This is the last time I take my truck to the dealer for service

Arc Ranger

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Let me start out by saying that I don't typically like taking vehicles to the dealership for maintenance, but the first year is covered by the dealer, so why not right? Well, I asked them to upgrade me to the full synthetic because they only do a synthetic blend, and I would pay the difference. Guy says yea sure that's fine. He also tells me that while I'm there they will do the recall for the taillights. I responded that they are working fine but ok, do what you gotta do. So the guy finally calls me about 20 minutes before they close to come pick up the truck (he had told me earlier that it would be done way before closing). My wife and I race over there, of course the guy I dealt with is gone. I was still able to get my truck, and so I paid the difference for the oil change and left. Then I look at the receipt - it states synthetic blend, not full synthetic. So basically I paid them for nothing. But the fun doesn't end there. I put on the blinker to make a turn and it starts blinking really fast. Then I recall reading about that on this forum, if the blinker is going really fast that is a sign that the taillights are not working properly. Sure enough I get home and have my wife stand behind the truck while I press the brake and the blinkers. They aren't working now. I'm so god damn pissed off. Now I will have to go back to the dealer tomorrow and deal with those morons. At this point I'm not even confident that they did an oil change either because I forgot to mention that they didn't reset the oil monitor. Just unbelievable.
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NickTheEnforcer

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Let me start out by saying that I don't typically like taking vehicles to the dealership for maintenance, but the first year is covered by the dealer, so why not right? Well, I asked them to upgrade me to the full synthetic because they only do a synthetic blend, and I would pay the difference. Guy says yea sure that's fine. He also tells me that while I'm there they will do the recall for the taillights. I responded that they are working fine but ok, do what you gotta do. So the guy finally calls me about 20 minutes before they close to come pick up the truck (he had told me earlier that it would be done way before closing). My wife and I race over there, of course the guy I dealt with is gone. I was still able to get my truck, and so I paid the difference for the oil change and left. Then I look at the receipt - it states synthetic blend, not full synthetic. So basically I paid them for nothing. But the fun doesn't end there. I put on the blinker to make a turn and it starts blinking really fast. Then I recall reading about that on this forum, if the blinker is going really fast that is a sign that the taillights are not working properly. Sure enough I get home and have my wife stand behind the truck while I press the brake and the blinkers. They aren't working now. I'm so god damn pissed off. Now I will have to go back to the dealer tomorrow and deal with those morons. At this point I'm not even confident that they did an oil change either because I forgot to mention that they didn't reset the oil monitor. Just unbelievable.
Another happy customer at the Ford Authorized Dis-Service Center...

Also not certain, but I was told at my center that FoMoCo does not make a full synthetic for dealership sale...I see Motorcraft does make a full-synthetic though... either way I'm not wasting my time or money with factory service, I have always tossed out new vehicle free oil change coupons and these free points are worthless to me. I'm sticking with my Castrol Edge.
 

TylerV76

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My guy at my dealership told me when I bought my Mustang a few years back, "if you want synthetic don't bring it to them". He said "It won't happen". I don't know if that means its not available or the shady sob's in service just won't do it but will charge for it. Either way, I listened.

I gotta dig into this trucks placement of the filter and such before my next oil change so I can do it myself. Belle Tire did my last one in a pinch and got me for $104.

My vehicles go to Ford for warranty repairs and that's it.
 
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Arc Ranger

Arc Ranger

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My guy at my dealership told me when I bought my Mustang a few years back, "if you want synthetic don't bring it to them". He said "It won't happen". I don't know if that means its not available or the shady sob's in service just won't do it but will charge for it. Either way, I listened.

I gotta dig into this trucks placement of the filter and such before my next oil change so I can do it myself. Belle Tire did my last one in a pinch and got me for $104.

My vehicles go to Ford for warranty repairs and that's it.
I'm with you, warranty repair would be the only reason I would bring it back. Although a recall is basically like a warranty repair, and they took working taillights and made them not work, so...
 

TylerV76

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I'm with you, warranty repair would be the only reason I would bring it back. Although a recall is basically like a warranty repair, and they took working taillights and made them not work, so...

Heres one for you so you don't feel alone.

Last fall we take my wife's F-150 in to have the door latch replaced under a recall. It would freeze and not latch properly. We leave the truck and get a rental. The next day the guy calls me and says the trucks all set, to come get it. I show up and say "how'd the repair go?". He proceeds to tell me "the doors won't freeze so we cant replace the latch since we cant prove it malfunctions". Heres where my tone goes from "hey buddy" to "You stupid sob". I said "it took you a day and a half in 50 degree weather to realize the latch wouldn't freeze? You're a trained mechanic? You get paid to work here?" Then the service manager says they have to prove it freezes. I very loudly explain how recalls work and end up leaving.

