Ford customer service - not impressed!!

[Cliff J]

As I was passing by, I decided to pop into my local Ford dealer on the off chance they may have an idea of what is causing a pretty annoying fault on my company car, a Ford Mondeo (2009) TDCi.

The car intermittently hesitates and stutters on acceleration, sometimes it kangaroos, but most annoyingly it can happen when I really need it not to, like trying to get out onto a busy roundabout, getting up to speed on a motorway slip road, over-taking etc, my foot can be flat to the floor and I have no power at all, lifting off and re-applying can sort it out but not always.

So anyhow, after explaining the issue, the customer services guy says "do you have an engine warning light on?", to which I said "No, I do not", to which he then pulled out a large clear glass ball from below the counter, looked into it and said "Nope, no idea!!".

I was sent on my way with the amazingly friendly and comforting advice that whatever it is will break soon and we'll know what the problem is for sure when it does. Very helpful I thought!!

Ignoring crappy Ford service dept advice, is there any way that Ford can diagnose this if I put my car into another dealership? I have to go to Ford as it's an Arval lease car but do not want to play the game of keep having to return the car when they don't fix it, I live too far away from the dealership to walk.

Over the last couple of days it's become worse, I'm struggling to do 70mph on the motorway now, constantly lifting and re-applying the throttle to keep my speed up, not good at all.

Any advice welcome please.

[jas xjr]

Ring up the leasIng company and give them hell.
I used to lease vans, if there was a problem they would collect the faulty one and leave me a replacemnet

[Kinky]

My first guess would be the EGR valve or/and the inlet manifold.

[LHD]

Kinky said:

My first guess would be the EGR valve or/and the inlet manifold.

With the Mondeo of that vintage it's almost a certainty.

The reason you've been told to go away as it will only be claimable under warranty if it fails.

[Cliff J]

jas xjr said:

Ring up the leasIng company and give them hell.
I used to lease vans, if there was a problem they would collect the faulty one and leave me a replacemnet

Something isn't right at work at the moment, they're expecting us to pay for hire cars if ours go in for repair, not sure why but the arguments continue on that and I won't be getting a hire car without being paid a float!!

[LHD]

Cliff J said:

jas xjr said:

Ring up the leasIng company and give them hell.
I used to lease vans, if there was a problem they would collect the faulty one and leave me a replacemnet

Something isn't right at work at the moment, they're expecting us to pay for hire cars if ours go in for repair, not sure why but the arguments continue on that and I won't be getting a hire car without being paid a float!!

No offence but i'd be looking at Situations Vacant if that's the case.

[Cliff J]

Kinky + LHD,

If I take the car in, will they be able to diagnose it without a fault code in the ECU though? Will they even bother with it?

[LHD]

Cliff J said:

Kinky + LHD,

If I take the car in, will they be able to diagnose it without a fault code in the ECU though? Will they even bother with it?

No.

Ford warranty won't pay for anything unless a fault is found.

No light on, no visible fault then no fix.

Sad but that's the way Ford's warranty works.

[iva cosworth]

Cliff J said:

Kinky + LHD,

If I take the car in, will they be able to diagnose it without a fault code in the ECU though? Will they even bother with it?

If there is an obvious fault as you describe with the faltering etc,they must look into it.

Cannot quite believe the "crystal ball" bit.

Go to another more cooperative dealer.

[Kinky]

I know that Alfas dealer warranties do cover it

[Cliff J]

iva cosworth said:

If there is an obvious fault as you describe with the faltering etc,they must look into it.

Cannot quite believe the "crystal ball" bit.

Go to another more cooperative dealer.

I'm really hoping that it'll misbehave like it has all of today, then I stand half a chance of a resolution, but for the last few weeks it's been really random, mostly only when the car is still cold, which is usually when I enter the motorway slip road on route to work!!!

Today was scary, I was working on the side of the road in a 50mph limit, very busy too and cars going a fair bit faster than 50. I had to pull out when a gap appeared and speed up without a slip road, so foot to the floor all the way to 50mph, but would the car move?!!!! No, stuttered, stammered, bunny hopped, kangaroo'd and made my life stressful, I guess the approaching car drivers felt the same

[JulianHJ]

I had similar symptoms in my Focus TDCI and after a lot of faffing by the dealer it was cured by replacing the fuel line. This was at my cost despite being under warranty. They argued it was some sort of contamination, but couldn't say what.

[Pesty]

LHD said:

No.

Ford warranty won't pay for anything unless a fault is found.

No light on, no visible fault then no fix.

Sad but that's the way Ford's warranty works.

Or wont even if a fault is found and there is a notice about the fking fault.

[lionrampant]

Can you take this up through whatever lease company handles you company car?

[ikonic]

Cliff J said:

So anyhow, after explaining the issue, the customer services guy says "do you have an engine warning light on?", to which I said "No, I do not", to which he then pulled out a large clear glass ball from below the counter, looked into it and said "Nope, no idea!!".

Are you being sarcastic or did he actually do that?!?!

If yes, then I'd say he's being downright cheeky and showing a distinct lack of respect for a customer. I'd definitely want words with someone at Ford UK about that sort of behavior.


Unless I'm being a muppet and have missed a bit of sarcasm in which case feel free to flame me....

[Cliff J]

ikonic said:

Are you being sarcastic or did he actually do that?!?!

If yes, then I'd say he's being downright cheeky and showing a distinct lack of respect for a customer. I'd definitely want words with someone at Ford UK about that sort of behavior.


Unless I'm being a muppet and have missed a bit of sarcasm in which case feel free to flame me....

That really did happen, Ford in Marlow (Buckinghamshire) for reference, if anyone knows the place.

I've taken my car into Perry's Ford in High Wycombe now, they were shocked by the crystal ball story and will thoroughly investigate the problem. I've told them where to test drive the car, a big hill (Marlow hill), which they will struggle to get up as the problem is now worse than ever

See what happens

[carreauchompeur]

Keep us posted. I would have been tempted to stuff the crystal ball up the other employee's arse, worth a gentle complaint to the DP I feel.

[Cliff J]

Well, car sorted, blocked fuel filter apparently, runs like a dream again now, if you could describe a diesel Mondeo estates performance as a dream, this would be it

Thank you to Perry's Ford in High Wycombe, restored my faith in customer service