Ford F150 - Please tell if I am wrong with dealership problem

dntsdad

I have a 2004 Supercrew that the factory warranty no longer covers. I bought the extended warranty when I bought it so i took it to the dealer to repair a broken window regulator and the auto headlights were not working.

The guy calls me and says they fixed the window but the warranty company will only cover 1.5 hours of diagnostic labor on the autolamps and they are in it an hour with no solution. Anything after the 1.5 hours and I start paying $100/hour. I ask the guy what he has done so far. He says that they have disassembled the steering column cover and traced the wire back to the VSM behind the rear seat and that took an hour. Then he says that the wire leaves the VSM fine but could be shorted under the seats and that to take all the seats out that i may get into 4-5 hours. I ask why they just cant check for voltage in the under the opposite(passenger) sill access and SEE if its shorted or broken using a meter rather than physically having to look at it.
He ignores that and starts explaining to me that there are 20-25 wires in each bundle and they have to go through each one to check that way. I start laughing and ask if they don't have schematics at their dealer.
I tell them to put it back together and forget it. Now I find out the warranty company wont pay for the 1 hour diagnosis if they didn't fix the problem. So i get there and pay the $100 just to get out of there. I take it home. look up some schematics here and other places, go out and find that the plug at the VSM is the slightest bit corroded. I clean it, put a shirt over the sensor and all works great. Took 20-30 minutes tops. I think they should return my money because I really think their mechanic was incompetent.

Anyone agree or should I just let it go.

I still really dont understand why they took off the streering column cover looking at various schematics and it pisses me off that I paid $100/hr. for them to take apart things that didn't need to be taken apart.

By the way when driving home the door rattled at every bump. Took that apart to check it out and the guy didn't replace the bolt holding the window motor on causig it to slap around. Ridiculous.

anaheim_drew

xlgford · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

This really sucks and dont take this the wrong way, but you should have looked at it before you took it in for repair

. There is a book rate on most repairs that will apply to all service repairs. I found this out may years ago with dealerships, that they are 99% sure what is wrong with a vehicle when it comes in for repair, or dont have a clue. There is never a halfway point with the service departments. As you found out it was the later. The good is that you got your truck fixed for the same $100.00 that you planned on spending any way. Also remember that warranty companies will only pay so many hours on a repair, so much per hour for the repair, and only so much for the part itself. The rest will be on the vehicle owner. You will give yourself a headache trying to fight for that $100.00.
_________________
Junkyards were built for Dodges and Chevys!!!!

dkal · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:28 pm Post subject:

I was fortunate to have excellent mechanical work performed by the dealer with my truck and car. There was one time I stumbled on my fuse box re-installed by the dealer incorrectly and I fixed it myself, I wasn't happy that I had to go behind the dealer's mechanic.

Unfortunately your experience with quality of work performed by the dealership was a debacle.

I agree with the earlier post, try and put it behind you as a lesson learned. The dealer should have filled you in on charges you would incur to diagnose the autolamp issue.

Glad you solved the problem.

FLYNAVY · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject:

dntsdad,
Would call the stealership's owner & ask for my $100 back due to uneducated mechanics then go online & file a complaint with the FTC for the warranty company & the dealership & Ford. If you have a Better Business Agency in your Province I'd file a complaint with them too. Even if you don't get your money back you'll cause them enuf grief they'd wish they'd forked it over with their sincerest appologies.....how bout a few washes & oil changes Sir. Swear I'm beginning to think dealers are giving away vehicles just to get the repairs & then soak the crap out of their customers.
Buzzy

crzyjunyer · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject:

yea - i took mine infor a plug chnage (huge ordeal) and then when i picked it up they wanted to run a smoke test to find the problem (that didnt exist before i took it to them) with the evap system - it was going to be $200 for the test plus actual repair costs - i took it home and found they did not hook the sensor for the evap back up - stuff like that is why i dont use the stealership - and fly navy has some good ideas on what to do
_________________
an unloaded gun is just an expensive paperweight

FLYNAVY · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

I'm constantly calling dealerships or furniture companies or landlords that are trying to rip off guys/gals on my crew, sometimes we let the Jagman call [legal services]. Guess it's easier to get treated fairly when your on a base that's the largest employer in your city....we're not asking for anything that isn't fair & resonable. Young sailors are easy targets for scams even thought we run them thru classes to educate them against dishonest companies & constantly update our "dirty dealers" list.

IBEB · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:41 pm Post subject:

dntsdad - another thing to check on is if your extended warranty has a deductible. took my truck in to the dealer for an oil change ($19/change part of the deal when I bought the truck) and to have them run a diagnostic on my back-up system to find out what was wrong. during the oil change they noticed the rear diff was low and found that the seals were leaking. they were also able to hook it up to the computer and it told them that there was a sensor that was bad. the sensor was going to be $95 and I could have swapped it out myself, but the warranty covered the seals and sensor - I just had to pay the deductable. Either way it was going to be $100 so I just had them fix it and the rear end. I understand and also feel that they should have been able to figure out what the heck was wrong, but it may have been $100 just for the window regulator. Erik

Mather · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure the extra warranty is worth the money to buy it.

IBEB · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:20 pm Post subject:

I had the deal done on my truck at the price that I watned to pay for it and then had them throw in the warranty for the alreadyt agreed upon price. I also feel that at full price it is too much money and generally not worth it, but in a way mine was free and has already saved me $600. Erik

4.6 Punisher · Posted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:22 pm Post subject:

Go up there and tell them the piss poor kind of work they did and demand your money back. And cancel that useless warranty. From the looks of it, it really is a scam. It only covers 1.5 hours of labor and won't pay if the problem isn't fixed.
_________________
2006 F150 XLT/2WD/4.6 liter V8/Goodyear Fortera tires/
Flowmaster 40 Exhaust/Billet Grille/Line-X
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oCYZ-7VzrM

youliedtome · Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 7:24 pm Post subject:

dealership guys are freaking retards