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Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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Longjon
New User
Sep 19, 2009, 6:10 AM
Post #1 of 6
(1453 views)
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Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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Hello Folks: I really could use some sincere opinions about how to approach this situation. I'd appreciate some good advice.
I have a 2001 Ford Sportrac, 4WD, v6, 142,500 miles. The vehicle is currently at a dealers shop and I am trying to figure out whether the added repairs being suggested or are merely hogwash.
Leading up to last Tuesday evening, I had two episodes were the engine had difficulty starting but I ultimately did get the truck started. Other than that, the vehicle dispayed no other symtpms...no roughing running, no loss of engine acceleration...nothing other than the two prior starting instances. Then last Tuesday evening I came out of the grocery store and the vehicle simply would not start. Even when pumping the gas pedal, I notice I never picked up any fuel smell. I checked to make sure all the plug wire boots were tight - they were. Due to the location, my only option was to have it towed the next day to the Ford Dealer straight up the road.
The dealer service department called the next day and said I had a bad fuel pump. It made perfect sense to me so I authorized them to replace both the fuel pump and the fuel filter at a cost of $853. It is what it is. However, they called the next day when I was scheduled to pick it up and said there is an additional probble and that the truck starts perfectly but now it is "running rough". They also said we noticed you had Autolite plugs in the motor, that's not a Ford recommended part". When did you install those and neither are the plug wires?" I told them those plugs were installed at 105,000 miles and the wires are Motorcraft wires. I told him that as I understand it, Autolite plugs were at one time OEM for Ford models, he replied "that was eons ago". He then told me their mechanic was checking on the roughness of the engine after installing the new fuel pump and filter and one of the wires "disintegrated" in his hand. I asked how much for the 6 new plugs and 6 new wires installed. He quoted me an additional $355.00. I was almost fit to be tied. I told them that the only symptom my vehicle had before it was brought to their shop was that the engine wouldn't turn over at starting, there definitely was no prior rough running. No dash lights indicator....nothing.
I told them I would pay them for the fuel pump and filter work but they should replace but not charge me for the wire they said "disintegrated" in their hands. With some resistance, they finally agreed. They called back when they said my truck was ready, and said "we replaced the wire but it does run a little rough now". Unfortunately a doctor appt prevented me from getting there before the service desk closed so I went last night to pick up my truck and paid at the cashier counter, unfortunately by that time the service dept was closed...until Monday.
When I went to fire up my truck, it fired up just like a charm, no rough idling...nothing. However I immediately noticed my O/D on/off dashboard light was constantly lit No matter whether I pushed in on the overdrive button on my shift arm, the light remained on. I put the car into drive and it immediately had trouble maintaining power. I "babied" the gas pedal and I could not get the truck to move more than a few inches at best. It felt as though when it was in drive gear, it wanted to die, yet when I placed it back in park, it sat there idling perfectly smooth.
This leaves me wondering as to whether I am being taken advantage of. When I complained that the truck was not "just running a little rough" but that it would not move at all, I was told at the payment desk that it could possibly be that there was some much debris or gunk in your old fuel filter that that gunk may have sifted throughout the engine. And maybe the engine needed to be flushed out now. My question to that was, then why was that never mentioned as a possible resolution until now? All I heard about was the plug and plug wires.
So for now, it has to sit at the dealer until the shop re-opens on Monday. So my questions:
1.) This new inability for the vehicle to move in drive gear, could that be a result of built up gunk from the earlier fuel filter? If so then I don't know why flushing the system was never mentioned and they only talked about the spark plugs and wires at that point.
2.) Does it sound like these guys are being ligetimate or maybe taking me for a ride, no pun intended.
I'm retired and like many today, I don't have a lot of money to get by with. This vehicle is my only means of getting around and I just want an objective opinion on whether these guys are trying to gouge me or not.
Thanks in advance for any opinions and helpful info.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 19, 2009, 7:43 AM
Post #2 of 6
(1433 views)
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Re: Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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It sounds like this dealership is feeding you a whole bunch of bull to cover up for their technicians errors. It sounds like this tech did more damage than good when diagnosing this problem annd they should be responsible. The garbage in the fuel filter story is nonsense. If that tank had anywhere near the kind of junk it would take to do that, they would have been all over you long before putting the tank back in the truck.
