Dealer Rant, Suggestions on Dealing with Them?

[2013_Exploder]

I bought my Explorer last December off my local dealer's lot. Nothing fancy, a base 4x4 with the trailer pkg. 16 miles on the clock. So far I've driven it 17k miles and do not have any complaints.

Anyhow, I got a notice from Ford that my Ex had a fuel pump recall. I made an appointment and took the car into the same dealer I purchased it from. They had it for about a day and I picked it in the evening on my way into work. (I work mids) I noticed right off the bat that the motor stumbled here and there and it seemed to be hunting for lower gears. Something I never had happen before.

Since I knew they were going to drop the tank I brought it in on E. I went straight to a gas station and filled it. No problems. I drove it to work and back, about 60 miles round trip. The next day on my way in it started acting up again, stumbling at cruising speeds on the hwy. 9top gear, lower rpms) The CEL was flickering on and off the whole time it was doing it. Since it was after hours, I continued my trip. On the way home in the morning, more of the same. This time the CEL came on and stayed on. I called the dealer and they told me to bring it back on Monday. (this was last Friday)

Later on that day I was running errands and had to get on it to merge with traffic. When I let off it quit and wouldn't start. I coasted to a stop in a left turn lane. I had to crank on it a few times before and it fired up. I took it back to the dealer and they gave me a loner for the weekend. Monday rolls around and they tell me 2 of the coil packs are bad and they had to order them and I could pick it up on Tuesday. OK, I thought. But by now I'm feeling like I'm getting jerked off. Coil packs failing at random? They are paying for it, whatever...

So I get the car back Tuesday night and drive it top work. This time it seems to be running good, another round trip to work. Then I went to put gas in it last night. The low fuel light had come on with 230 miles on the trip odo. The guge was showing 1/8 tank +. Strange I thought. So I stop off to fill her up. 4 gallons is all I managed to get in the tank. That's about when I noticed the big puddle of gas under the car. I appeared to be leaking out the top of the tank. I'm guessing from the fuel filler neck. The tank seems like it's full but the gauge will not go above the 1/4 tank mark.

So now, tell me, if I really did have a pair of bad coils and plugs, WTF were they doing to my gas tank the second time I brought it in? I had no issues with the gauge or leaks before I took it back. I was guessing it had a defective fuel pump right out of the box but what do I know? I fell lousy because it worked perfectly before I let them touch it!

I've turned wrenches as a hobby and for $$$ most of my life. I like to think I'm pretty sharp when it comes most things automotive. I don't trust these guys to work on my car anymore. A fuel pump is a pretty simple job and I feel they are making excuses for a scope monkey misdiagnosing a problem or just flat out screwing up. What's my recourse? Take it to another Ford dealer or let these jokers have another crack at it? :scratch:

 

[blwnsmoke]

I'd be just as frustrated as you are if I were you. First step is I'd call the dealership and talk to the service manager and only deal with him/her. The key is to express your frustration but be polite. They gave you a loaner which is a good thing, most dealers don't do this for their customers as it comes straight out of their pocket. Give them one more shot at fixing it. I'm wondering if you over filled it the 2nd time and it was pouring out because it wasn't sealed properly but the first time after the fix you didn't fill it completely and didn't experience it.

I'm wondering if you didn't have a proper seal, the pump wasn't priming fully and you were starving for fuel (coil packs looking for fuel hence the CEL flickering). Just a guess, I'm not mechanic… but I do know that on tanks that have the gas caps, that can cause a CEL so being you have a sealed system and you had fuel leaking out, the system wasn't sealed.

 

[jeffreycowart]

2013_Exploder I feel your pain. Ford botched the fuel pump recall on my Ex as well.

The previous owner had the recall done, just before trading in the vehicle.

They did not retorque the drive shaft support bolts and they routed the wires in the tank wrong, so that the fuel gauge would not go below 50%.

After I took the car home, I thought I was getting awesome fuel mileage, I hit about 275 miles and still at 50%. Another 50 miles and it was still at 50%, I knew something was wrong. About that time the CEL came, got the code read from Autozone, indicated a malfunction in the sending unit.

Then at stop lights I got a horrible vibration until about 15 mph. The rear driveshaft bolts had backed out approx 2 inches so there was a lot of play and vibration on takeoff. Luckily it didnt fall all the out and cause an accident.

My local dealer in TN (not the one it NJ, that botched the recall) dropped the tank and rerouted the wires not to obstruct the float, and replaced the driveshaft support bolts that had been bent from the vibration.

It is unfortunate they are using less competent workers to service our vehicles, but at least my local dealer made it right.

 

[2013_Exploder]

Thanks guys. I took it back on Friday night and expressed my concerns about the competence of the techs. Again, the service guy was very apologetic and put me in a rental for the weekend. We'll see this afternoon...

 

[FordService]

Thanks guys. I took it back on Friday night and expressed my concerns about the competence of the techs. Again, the service guy was very apologetic and put me in a rental for the weekend. We'll see this afternoon...

Keep me posted, 2013_Exploder, and let me know if you need any additional assistance. I'll keep an eye on this thread, but feel free to reach out to me via PM as well.

Crystal

 

[Bobmbx]

If you like your perfectly running engine, you can keep your perfectly running engine.

It sounds like the service department was imprecise when describing what they fixed on your car.

 

[2013_Exploder]

If you like your perfectly running engine, you can keep your perfectly running engine.

It sounds like the service department was imprecise when describing what they fixed on your car.

LOL, they mispromised when they said it would be a simple job...

I picked up my Ex yesterday. It seems to be working just fine so far. The service manager was very apologetic. He was actually waiting for me when I came in. That was nice. They gave me a full tank of gas too, but then again how are they going to check for leaks? This time around they claimed it was a faulty fuel sending unit. That's the thing I don't like about this whole deal. All the blame has been put solely on defective parts. No mention of a ham fisted inexperienced tech porking up my car.

I'm happy to have my car back but it is debatable if I'll ever take it back to these guys again. Thanks for the outreach Crystal, I'll let you know if I have any more issues.

 

[FordService]

...I'm happy to have my car back but it is debatable if I'll ever take it back to these guys again. Thanks for the outreach Crystal, I'll let you know if I have any more issues.

Sounds good, 2013_Exploder; I'll be here if you need me.

Crystal