Love my truck, hate the company

[Bob The Builder]

I didn't buy a hybrid but I'm nervous enough as it is living up here north of the woodchucks, let alone some remote island in the Bering Sea 1000 miles from nowhere.

Ford ain't too much different from the gov't. Too big to care and too many employees who either do not know whether their asses are punched or drilled or just plain do not give two hoots in hell if the sun comes up in the morning as long as the paychecks are there every Friday.

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[CTYankee]

This is the kind of ridiculous story that the book Catch-22 was written about. The rule says it has to be done by a Ford mechanic but the truck is owned by a serving military member on a remote island so it must come to the mechanic. Because no one has the initiative or brains to figure out that it's a lot cheaper and a whole lot better for the corporate reputation to send the part and a mechanic to the truck.

The selling dealer has nothing to do with this unless they are still the closest dealer. This should be Ford picking up the phone, calling the nearest dealer to the customer and arranging for the customer vehicle to get fixed under warranty or having their tech walk the local mechanic through the repair. This isn't when anyone should start quoting rules and pretending it's a situation for which the rules were written.

 

[lajlmt]

And if the repairs do not solve the problem or an issue presents itself due to the repairs, they simply don't honor any more warranty work.

I'd really just like to know the location to clarify what OP means by FORD mechanic. I wouldn't expect the local hole in the wall shop near me to be able to honor warranty recall work, but I would expect FORD to have a better solution than just "dealerships" to service vehicles needing warranty repairs, especially with the amount of recalls they had in since 2021.

Maybe, if anything, it's time for a change to protect consumers on a broader scale. I do however agree that it will likely have to be shipped off island to where ever is closest. This is why when I served in Germany I didn't get an American vehicle, I got a German vehicle. Lots of vehicles that soldiers get shipped end up staying in the country they ship them to. But as it stands... Alaska is the US and hopefully someone can get the ball rolling on a public level to get OP some help. I'd be willing to donate to help and I'm sure others would to (with more proof and clarification of course).

My dad like you was smart also, we had a Volvo in Wiesbaden..he traded it in immediately at my uncle’s dealership in Lindsay, CA when they shipped back for a big a$$ bonneville

 

[Red Ryder]

Couple of takeaways/lessons.
1) Don't take unproven vehicles to remote locations
2) If you do take a warrantied vehicle to a remote location where a dealer is unavailable, be prepared to pay for your own parts and labor or bring a lot of zip ties, duct tape, and bubblegum to McGyver your way out of a jam.

I ain't saying it's right, but it is reality.

I'm actually thinking the OP can fabricate a 14' single jumper cable (#14 gauge will do) fused at the battery side to go from the 12V battery to the underhood jump + location.

Worked for me many times for the same issue. As a stopgap until he gets it fixed by Ford or gives up and gets something proven.

 

[Johnkn]

Ford SUX!!!!!!! I got screwed over on a veteran's benefit due to nebulous wording in their offer. BYW, thanx for your service! I was REMF In Viet Nam.

Please post up that ‘nebulous’ offer wording for us to see.

When I see Ford’s .Mil offers they’ve always been quite clear...

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[bbhaag]

I can certainly empathize with the OP but why oh why would you ship a new model vehicle to a remote area with no Ford dealership?

 

[Grumpa]

Please post up that ‘nebulous’ offer wording for us to see.

When I see Ford’s .Mil offers they’ve always been quite clear...

I don't know how to post the offer. However, there was a $1,000 exclusive cash rewerd. Part of the reward states ' place a new retail order or take new delivery from a Ford dealer by 07/05/23.' My order was place 09/16/2022. My offer was denied because II was told this was for orders made after 05/2023. The offer is nebulous in that it does not specifically mention the May date. I could not take possession of a truck that were unable to build!

 

[Susan]

Dude, raise this up the Ford flagpole. Also call the dealer where you bought it and see if they'll help you in some way. There is no way that the answer should be to ship it 2k each way for someone in the military. Hit them up on their public channels in Insta, FB, Twitter, and whatever else you have available.

I have a hard time believing that Ford doesn't want to take care of you. They're just hampered by the same policies and bureaucracy that all governments and big companies end up having.

I agree. This is something to Tweet to (*X?) Ford's CEO. A Tweet to a CEO or a call to the ombudsman at a local newspaper or news broadcaster can get your consumer problem some publicity, which can get action when normal channels won't work. Here's his X info: Jim Farley on Twitter/X

 

[Susan]

You mean Ford won't ship their replacement warranty parts to some guy named Ernie operating out of a cardboard box for installation and certification? Damn Ford.....

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Ford could make a big PR win by flying an authorized mechanic to the island with the part.

 

[Johnkn]

I don't know how to post the offer. However, there was a $1,000 exclusive cash rewerd. Part of the reward states ' place a new retail order or take new delivery from a Ford dealer by 07/05/23.' My order was place 09/16/2022. My offer was denied because II was told this was for orders made after 05/2023. The offer is nebulous in that it does not specifically mention the May date. I could not take possession of a truck that were unable to build!

You are EXACTLY correct. I have that Offer email dated 04-Apr-2023 and as you mention it states "place a new retail order or take new delivery from a Ford dealer by 07/05/23"

Your order was placed 8 months prior therefore it wasn't a new order when that promotion was released ... It also had nothing to do with Military or Veterans.... Nothing really nebulous there......



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[Johnkn]

Ford could make a big PR win by flying an authorized mechanic to the island with the part.

Hopefully the OP will contact Ford Customer Relations ( 1-800-392-3673) for guidance....



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[lajlmt]

Ford SUX!!!!!!! I got screwed over on a veteran's benefit due to nebulous wording in their offer. BYW, thanx for your service! I was REMF In Viet Nam.

Veteran discount only works at honorable dealerships..

 

[lajlmt]

Hopefully the OP will contact Ford Customer Relations ( 1-800-392-3673) for guidance....



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They were really helpful, except about the $11,000 ADM and why my truck was sitting in SoCal for 45 days.

 

[rlynncorbett]

I absolutely love my Ford Maverick hybrid. However, I am in the military and was required to move from California to a tiny island in Alaska. The truck handled Alaska like a champ.

Then we were issued a no start recall. No problem! There’s a ford mechanic on the island. However, 8 months later still no part for the recall. One day our truck doesn't start.

Now ford customer service says that we MUST take it to a dealership to receive the part which you only get when your car doesn't start. It’s $2,000 to ship a car off the island one way. 20 days later no help from ford customer service, just two closed cases files because our issue was “resolved”. Also, no alternate means of transportation. I was forced by necessity to buy a beater. Great truck, bad company. It’s a real shame because my grandpa taught me to always go Ford. But never again.

To clarify: If I could buy the part and have it fixed myself I would. The dealership I bought the truck from was very transparent and told me the parts needed for the recall repair are in very very short supply. You can only get the parts if you take the truck to a dealership and the inspection has to show that you are experiencing the no start issue to get the part to correct the no start issue. Then you are put on a list of other truck owners who also have vehicles that don’t start and wait for the part to show up. Which they told me may take anywhere from two weeks to a month.

 

[rlynncorbett]

It is not remotely the same thing, and you thinking so shows ignorance on the subject. Certified by who? Not Ford. Ford paying for the repair under a recall means FORD is liable. And they are not going to be anxious to hang that responsibility on Joes Garage and fishing tackle in West Jesus Alaska. And you are SURE Ford or other manufacturer warranty work can be performed at independent shops in Washington state?

the mechanic on the island where I live is a Ford Master Technician. The issue is that it is impossible to get the parts to do the repair.

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