There is nothing wrong with Autolite plugs in a Ford and if those wires were replaced at 105K, then there should be nothing wrong with them now.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 19, 2009, 7:57 PM
Post #3 of 6
(1424 views)
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Re: Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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This does sound strange. I normally like to hear both sides of the story. I have seen both scenarios happen. I've seen failures happen in the shop due to no fault of the tech and I've seen guys screw stuff up.
I do have to say I'm a little surprised at letting a vehicle go that won't drive with no explanation, just hand out the key and here you go..
Some states have a bureau of automotive repair that mediates these situations. I'm not familiar with your state and didn't find anything on a quick google search.
If the shop is going with the story that they did no wrong & it was a previous problem it would probably be best to get a second opinion. Take it to a different shop, tell them the history. When they find the problem have it documented. Let the 1st shop know you are taking it somewhere else to be checked and if the problem was due tech error at their shop they will be liable for everything, the tow, diag & repair.
If your state has no BAR or similar agency then it would probably have to go to small claims court to be finally settled. The best I could say would be to document everything, get out all your previous maintance & repair records and see if there is any places that you could get some free advise on the laws & procedures of your state....(and it wouldn't hurt to start watching peoples court  )
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Longjon
New User
Sep 22, 2009, 9:03 AM
Post #4 of 6
(1410 views)
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Re: Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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Folks: I want to extend my thanks for your info - as it really helped me in approaching this situation and achieving pushin toward a resolution. I now have my vehicle back and it is running smooth...no complaints.
After reading your responses, I had my nephew take me to the dealer bright and early Monday morning. I was there when the unlocked the doors. I had noticed that despite the fact that I had paid my bill for the fuel pump work on Friday evening, they subsequently moved my Sportrac inside the shop sometime between Friday night and Monday morning. When I confronted both the general manager, service manager and the service scheduler about how poorly my Sportrac ran Friday evening, they acted as if they had no idea what I was talking about. Armed with the advice and input you gave me, I informed them that there is no valid reason why the truck should not have been able to move in drive gear Friday night whehn I came to pick it up. They had one of their mechanics connect a diagnostic laptop to my vehicle and we're showing me computer graphs and error codes (which I did not even understand). They ultimately said they suspected I had a bad piston as well.
I told them they had three hours to make all their diagnostics and provide me with results and then I would make my decision as to whether to have it towed to another shop for a second opinion or leave it there. By 9:)) AM my nephew had taken mr back home and I called Ford Motor Company Customer relations. Ford took notes as I recanted the entire experience with this dealer shop. ANd I mentioned to Ford that I was on the verge of cpntacting both the State Attorney General's office and the BBB abotu this situation. Ford indicated that my complaint in its' entirety would be electronically forwarded to the customer service dept at the dealership at the conclusion of my call. That call ended at approximately 9:20 AM. At 10:45 AM I recieved a call from the dealer that my truck was running fine now. The issue? They claimed it was a fuse that was only partially inserted in the fuse box. Sure, I believe them! 
At any rate, I picked my truck up Monday afternoon and it is running fine without any further cost to me.
So thank you so much again, my friends. Your knowledge helped me to sniff out these skunks before they had a chance to get the better of me and my truck.
Good luck to you all and take care!
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Sep 22, 2009, 9:00 PM
Post #5 of 6
(1399 views)
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Re: Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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Well Jon I'm glad things worked out for you, given the time it sounds like it was an easy fix...
I usually like to hear both sides and will always give a shop or tech the benefit of the doubt but there was just a few thing in your story that just sounded strange and didn't make sense....
In the shops I've worked for when something like this that happens that isn't tech error. The keys aren't given out with no explanation.....In fact when it gets to the point where the shop isn't going to fix the problem for free which the cust wants, this is always the solution told to the cust. Take it to the dealer or reputable shop & have it documented the problem was tech error. In these werid situation that do happen this is the only way a cust will believe it wasn't the shops fault.
If I had to guess, it sounds like the vehicle wasn't test driven (except to the parking lot) and the rest was just falling thru the cracks....
Bottom line on this situation they don't get an A due to the miscommunicaton but they did find and fix your original problem and (after some proding on your part) they fix the secondary problem as well so they get a passing grade. I would still use the shop. After this big miscommunication, when you return they will probably keep an eye on things so it doesn't happen again.......... definitely no reason to fire them......
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hardliquor
Novice
Sep 26, 2009, 4:19 PM
Post #6 of 6
(1388 views)
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Re: Is Dealer Being Honest With Me?
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Does a loose fuse sound like a valid reason why this vehicle would run so poorly?
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