$189 diagnostic charge for warranty issue??

[corendurance]

My Ranger Tremor is the first Ford I’ve owned in almost 40 years. Took it in to the dealer today for a drivetrain issue that is still covered under warranty. At the service desk they told me there’s a $189 diagnostic fee even for warranty issues. Is this normal Ford policy? If not what’s my recourse?

I’ve owned VWs, BMWs, GMCs and Toyotas and none of those dealers ever charged a diag fee for a warranty or recall issue. Ford service rep said “they gotta get paid for the diag.” I said Ford should pay them.

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[Grumpaw]

From what I understand, if it turns out to be a legitimate warranty problem, the diagnostic fee is dropped, and is covered under the warranty.
Was a problem found covered by warranty ??? If so, than I would go right to the service mgr, and than to top mgr of the dealership...and than if necessary to Ford Customer Service.
I recently had a problem, took to Ford and was told if no problem found I would have to pay for the diag.
Problem was found and warranty covered everything including diag.

 

[Dr. Zaius]

I wonder if this is becoming common due to Ford's recent less than stellar record on warranty claims?

My truck can pull in the shop with every TSB problem Ford has printed and the dealer will say "No Problem Found", only for me to find it on my way home.

 

[TJC]

Think of it this way... all these issues are "No Cost Options". Deigned into the vehicle to insure a nice ongoing revenue stream.

Think about it... Ford charges $165 for an DPFE sensor that is $20 at Rack Auto, and once was a similar price at Ford.

Or how about this Engine Foam Cover - was $50, then $79, then $99, then $166... I just looked it up from my local dealer $249.33!

I realize that some dealers have discounts to gain volume sales, but this is price gouging at its finest. And they don't even supply you the nuts and bolts at that price.

And it's mice food too!

 

[awd.nv]

If it's warranty they drop it. Its annoying because even when it's obviously warranty they still do it.

 

[pbethel]

If they didn't do it and it wasn't a warranty issue how willing would the customer be to pay for what he was/is convinced should be covered by the warranty?
I first started dealing with diog fees with my first new Ford... a Tempo. It is not new. I suspect a few here are going to have to look up the Tempo. It is/was that forgettable.

 

[awd.nv]

If they didn't do it and it wasn't a warranty issue how willing would the customer be to pay for what he was/is convinced should be covered by the warranty?
I first started dealing with diog fees with my first new Ford... a Tempo. It is not new. I suspect a few here are going to have to look up the Tempo. It is/was that forgettable.

I remember the name but had to look it up lol. That said, my buddy had an old Escort GT in 2003 , it was already something like 10-12 years old but was a pretty fun little beater. For the era and the vehicle, good power and good on gas too. We used to joke that it created gas when he drove it.

I used to commute 50 miles each way in a 93 Ford Festiva, 5-speed manual, no AC (California so ok). That thing would easily do over 30mpg driving it like I stole it. Once I tried to granny it and almost got 50mpg on a hwy drive. Funny thing is the mountain bike I had hanging off the back of it was easily 3x the cost of what I got the car for lol My 66 Mustang kept me from feeling ashamed lol

I sometimes miss when cars were just cars sometimes. I LOVE the amount of tech in our generation Rangers though, don't need any more but wish the traction nannies would relax a bit. The E-Throttle is my biggest complaints with new cars.

 

[hughesjv]

From what I understand, if it turns out to be a legitimate warranty problem, the diagnostic fee is dropped, and is covered under the warranty.
Was a problem found covered by warranty ??? If so, than I would go right to the service mgr, and than to top mgr of the dealership...and than if necessary to Ford Customer Service.
I recently had a problem, took to Ford and was told if no problem found I would have to pay for the diag.
Problem was found and warranty covered everything including diag.

Grumpaw is correct; everywhere is doing this, I think to stay of the complainers for nothing, and then it gets dropped if they find the issue. My concern is what about those issues that come and go?

 

[GMtech]

From what I understand, if it turns out to be a legitimate warranty problem, the diagnostic fee is dropped, and is covered under the warranty.
Was a problem found covered by warranty ??? If so, than I would go right to the service mgr, and than to top mgr of the dealership...and than if necessary to Ford Customer Service.
I recently had a problem, took to Ford and was told if no problem found I would have to pay for the diag.
Problem was found and warranty covered everything including diag.

Sometimes you may think that it is a warranty issue, but it could be from something aftermarket you had put on your vehicle. When I wrenched for GM, the first thing GM Techline told me to do when dealing with weird electrical issues was to remove the aftermarket alarm. The first question Techline asked is: is everything stock?

I was having my alarm going off on my 2022 XL in the middle of the night, multiple times usually when the temperatures were colder. I thought for sure it was the hood sensor, so I finally bypassed it. Guess what, my alarm still went off the following night. The following morning, I removed the alarm the Dealer had installed (to get more money out of me) and the alarm has not gone off since.

 

[hughesjv]

Sometimes you may think that it is a warranty issue, but it could be from something aftermarket you had put on your vehicle. When I wrenched for GM, the first thing GM Techline told me to do when dealing with weird electrical issues was to remove the aftermarket alarm. The first question Techline asked is: is everything stock?

I was having my alarm going off on my 2022 XL in the middle of the night, multiple times usually when the temperatures were colder. I thought for sure it was the hood sensor, so I finally bypassed it. Guess what, my alarm still went off the following night. The following morning, I removed the alarm the Dealer had installed (to get more money out of me) and the alarm has not gone off since.

I think something is missing...if you removed the alarm, why would you expect it to go off? Did you have two alarms?

 

[GMtech]

Yes, had the factory alarm and a dealer installed alarm, many dealerships in California put aftermarket alarms on the vehicles they sell to prevent them from being stolen off the lot. This alarm also lets the salesperson to unlock the vehicle without the key when showing the vehicle, simply by putting in a code from their phone.

 

[hughesjv]

Yes, had the factory alarm and a dealer installed alarm, many dealerships in California put aftermarket alarms on the vehicles they sell to prevent them from being stolen off the lot. This alarm also lets the salesperson to unlock the vehicle without the key when showing the vehicle, simply by putting in a code from their phone.

Now I am tracking...thanks, Jim

 

[GreggCT]

The dealer did this to me on a Chrysler product when I suspected something was wrong and wanted it fixed before the warranty expired. He told me he wasn't allowed to just "look for things", there had to be a specific problem. Turned out to be the best money I ever spent. He found several things wrong in the drivetrain and fixed thousands of dollars worth of problems I didn't know where an issue.

 

[Beach]

My Ranger Tremor is the first Ford I’ve owned in almost 40 years. Took it in to the dealer today for a drivetrain issue that is still covered under warranty. At the service desk they told me there’s a $189 diagnostic fee even for warranty issues. Is this normal Ford policy? If not what’s my recourse?

I’ve owned VWs, BMWs, GMCs and Toyotas and none of those dealers ever charged a diag fee for a warranty or recall issue. Ford service rep said “they gotta get paid for the diag.” I said Ford should pay them.

I ran into that on a different type issue with my Chevy prior to getting the Ford. May be common now, just make sure the fee is covered by the warranty as well. It is part of the same service

 

[Glocker]

From my short stint as a service writer, I can tell you I've seen people bring in vehicles for repair under warranty, and with out an doubt, there were signs of clear abuse outside the purview of a warranty repair. And thus, the language exists that there is a diag. fee - just for incidents like that.

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