Service department woes (need to vent!)

[Polar Bear]

Sorry for the Rant!! But I know I'm among friends here!

Dropped my 2019 Ranger off last Tuesday for the tail light recall, a constantly freezing Sync screen, and an oil change (figured why not since I'm leaving it). Zero communication for 3 days despite my attempts to get updates. Got the runaround every time I called for a status. The people who answer phones couldn’t find record of my vehicle and the various service advisers I was transferred to were not all on the same page. Seems the right hand had no clue what the left was doing. Basic questions could not be addressed and customer service was nonexistent. Everything was pushed off on my service adviser who “just left” whenever I would call. Asking for the service manager was a waste of time as well. He’s apparently always in a meeting. From what I can tell they did not even touch my vehicle until I called and stated I'd be picking it up on the 4th evening since I could get no updates. Picking up my vehicle was a joke. Asked 2 different folks for help and, again, told to find (yes, told to go find) my service adviser (who had just left). Got another guy to get my keys and found my own truck. It was blocked in by other vehicles ready for pickup but a guy moving the cars said I could get around them as he walked away. I still have no proof anything was actually done over the 3 days they had my vehicle as paperwork could not be provided due to "system issues". Sync is still frozen but thankfully the oil looks new - God I hope its the proper weight, but looks new.... Jeez!

Reviews written, survey filled out, and messages left for the general manager. I have plans in the works including a letter to Ford and the crappy dealership as well. Ugh!

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[IdahoRanger]

Don't understand what happened to the word "service". Sure hope I have better luck when repairs are needed. Luckily, I have a couple choices so if one fails I can go to another.

 

[HenryMac]

Who's the dealer?

I'm hoping my Ford will be like my 02 Tacoma... and in 17 years I still won;t have needed any service that I couldn't take care of on my own.

 

[Polar Bear]

Who's the dealer?

I'm hoping my Ford will be like my 02 Tacoma... and in 17 years I still won;t have needed any service that I couldn't take care of on my own.

Grapevine Ford in Grapevine TX - bought by AutoNation.....

 

[Dokkenmire]

My sales experience was awful at our local Ford dealer (who I'd previously purchased 2 vehicles from with no drama). I'm afraid to take it there for service. My local Chrysler/Ram dealership treated us like royalty and their service was top notch, same with Toyota. I love my truck but so far I'm not the least impressed with the Ford dealers in my area.

 

[Tangent]

Yeah, compared to Honda or Subaru, even within the same dealer company, Ford is one of the worst customer service experiences.

Seems to be a prevailing mindset throughout the company as a whole, everyone from service, to parts, to sales can't be bothered to give a shit.

 

[Floyd]

Who's the dealer?

I'm hoping my Ford will be like my 02 Tacoma... and in 17 years I still won;t have needed any service that I couldn't take care of on my own.

Like my '01 Ranger, your Tacoma was nearly as good!

 

[sodakchuck]

Sorry to hear about your service woes, I am exceedingly lucky in that my local Ford dealer is top notch and its service department has never let me down.

 

[AzScorpion]

That's really one messed up dealership! Hopefully there's another dealer close by if you ever need one again. I haven't had to bring mine in yet for any service but based on the sales experience I think (fingers crossed) they'll be good. If you do get to talk with Ford corporate give them your VIN and ask them to make sure your recall was actually done.

 

[Tracy Bowman]

That’s ridiculous! I agree with others that it seems “service” is not top priority anymore at some dealerships.I hate that for you. I hope and pray my experience will not be like yours when I take mine in for taillight recall.

 

[Msfitoy]

Unless I wreck or engine blows up, I'm servicing my own Ranger...took delivery, did my own modifications, rotated my tires twice, 4 oil changes in my garage and haven't been back to the dealership...knock on wood

 

[Radioman]

I call BS on this; find another dealer.

 

[Msfitoy]

LOL...they're lying or ignorant...pump up your tires and you go to jail..sounds like the government

 

[Atxjmy512]

I’ve had similar issues at my also in Texas ford dealer. Here in Austin, I took my wife’s Explorer in for a weird squeak coming at idle, and it sat for 17 days. They kept telling me oh we’re working on it, they’re talking to Ford to figure it out, meanwhile I could see from both the Ford Pass app as well as the fact that I drive by the dealership every day for work that it hadn’t been started or moved from the spot I parked it in two weeks prior.

And even when my ranger needed some recall work they told me it’d be 3 months before they could get to it, they’d prefer I took it somewhere else.

I asked my somewhere else dealer what the deal was and he told me two things - 1) that dealer doesn’t require an appointment they take anyone that comes down their drive and do not prioritize appointments and 2) (this map be unique to Austin) we simply don’t have enough Ford dealers to deal with our population growth and the amount of Ford trucks sold in Texas.

 

[Lone]

Any of you old enough to remember the Blue Oval Service program? Back a ways, Ford decided that if a dealership service department passed certain strict criteria and got consistently high marks from customers, they would be admitted to and awarded Blue Oval Service status. They even got a big Blue Oval Service sign to hang in the service area. I did not notice any positive change in service, but I did notice that every dealership I went to had one of the coveted signs. Good thing I like their trucks, but I'll always distrust their service.

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