vig1116
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 26, 2011
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- City, State
- monmouth, NJ
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2015 sport
So the problems with my shift to park warnings came to a head yesterday, which led me to write my first ever complaint letter to someone's boss. Here it is (i left out names on the forum version)
February 7, 2013
To: Tom’s Ford, Hazlet NJ
Mr. Larry Doremus, Sr., Vice President/General Manager
CC: Michael Lyttle, Principal/Comptroller; Robert Lyttle, Principal; Erika, Ford Customer Service
RE: Customer xxxxxxxxxxx – 2011 Ford Explorer
I have a 2011 Ford Explorer LTD. From the beginning I have had problems with the vehicle: numerous MFT issues, overheating, brake squeal, A Pillar rattle that was “fixed” 3 different times, liftgate problems, more overheating, and the latest problem, the “shift to park” warning. I have been to one of three dealerships numerous times over the past year and a half, most recently yours. (I’m sure you can look up the specific number of times.) The “shift to park” issue initially started around mid 2012 and happened occasionally but I ignored it because it wasn’t too often. Towards the end of 2012 it was happening more frequently so I decided to take it to Tom’s ford.
On 12/15/2012 it went to Tom’s for overheating, liftgate and “shift to park” issues. The first two issues were taken care of, but the third was said to have not been able to be reproduced and they chalked it up to MFT and upgraded MFT to 3.5.1 and said it will work fine now. Two days later it began happening again, and more frequently.
On 1/22/13 I again brought it in to Tom’s Ford and this time, with Erika’s help from Ford customer service and Ford’s techs, Tom’s Ford tried to diagnose the issue. They unplugged some connectors I believe and did some diagnostics and still couldn’t find the issue. With several discussions between Erika and myself we decided to install a recording device on my truck to see if it records what the problem is. Erika said she would contact me when the recorder came in to Tom’s.
On Tuesday 2/5/2013 I discovered the problem while sitting in my car. I was able to determine it is the shifter, more specifically, the trigger on the handle. I contacted x.. from Tom’s and explained to her the problem and we decided I would come in on 1/6/13 to show the tech and see what to do next. I went there on 2/6/13, showed the tech, and he brought it in the back to computer diagnose the issue. A little while later x.. came to get me to tell me they’re all done. She began to explain to me that the diagnostics came back with everything being perfect. She then said they still wanted to put the recording device on the car and I would come back another time. I said absolutely NOT! I said to her that I have been a guinea pig for ford long enough and I was ok with it because we couldn’t determine the problem. BUT NOW I HAVE SHOWN THEM THE PROBLEM, so I demanded that new parts be ordered or I will proceed with lemon law involvement.
At no point was I threatening or “in her face” with these demands, nor did I cause an uncomfortable atmosphere for other customers. I asked x.. to get her manager and I’ll take it above her because I know she’s not in the position to handle my demands. x.. xxxx at no time came to meet me, and x.. came back 2 minutes later and said they were ordering new parts and she’ll call me when they arrive. I said thank you and you’re being extremely helpful with my needs. She responded with, “Well if you feel that way why don’t you express that to my boss because even HIS boss is here today and it will make me look good”. I said absolutely. So I went over to x.. xxxx and expressed how helpful x.. had been in trying to resolve this issue, and how frustrating it is to have to deal with a truck so prone to problems.
x.. never came to me even when I asked to speak to the manager and I only knew who he was when I approached him to say what a good job x.. was doing. I come to find out that x.. told Erika from Ford that I was irate and causing a scene and he only shook my hand to get me out of the dealership, and he never had any intention of ordering the parts and wants nothing to do with me and I am never to go there for service again.
How would he know how “irate” I was when he was in another part of the building? My opinion is that Mr. xxxx's regional manager was next to him and he couldn’t have a problem in his shop to make him look bad so he got rid of me and made up an exaggerated story to justify his actions. I was angry and annoyed at how I was being treated, I also refused to have the recorder put on my car at that point because we knew the problem now, and yes, I demanded new parts be ordered. But NEVER was I threatening or bothersome to other customers in any way. I was insistent that the problem be handled appropriately, but not irate!
I have e-mailed close to a dozen videos showing the problem, and one video showing the proof of the faulty shifter and told Tom’s of those videos and they still insisted “we can’t reproduce it so we can’t do anything”. That excuse is ok to a point, but if a customer is there numerous times and has almost a dozen videos proving the problem, you make other arrangements besides the diagnostic computer says everything is fine so we’re not helping you.
I just spoke to Erika, who was in contact with another Ford dealer, and after seeing one video they told Erica that they were ordering a new shifter and it will be here within a day or two. How can one dealer be so good, and another be so bad and outright lie and get rid of business so fast??
I have lost a lot of time going to different dealers for this truck, and I am paying almost $500 a month for a truck whose features don’t work because of the many issues. If it wasn’t for Erika trying her best to get me the help I needed, I may not ever be in another Ford again!
