Will A Dealer Take On A Warranty Job Half Way Through?

[BrummyGit]

I'm getting pretty fed up with my local dealer.

 

My 1 year old Galaxy has been into them 3 times now about the booster heater:

 

1st visit - to tell me that it needs a new (modified) glow plug (no sh*t sherlock!)

2nd visit - to fit the glow plug and return it "untested"

3rd visit - to check it on the computer diagnostic tool

 

So today they plugged it in, scratched their heads, ....quote "cleared all faults" (but didn't seem to know what) and told me to give it another try. He even tried to tell me it would only work below 5 degrees not 10.

 

I now have a booster heater that still doesn't fire up, weeps coolant fluid and my dealer is scratching his head telling me he doesn't know what the problem is and can I book it in for it's fourth visit.

 

I am sick of the disruption and lost work with the car in so many times for such a common fault.

 

Do you think another bigger dealer will take it on if I explain how close to the end of my tether I'm getting?

 

Cheers

[Guest gooner52]

open a case with ford customer case dept

 

call them on monday asap

 

i would and have in the past in the past,and got things sorted :)

[NikpV]

in my experience it ends up as you and the dealer vs Ford in the several run ins I've had, if you have the paperwork from the original dealer I would take it and find one that knows which end of the wrench to monkey with! There seems little love lost between dealers generally (unless there is some local aggreement)

 

The current dealer appears to be inadquate in the ability department if they can't work out how to test the heater before returning the car to you I don't think I'd trust them with anything more complicated than a bulb replacement, where is the coolant weeping from (and did it always do it - from new)?

[BrummyGit]

in my experience it ends up as you and the dealer vs Ford in the several run ins I've had, if you have the paperwork from the original dealer I would take it and find one that knows which end of the wrench to monkey with! There seems little love lost between dealers generally (unless there is some local aggreement)

 

The current dealer appears to be inadquate in the ability department if they can't work out how to test the heater before returning the car to you I don't think I'd trust them with anything more complicated than a bulb replacement, where is the coolant weeping from (and did it always do it - from new)?

 

I've been using a small dealership quite close to home so far, but yesterday I noticed that their certificate of employers liability insurance that is displayed expired in January 2005 and their Ford Accessory cabinet is totally empty. They are really an old school garage and I don't think they are up to the job. I'm going to call Bristol Street Motors in Birmingham on Monday as they originally supplied the car and offer collection and delivery from my work address.

 

The weeping coolant appears as drips on the underside of the booster - sitting running on the drive for 5 mins will drip a couple of times so not much. In this weather I initally thought it was puddle splashes or condensation from the rear A/C pipes, but now I have realised that it is pink in colour so must be engine coolant.

[jkspoff]

I had a similar recurrent problem with my wifes car, I just took it to another dealer after getting fed up with poorly trained mechanics at my local dealer, I didn't mention anything about it being to another dealer. They started the repairs from scratch and repaired the fault immediately. Sometimes it just needs someone in the know, a more experienced mechanic. Try a different dealer, but don't mention anything about the other issues with previous dealer. They are after all obliged to repair yours under warranty.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

3 visits for the same fault and it still isn't fixed - then you should be arguing for the car to be replaced under the so-called "lemon laws". Insist on seeing the Dealer Principal and report the matter to Ford's customer contact centre. Basic incompetence should not be tolerated

[BrummyGit]

I am not sure they know who a dealer principle is. They are a semi-rural small dealership and I think I am best heading off to another. I may open a case with Ford so that the new dealer has some backing to repair any of their mistakes.

 

You should have heard the flannel they gave the owner of a 2 year old Galaxy that had done 36k and had a slipping clutch. They told him it was a grey area as far as warranty goes, but to book it in just before the warranty expires (in about 6 months time) and they'd see what they could swing. This poor guy has a slipping clutch and will be making friends with the AA sometime soon.

[BrummyGit]

Well I opened a case with Ford and after a different dealer checked the coolant leak Ford insisted that the original dealer needed to correct this as it was their mistake and not a warranty issue. I'm annoyed because surely the work was done as a warranty job on behalf of Ford so they carry the can for any damage caused.

 

Anyway it went in yesterday for the booster and leak and came back "all fixed". I ran it today and the booster didn't kick in with a displayed temp of 8 degrees, but I hope to try again over the next few days as the forecast is for low temperatures which will get rid of any question marks.

 

Hopefully then I can ask any dealer to fix the booster as there will be no water leak to worry about.