Dealer Wont Replace Airbags Under Recall!

[NoVaJimmy]

I checked another local dealership and was told " We dont order the parts, Ford will send them to us and we dont know how many or when so you need to just call every week to see if we have them" it's first come first fix. WTF!! How can they be ordered if there is not a VIN tied to the parts?

I've called all the dealerships in the Washington DC area. I got a different story from each one. One dealership didn't even know what a Ford Maverick was and told me that I had an invalid VIN number despite me reading it right off of my registration and the Fordpass app. No big deal, not like it's a safety issue or anything, it's just airbags.

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[oilman300]

I experienced the same thing here in Atlanta, makes no sense to me, either it's a safety recall or it's not. Scratching my head here.

Which dealer?

 

[KevCuRaoi]

Just posting this to see if anyone else has run into this. I recived another letter from Ford stating that the parts for my curtain airbag replacement under recall are now avaialble. I called my dealer to have them ordered and I was told that they cannot order them unless they are deployed. I told him that was BS and not what the letter from Ford stated. Has anyone ran into this? Should I call another dealership?

Ok, I messed around with the airbag recall parts order for my own hybird Maverick some more.

It turns out, SSSC wants a pdf of the open repair order submitted as the attachment.

After I did that... I was able to request the parts be ordered. I have not yet received a confirmation as to whether or not they will be actually be ordered for me. The message said that that confirmation (or request for more information) may take up to 2 hours.

I don't think that you can really blame this on the dealer. Ford didn't publish the necessary steps to order parts for the recall.

I will update here when I find out if the SSSC actually does process the order for me.

My suggestion would be to explain to the dealership that a dealer has posted on the forum that VIN-specific parts can be ordered through the SSSC, but that a copy of the open RO has to be attached (even though the FSA does not say that).

 

[KevCuRaoi]

I experienced the same thing here in Atlanta, makes no sense to me, either it's a safety recall or it's not. Scratching my head here.

Well, it isn't a safety recall, it is a "compliance" recall.

Looks like parts have been made recently available. There are a few extra "hoops" for dealers to jump through to order parts that are not included in the parts ordering instructions in the dealer bulletin for the FSA. I posted what I had to do to be able to request a parts order from the SSSC earlier in this thread. (Still waiting to see if what successful yet!)

 

[mav_kev]

I work at a dealership in warranty. It is very very common for letters to go out to customers stating that parts are available, before parts are, in fact, available.
Parts may be available, but in specific circumstances only.

For 22C20, parts were at first available for unsold in-stock units w/ signed buyers orders, and sold vehicles w/ deployed airbags only. These were by specially order through SSSC. Ford was also going to send "seed stock" out to dealers.

I tried ordering parts for my own hybrid Mav a few weeks ago.... and was denied because my airbags are not deployed.....

I just checked now.... The seed stock note is gone. I don't see the note for for deployed airbags anymore. I tried ordering the airbags for mine (which must still be done VIN-specific order through SSSC)....and I get an error saying that some attachment is required??

The FSA instructions don't say anything about a required attachment.....

It may be a carryover requirement from when proof of a sign-buyers order/deployed airbags was necessary.

So, to me, it looks like Ford may have recently removed the "deployed" airbags only requirement (but I didn't catch the usual update Ford sent out when changes like that are made).

It still isn't easy to order the parts.... They are not on open order. I can probably try attaching a random file and see what happens next.... but SSSC is very picky.

Previously, even when the side curtain airbags were available, some bolts that are required to be replaced were not available. I don't know if that has changed.

So your dealer probably does need to check into this more. Parts might be available now, but it certainly isn't easy to order / or clear what the requirements are to order these parts.

Thanks for your perspective on this. Hang in there! As someone who also works in a dealership (though not Ford), this is not a surprising scenario from Ford and I've seen it with every manufacturer I've worked with.

Specifically related to Ford, it seems especially funny that the same people that clamor on about how Ford can't properly handle the logistics for ordering, manufacturing, and delivering the Maverick, are the same people that expect them to efficiently handle a recall. Then, the natural reaction is to blame dealership staff, because it's a recall and Ford says XYZ, which must be true because it's from Ford, and my dealer is an idiot.

Granted, there are morons in all professional circles and a disproportionate amount in dealerships, but there are people that care, are good at their job, but are still hamstrung by the manufacturer with the same type of convoluted information chain that faces the retail customer.

 

[Chris_G]

Well, it isn't a safety recall, it is a "compliance" recall.

Looks like parts have been made recently available. There are a few extra "hoops" for dealers to jump through to order parts that are not included in the parts ordering instructions in the dealer bulletin for the FSA. I posted what I had to do to be able to request a parts order from the SSSC earlier in this thread. (Still waiting to see if what successful yet!)