I am extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism and respect that was shown to me by Mr. xxxx, and wanted you to be aware of how service customers are treated at your dealership.
Sincerely,
February 7, 2013
To: Tom’s Ford, Hazlet NJ
Mr. Larry Doremus, Sr., Vice President/General Manager
CC: Michael Lyttle, Principal/Comptroller; Robert Lyttle, Principal; Erika, Ford Customer Service
RE: Customer xxxxxxxxxxx – 2011 Ford Explorer
I have a 2011 Ford Explorer LTD. From the beginning I have had problems with the vehicle: numerous MFT issues, overheating, brake squeal, A Pillar rattle that was “fixed” 3 different times, liftgate problems, more overheating, and the latest problem, the “shift to park” warning. I have been to one of three dealerships numerous times over the past year and a half, most recently yours. (I’m sure you can look up the specific number of times.) The “shift to park” issue initially started around mid 2012 and happened occasionally but I ignored it because it wasn’t too often. Towards the end of 2012 it was happening more frequently so I decided to take it to Tom’s ford.
On 12/15/2012 it went to Tom’s for overheating, liftgate and “shift to park” issues. The first two issues were taken care of, but the third was said to have not been able to be reproduced and they chalked it up to MFT and upgraded MFT to 3.5.1 and said it will work fine now. Two days later it began happening again, and more frequently.
On 1/22/13 I again brought it in to Tom’s Ford and this time, with Erika’s help from Ford customer service and Ford’s techs, Tom’s Ford tried to diagnose the issue. They unplugged some connectors I believe and did some diagnostics and still couldn’t find the issue. With several discussions between Erika and myself we decided to install a recording device on my truck to see if it records what the problem is. Erika said she would contact me when the recorder came in to Tom’s.
On Tuesday 2/5/2013 I discovered the problem while sitting in my car. I was able to determine it is the shifter, more specifically, the trigger on the handle. I contacted x.. from Tom’s and explained to her the problem and we decided I would come in on 1/6/13 to show the tech and see what to do next. I went there on 2/6/13, showed the tech, and he brought it in the back to computer diagnose the issue. A little while later x.. came to get me to tell me they’re all done. She began to explain to me that the diagnostics came back with everything being perfect. She then said they still wanted to put the recording device on the car and I would come back another time. I said absolutely NOT! I said to her that I have been a guinea pig for ford long enough and I was ok with it because we couldn’t determine the problem. BUT NOW I HAVE SHOWN THEM THE PROBLEM, so I demanded that new parts be ordered or I will proceed with lemon law involvement.
At no point was I threatening or “in her face” with these demands, nor did I cause an uncomfortable atmosphere for other customers. I asked x.. to get her manager and I’ll take it above her because I know she’s not in the position to handle my demands. x.. xxxx at no time came to meet me, and x.. came back 2 minutes later and said they were ordering new parts and she’ll call me when they arrive. I said thank you and you’re being extremely helpful with my needs. She responded with, “Well if you feel that way why don’t you express that to my boss because even HIS boss is here today and it will make me look good”. I said absolutely. So I went over to x.. xxxx and expressed how helpful x.. had been in trying to resolve this issue, and how frustrating it is to have to deal with a truck so prone to problems.
x.. never came to me even when I asked to speak to the manager and I only knew who he was when I approached him to say what a good job x.. was doing. I come to find out that x.. told Erika from Ford that I was irate and causing a scene and he only shook my hand to get me out of the dealership, and he never had any intention of ordering the parts and wants nothing to do with me and I am never to go there for service again.
How would he know how “irate” I was when he was in another part of the building? My opinion is that Mr. xxxx's regional manager was next to him and he couldn’t have a problem in his shop to make him look bad so he got rid of me and made up an exaggerated story to justify his actions. I was angry and annoyed at how I was being treated, I also refused to have the recorder put on my car at that point because we knew the problem now, and yes, I demanded new parts be ordered. But NEVER was I threatening or bothersome to other customers in any way. I was insistent that the problem be handled appropriately, but not irate!
I have e-mailed close to a dozen videos showing the problem, and one video showing the proof of the faulty shifter and told Tom’s of those videos and they still insisted “we can’t reproduce it so we can’t do anything”. That excuse is ok to a point, but if a customer is there numerous times and has almost a dozen videos proving the problem, you make other arrangements besides the diagnostic computer says everything is fine so we’re not helping you.
I just spoke to Erika, who was in contact with another Ford dealer, and after seeing one video they told Erica that they were ordering a new shifter and it will be here within a day or two. How can one dealer be so good, and another be so bad and outright lie and get rid of business so fast??
I have lost a lot of time going to different dealers for this truck, and I am paying almost $500 a month for a truck whose features don’t work because of the many issues. If it wasn’t for Erika trying her best to get me the help I needed, I may not ever be in another Ford again!
I am extremely disappointed with the lack of professionalism and respect that was shown to me by Mr. xxxx, and wanted you to be aware of how service customers are treated at your dealership.
Sincerely,