January arrives and I have forgotten about the recall. Wife straps the little one in and calls me screaming "The damn door won't shut. I got a 4 year old in a car seat about to fly out of the damn car". She cussed me out which led to me driving her truck to the dealership, door flapping in the wind, and transferring my anger from being cussed out to the same service manager.

The door was fixed in an hour because they could now prove it froze.

They also got my leased mustang back with blown ball joints because they refused to warranty them after 4000 miles. I told the manager he'd regret that. I drove it for another 8,000 like that and when I turned it in a year early I told my sales guy to let the service manager know those ball joints are still shot. When I went back to pick up the new car that afternoon he let me know the service manager was not impressed.

Ive had so many bad experiences with Ford service its not funny anymore.
 


Mokume

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Another happy customer at the Ford Authorized Dis-Service Center...

Also not certain, but I was told at my center that FoMoCo does not make a full synthetic for dealership sale...I see Motorcraft does make a full-synthetic though... either way I'm not wasting my time or money with factory service, I have always tossed out new vehicle free oil change coupons and these free points are worthless to me. I'm sticking with my Castrol Edge.
Castrol Edge has made me a believer, case in point:
My beater 2002 Honda CR-V has 210,000 miles of stop and go Honolulu driving on it, so excessive engine bearing clearances is to be expected. Upon first starting, the oil pressure warning light would not extinguish for 4-5 seconds, accompanied with the to be expected engine racket.
After changing the oil and filter, using Castrol Edge 10W-30 full synthetic, the light extinguishes as the engine is cranking, but not yet running. Perhaps another synthetic from a different manufacturer will do the same, but Castrol has worked wonders for me.
I've been an automotive mechanic long enough to know any sort of snake oil will not compensate for engine wear, but this stuff is fabulous.
My 2020 Lariat's Ecoboost will be lubricated with the same product, and nothing else.
 
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Arc Ranger

Arc Ranger

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when i read these thread titles, I saddle up for a ride and expect to read about some prima donna thinking he's number one and Ford didn't cater to their every need, blah blah blah. it gets tiring listening to those types whine and cry about absolutely nothing.

but then there is this post, and hells yeah, I would be unhappy too with the outcome of both problems.
but I'd first search a new dealership, they arent all inept like this one.
Yea there is another ford dealer near where I work. They are bigger and advertise more, not sure if that means they are any better though.
 

JimG_AZ

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When I can’t fix the issue myself, I have always had better luck with a private garage. Too many dealer service horror stories lately – and some people wonder why I am so anti extended warranty.
 

Ace Holliday

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...........but I'd first search a new dealership, they arent all inept like this one.
So true. They are not all like that. I am fortunate to have a great dealership in our town.
 

grizzly

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Glad I have a decent dealership to do my service. If they were'nt, I would just find another one like I have in the past.
 

ryyck

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On a better note...we went to Atlanta last weekend to change the oil and rear diff fluid ourselves. Much easier then I expected. The oil filter came off with a hand twist. We have the recall on the HVAC motor, and I called Ford to see if the date could be read in the parking lot. I was told it would take between 2 and 3 hours. I declined.
Today, the Ranger does have synthetic and the HVAC is still working unreplaced. Not the replace the replacement that Ford offered. I like that truck...but still won't trust the service guys.
 

Dr. Zaius

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Thanks for the link.

You do some really detailed and thorough procedural writeups.

Part of my job involves writing technical documentation, I suspect that you also have some technical writing experience. :sunglasses:

Well Done!

OP, find a new dealer.

Dealers are like Doctors in that you automatically assume that yours is a good one until something makes you realize they are NOT.
 

HenryMac

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On a better note...we went to Atlanta last weekend to change the oil and rear diff fluid ourselves. Much easier then I expected. The oil filter came off with a hand twist. We have the recall on the HVAC motor, and I called Ford to see if the date could be read in the parking lot. I was told it would take between 2 and 3 hours. I declined.
Today, the Ranger does have synthetic and the HVAC is still working unreplaced. Not the replace the replacement that Ford offered. I like that truck...but still won't trust the service guys.
Curious... why did you change the rear diff fluid? Manual says every 150,000 miles..
 
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Arc Ranger

Arc Ranger

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Ok so this morning I go to get in my truck and take it back to the dealer. I decided to check the turn signals before I left and now it is working fine... wtf? I decided to take it in anyway because I had a suspicion that there must be a loose connection, I mean why else would it not work on the ride home yesterday and then magically work this morning. So, to make a long story short, yes there was a "connection that was not seated properly" according to the dealer and they have now seated it correctly. As for the oil change, it was explained to me that they have to put it in the computer as the synthetic blend since that is part of the free maintenance package, but he assured me that they used full synthetic. I'm still skeptical but I just let it go because I wouldn't know how to prove it anyway. So all in all, I think everything is fine now, but I'm going to keep an eye on the blinker and see if it goes all superspeed again. I won't be taking my truck to that dealer again.
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