@KevCuRaoi , I appreciate your input and assistance. I find it troubling that a dealership won't take the initiative that you did.

 

[TCPTX65]

Its just funny how each dealer has their own story of what's going on. IDK what 800 # there is to even call about it.

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[Clarkdonbran]

I am currently waiting for the dealer to call me about this exact thing! “We will replace them if you survive the crash in which they deployed.” What the fuck?!

 

[Ranch]

I work at a dealership in warranty. It is very very common for letters to go out to customers stating that parts are available, before parts are, in fact, available.
Parts may be available, but in specific circumstances only.

For 22C20, parts were at first available for unsold in-stock units w/ signed buyers orders, and sold vehicles w/ deployed airbags only. These were by specially order through SSSC. Ford was also going to send "seed stock" out to dealers.

I tried ordering parts for my own hybrid Mav a few weeks ago.... and was denied because my airbags are not deployed.....

I just checked now.... The seed stock note is gone. I don't see the note for for deployed airbags anymore. I tried ordering the airbags for mine (which must still be done VIN-specific order through SSSC)....and I get an error saying that some attachment is required??

The FSA instructions don't say anything about a required attachment.....

It may be a carryover requirement from when proof of a sign-buyers order/deployed airbags was necessary.

So, to me, it looks like Ford may have recently removed the "deployed" airbags only requirement (but I didn't catch the usual update Ford sent out when changes like that are made).

It still isn't easy to order the parts.... They are not on open order. I can probably try attaching a random file and see what happens next.... but SSSC is very picky.

Previously, even when the side curtain airbags were available, some bolts that are required to be replaced were not available. I don't know if that has changed.

So your dealer probably does need to check into this more. Parts might be available now, but it certainly isn't easy to order / or clear what the requirements are to order these parts.

Thanks. One of the reasons why I quit my job as a Ford parts counterman is crap like this.

 

[rclee]

Ok, I messed around with the airbag recall parts order for my own hybird Maverick some more.

It turns out, SSSC wants a pdf of the open repair order submitted as the attachment.

After I did that... I was able to request the parts be ordered. I have not yet received a confirmation as to whether or not they will be actually be ordered for me. The message said that that confirmation (or request for more information) may take up to 2 hours.

I don't think that you can really blame this on the dealer. Ford didn't publish the necessary steps to order parts for the recall.

I will update here when I find out if the SSSC actually does process the order for me.

My suggestion would be to explain to the dealership that a dealer has posted on the forum that VIN-specific parts can be ordered through the SSSC, but that a copy of the open RO has to be attached (even though the FSA does not say that).

Kev, thanks for your posts on this. I do have a question, when you mention "open RO" does that mean you have to go to the dealer to open a service ticket before you can get the parts ordered? Even though you have a letter from Ford with your Vin saying you need the parts. That would mean you need to make two trips.

I hope this is not the case.

 

[bgn]

I honestly don't know how this company hasn't gone under yet. What's next after telling them how to do their jobs, holding their hands while they change out the airbags?

 

[KevCuRaoi]

Thanks. One of the reasons why I quit my job as a Ford parts counterman is crap like this.

Dealing with the SSSC is never fun....

 

[Old Dog]

Kev, thanks for your posts on this. I do have a question, when you mention "open RO" does that mean you have to go to the dealer to open a service ticket before you can get the parts ordered? Even though you have a letter from Ford with your Vin saying you need the parts. That would mean you need to make two trips.

I hope this is not the case.

I just called my dealer..... they asked me to come in to verify my mileage and they will schedule the replacement. Did I hear that Ford Co will send a water bottle for the incovience????

 

[KevCuRaoi]

Kev, thanks for your posts on this. I do have a question, when you mention "open RO" does that mean you have to go to the dealer to open a service ticket before you can get the parts ordered? Even though you have a letter from Ford with your Vin saying you need the parts. That would mean you need to make two trips.

I hope this is not the case.

I guess that would be up to the dealer, but I would think that they would be more than willing to just do that over the phone....they can verify that your VIN has the recall and get your mileage (or if you have Ford Pass activated, just look up the current mileage from there). That was all I needed to submit the request.

Sometimes you do have to submit pictures of the VIN and mileage to order parts through SSSC, but I don't think that that is the case here. (A post on dealer message board from Feb 3rd is what gave me the clue about needing to submit a copy of the open RO).

If they ask me for any additional info before actually ordering the parts for me, I'll update everybody here!

 

[kcjayman]

Someone's ears must have been burning. My dealership just called me and now all the sudden they have the parts in stock and it will be fixed Thursday. Thanks for all the info on here guys.

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