I bought a king size bed, top of the line $500 back then, with a lifetime non-prorated warranty. About four time through the years when the bed has gotten a bit saggy I haul it out to their main store for warranty service. In 26 years there has been a lot of employee turnover out there and someone always snears, "well you have to have your original receipt to get the bed rebuilt."
No problem, I grin and stick it in their face. Keeping that receipt on file has basically gotten us a new bed every five or six years for the past 26 years.

 

The bottom line is your dealership is the problem. Some service manager is trying to get an "atta boy" for denying your extended warranty wich you probably paid alot of extra money for.That same manager could have just as easly said "no problem" and ordered you a new engine with a push of a computer button.When you purchase the extended warranty the dealership gets some of the money.They want to keep it.They also don't make as much money from warranty work as they do from customers paying out of pocket.But when you pay out of pocket you pay about 3x what the dealer has in parts and labor.So what kind of "sludge" did they find?If at all?Maybe the block was cracked and the water/oil combination was the "sludge" they found. Maybe the engine was contaminated at the engine plant,maybe it was contaminated at the assembly plant.Maybe it was contaminated at the dealership.That engine travels thousands of miles before it is installed in the body.And the sad thing is Ford responds under the advice of the dealership.And Ford only has about $500.00 max in the engine wich the money you paid for an extended warranty should easily cover the cost.

 

I have a tendancy to rant,but I get really p-oed when a company won't stand behind there product.Especially when you pay 30+ thousand for a truck that Ford only has 12 to 15 thousand in.Then you have to pay alot extra for an extended warranty when the vehicle should come with a 100,000 anyway.It's like these companies are taking notes from the insurance companies.TAKE YOUR MONEY,DON'T GIVE ANYTHING IN RETURN!!!!DENY ANY CLAIM.

 

I agree with Chad1. It is the dealer that you that looked at your truck. Some will bend over backwards for YOU and others will try to bend you over.

Example: I have not been on this list for a while, but can tell you that we have had some spirited debates on the 5w30 Vs 10w30 oil issue. The debate ended with numerous dealers putting 10w30 oil in customers vehicles when the owners manual states 5w30 only. So that means even if your vehicle was taken to a dealer, then the dealer could be voiding the FORD FACTORY warranty for you. Check and see what the dealer is putting in the vehicles that they service. You might be surprised !

Best of Luck.


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99 EB Expy 4x4, 5.4 w/K&N
01 Corvette Coupe