Help with service
#1
01-14-2009 | 09:33 PM
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
Help with service
I have a 2002 Ford F 150 with the 5.4L Engine with around 90,000 mile as of today.
Around Jan of 2008 I had a sparkplug come out of the number 4 cylinder. I took it to a local service garage to have it fixed. It was above there level of work, and they took it to the local Ford Service Center. It then had a Helicoil installed on the #4 cylinder at a cost of Cost 250.00.
After this (a day or 2 later) I had to have 2 coil packs installed and all sparkplugs replaced. I was told this was due to the spark plug coming out of the#4 cylinder a few days before (Cost 650.00).
Truck ran good until Dec of 08 and then I had a bad miss and a big lose of power on hills. I took it back to the same service center to have it checked out and was told I need to replace 2 coil packs, one of them was one I replaced the year before and need new plugs on all cylinders. I told them I just had the plugs changed a year ago. I was told that when coils started going out it hurts all the plugs and I needed this done. So I said ok go ahead and do the work. When they took out the #4 plug the helicoil came out with the plug that was put in a year before . The tech put in a new helicoil (Total cost $912.00).
Picked my truck up and drove it around 100 miles that day. The next day I got about 5 miles down the road and it sounded like a plug came out again. I took it back to the service center that did the work, and was told the plug did not come out but now I have a crack between the Helicoil and the head and was losing compression on the #4 cylinder and need a new head a cost of close to $3000.00. I was stunned. I told them I would have to think about this. I all ready have close to $2000.00 in repairs now and cant dive it.
I got on Ford’s web site and found TSB 07-21-2 and it states that the only authorized insert is made by a company called Lock and Stitch/True Torque. I called the service center that has done all work and asked them if this is what they used as a insert for my repairs and was told no it was not several time’s , but since they did not go by Ford Motor company set guide lines they would sell me a head for $1200.00 and only $30.00 and hour labor. Total cost around $1600.00 not the $3000.00 I was first told. I asked why they did they not use what was put out in there service manuals or TSB’s and was told that the tools to do the job right would cost the service center around $1000.00 and what they did to mine has worked on around 40 to 50 other engines and I was the first one that a grove came out between the helicoil and the head and they should not have to repair my truck at no cost to me.
I called Ford Motor Company main customer service and told them what had happened and was told this was between me and the Service Center that did the work and they could not do any thing to resolve my problem.
So my Question’s are:
1. If an authorized Ford Motor Company Service Center fails to follow guidelines/instructions put out by Ford Motor Company it’s self and the workmanship/work, fails should the customer be held responsible for the damage that resulted from not following its own company’s guidelines?
2. If you have spoken to the Service Manger and Ford Customer Service Rep and have not got any where and truly believe you are still in the right what is your next step.
Thanks
Billy
Around Jan of 2008 I had a sparkplug come out of the number 4 cylinder. I took it to a local service garage to have it fixed. It was above there level of work, and they took it to the local Ford Service Center. It then had a Helicoil installed on the #4 cylinder at a cost of Cost 250.00.
After this (a day or 2 later) I had to have 2 coil packs installed and all sparkplugs replaced. I was told this was due to the spark plug coming out of the#4 cylinder a few days before (Cost 650.00).
Truck ran good until Dec of 08 and then I had a bad miss and a big lose of power on hills. I took it back to the same service center to have it checked out and was told I need to replace 2 coil packs, one of them was one I replaced the year before and need new plugs on all cylinders. I told them I just had the plugs changed a year ago. I was told that when coils started going out it hurts all the plugs and I needed this done. So I said ok go ahead and do the work. When they took out the #4 plug the helicoil came out with the plug that was put in a year before . The tech put in a new helicoil (Total cost $912.00).
Picked my truck up and drove it around 100 miles that day. The next day I got about 5 miles down the road and it sounded like a plug came out again. I took it back to the service center that did the work, and was told the plug did not come out but now I have a crack between the Helicoil and the head and was losing compression on the #4 cylinder and need a new head a cost of close to $3000.00. I was stunned. I told them I would have to think about this. I all ready have close to $2000.00 in repairs now and cant dive it.
I got on Ford’s web site and found TSB 07-21-2 and it states that the only authorized insert is made by a company called Lock and Stitch/True Torque. I called the service center that has done all work and asked them if this is what they used as a insert for my repairs and was told no it was not several time’s , but since they did not go by Ford Motor company set guide lines they would sell me a head for $1200.00 and only $30.00 and hour labor. Total cost around $1600.00 not the $3000.00 I was first told. I asked why they did they not use what was put out in there service manuals or TSB’s and was told that the tools to do the job right would cost the service center around $1000.00 and what they did to mine has worked on around 40 to 50 other engines and I was the first one that a grove came out between the helicoil and the head and they should not have to repair my truck at no cost to me.
I called Ford Motor Company main customer service and told them what had happened and was told this was between me and the Service Center that did the work and they could not do any thing to resolve my problem.
So my Question’s are:
1. If an authorized Ford Motor Company Service Center fails to follow guidelines/instructions put out by Ford Motor Company it’s self and the workmanship/work, fails should the customer be held responsible for the damage that resulted from not following its own company’s guidelines?
2. If you have spoken to the Service Manger and Ford Customer Service Rep and have not got any where and truly believe you are still in the right what is your next step.
Thanks
Billy
#2
01-14-2009 | 11:09 PM
Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 81
RE: Help with service
On so many levels I feel your pain. And I really do not know how to respond to your post without going on an all out soap box rant.
And if I really told you how I feel about people that think they can justify 250 Dollars to put in a helicoil....Shame on them.....Shame....on.....them.
On the flip side of things you have suffered a catrostropic chain of failures that eventually made this an expensive process at best.
But my answer to both of your questions is the same, you must consult with an attorney or local better business bureau and learn your options.
If you do have to take this to court then you need to weigh the legal cost...is it worth the expense to get justice here.
Rant over and good luck.
And if I really told you how I feel about people that think they can justify 250 Dollars to put in a helicoil....Shame on them.....Shame....on.....them.
On the flip side of things you have suffered a catrostropic chain of failures that eventually made this an expensive process at best.
But my answer to both of your questions is the same, you must consult with an attorney or local better business bureau and learn your options.
If you do have to take this to court then you need to weigh the legal cost...is it worth the expense to get justice here.
Rant over and good luck.
#3
01-15-2009 | 10:04 AM
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,067
From: De Pere, WI
RE: Help with service
Agreed. You will need to contact someone in the consumer complaints/reports field and see what can be done.
Regardless of whether or not it worked on 50 engines it was done incorrectly. If they did this on 50 engines at $250 dollars a piece, I would beg to differ that they could certainly justify buying the proper tools and equipment to do the job. By the way, that totals to $12,500. The engineers at Ford set the standard for a reason, and the reason was unfortunately discovered the hard way.
Think of it this way, if this service center was building bridges and one out of 50 collapsed and killed or injured people do to negligent work, there would be some serious he!! to pay...
Regardless of whether or not it worked on 50 engines it was done incorrectly. If they did this on 50 engines at $250 dollars a piece, I would beg to differ that they could certainly justify buying the proper tools and equipment to do the job. By the way, that totals to $12,500. The engineers at Ford set the standard for a reason, and the reason was unfortunately discovered the hard way.
Think of it this way, if this service center was building bridges and one out of 50 collapsed and killed or injured people do to negligent work, there would be some serious he!! to pay...
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post