Ford refusing to honor Bumper to Bumper Warranty

[Squatchranger]

you mean, like read the whole thing???

who does that?
you come in, browse...pick a comment and send out the response, then move on to the oil dilution and oil change interval threads. isn't that the proper etiquette of a forum?

I know you do read the whole thing cause you just look for the comments to latch on to to create maximum drama lol you can't fool me mr banana

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[Caseyjay]

I have been following this thread with rapt attention since I also flat-tow my Ranger behind my motorhome. As Others have done, I have a typed list up front to go down each manual-listed step to put it into and out of tow mode. So far, I have had no trouble. But it sounds like just showing your list to Ford is not enough. Maybe even a iphone shot of the dash as you leave the truck may not be enough (since, they could say, you got into the truck pushed the gearshift to park and back out without taking any more pictures) . Would this group agree that a video (from dash cam pointed at dash) showing correct process and no shift out of neutral be enough to counter the dealer's catch-22 argument that if it broke, it must be your fault, since it was designed not to break? Maybe even a dash mounted voltmeter showing real time reading of voltage. All of the threads I have seen on dashcams are looking out, not at the actual dash. Any ideas or not worth the effort to try and protect yourself?

 

[rcairflr]

I Any ideas or not worth the effort to try and protect yourself?

Not sure if it would help or not. But based on this thread, if I was to pull my Ranger behind a RV, i would get a trailer. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Caseyjay]

Thanks for your opinion. I purchased this truck for two reasons. One I liked all I saw about the new Rangers and thought it would be a good fit for me. Two is: I want to flat tow my vehicle. I have rv'ed for many years now flat towing. I chose this truck specifically because it had factory designed-in flat tow mode. It works just fine and I love this truck. However, if forced to trailer a tow this truck, I would sell it in a minute. I am not advocating that. I only want to be sure that I am a well protected from 'he said/she' said battles with Ford. I only want to be able to PROVE that I did every thing asked of me by the instructions from Ford.

 

[AdamHarris]

Seems to me that a person can dot all the Is and cross all the Ts when it comes to going into tow mode and follow a checklist to the letter…then, while going down the road, battery voltage drops and the system engages something in the Trans and you’re screwed. That’s scary.

 

[Rp930]

I would turn that scenario around and ask Ford how you can be assured it’s in tow mode and how to document it.

 

[BettaRanga]

Thanks for your opinion. I purchased this truck for two reasons. One I liked all I saw about the new Rangers and thought it would be a good fit for me. Two is: I want to flat tow my vehicle. I have rv'ed for many years now flat towing. I chose this truck specifically because it had factory designed-in flat tow mode. It works just fine and I love this truck. However, if forced to trailer a tow this truck, I would sell it in a minute. I am not advocating that. I only want to be sure that I am a well protected from 'he said/she' said battles with Ford. I only want to be able to PROVE that I did every thing asked of me by the instructions from Ford.

I would turn that scenario around and ask Ford how you can be assured it’s in tow mode and how to document it.

This.

I don’t see how even video evidence could prove that particular video was from the neutral tow engagement procedure that led to the trans failure. How do they know you didn’t stop at the gas station, make a change, and just not show that in the video?

I guess you could record each neutral tow engagement uninterrupted until the next stop when you check the transmission. Sounds painful…

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

There's really no way to know definitively whether there was an operator error or vehicle error. Sadly, as it has happened more than once, and presumably not every operator could have made the same errors, I have to lean toward vehicle failure. Ford, has shown more than once they have more concern for porfit, than owner safety or honouring genuine warranty claims.

If it were me, and I were going to flat tow my Ranger after reading all the info available, I would:

Install a dash cam in a position to record the dash and all relevant screens, for the duration of each daily trip. Flop out memory cards as required, or use a large hard drive. $6K for a new transmission sucks, but the damage, repair bill and other liabilities could be so much worse, if the mechanical lock-up caused bounce or kicks and The ranger breaks free, or sends broken pieces flying off.

All this goes back to my previous, that there are very few vehicles that I would buy to flat tow, and all would be manual transmission with mechanical N in the transfer case.

 

[VegasRanger]

Damn this sucks OP. Sorry to hear that. I guess it's a good thing I am too poor to be able to afford an RV lol..

 

[Caseyjay]

There's really no way to know definitively whether there was an operator error or vehicle error. Sadly, as it has happened more than once, and presumably not every operator could have made the same errors, I have to lean toward vehicle failure. Ford, has shown more than once they have more concern for porfit, than owner safety or honouring genuine warranty claims.

If it were me, and I were going to flat tow my Ranger after reading all the info available, I would:

Install a dash cam in a position to record the dash and all relevant screens, for the duration of each daily trip. Flop out memory cards as required, or use a large hard drive. $6K for a new transmission sucks, but the damage, repair bill and other liabilities could be so much worse, if the mechanical lock-up caused bounce or kicks and The ranger breaks free, or sends broken pieces flying off.

All this goes back to my previous, that there are very few vehicles that I would buy to flat tow, and all would be manual transmission with mechanical N in the transfer case.

This is what I have come to too. I would have to monitor the dash and an external voltmeter with a small dash cam and video, uninterrupted (with time stamp), while towing. I am assunming that a blow trans woiuld provide error codes that would also have time stamp on them so I could be assured of having video coverage. Unfortuantely, very few cars anymore have a manual trans with grease in it. Most of them now have some kind of fluid that is splashed around by the gears. I have researched this quite a bit nad though there are some, thge closest I would want for my own car, is this truck. This is also my daily driver, so I have to have a vehicle befittting my self respect (and ego). If I find a setup that works as a video logger for flat tow I will be back with details.

 

[THLONE]

Unfortunately manufactures dont like to give out information on how things work. What is needed is a mechanic that works on these transfer cases, transmissions, and the electronic controls. I dont understand why the trans has to be in neutral. If the trans was in park the output shaft wouldnt turn and the gears would not be destroyed by running without oil. And if the transfer case was not in neutral and the trans was in park the rear tires would be locked up offering a very good indicator. I dont think that Ford designed this truck to tow or be towed dependably, ie. dummy proof. Depending on electricity is problematic because of gay amps. Maybe the RV forums will wake up the Ford officials that their trucks are not tow friendly. Aftermarket people: invent a standalone fix to put the transfer case in neutral and forget about stupid stuff like dampers and stop start.

 

[NotBudule]

If this happens to me , I'm gona leave it by the side of the road (with no tow vehicle in sight) and swear "I was driving down the road and the Ranger went crazy and made an awful noise and lights were flashing everywhere and send a tow truck please" and that would be a true statement ...

 

[deleriumtremor]

There seems to be a default understanding on this board that if the battery drains during Neutral Tow, somehow the transfer case is switched back into 2WD and the transmission destroyed.

I frankly am very skeptical of this narrative.

Could someone point me to a thread that more clearly documents that this was indeed what happened when their neutral tow went bad and their transmission was wrecked?

 

[NotBudule]

take some tools, you'll need to remove a few things too

I am not sure the apparatus involved but ill have the tools to make it disappear, and I "have towed in the past and know how to do it" just wasn't towing at the time of catastrophic damage , that's why I had to call a tow truck ...

 

[JACKSMYDOG]

Tows almost any 2 wd drive vehicle with a few minutes load time. and no modifications to the car being towed. Add tow lights (~$100) to the rear of the towed vehicle if you area requires them. Starting around $3K USD and no specific to the RV to pull it. Easily hook to the back of the Ranger and take on side jobs. Best of all, it eliminates virtually all risk to the towed vehicle's drive train. Not perfect for electronic 4x4
or AWD.

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