any trouble with denial of problem from FORD?

[Scargriff49]

My 2005 Bird has had a problem ever since I've had it with air conditioner and heater smell. I bought the car right off the showroom floor with only 10 miles on it. So I know it well. We have returned the car about 5-6 times with the same complaint. The 3rd time the dealership ran deoderizer thru the system and it helped for a couple of days. We took it to another dealer and they said they had found the problem.The drain from the unit was stopped up. They drained water from it and deoderized it again. It lasted a few days. We took a 2 hr. trip one day and had to use the heater and my eyes ran and i coughed the whole time it was on. We had to let down the windows.The only way you can stay warm is to use the heated seats and wear layers of clothing and gloves and a hat. We called the home dealer and asked to speak to the owner. He sat up an appt. for the next Moday so we could meet with the Zone Manager. We went and waited for him to arrive. He did come in and get coffee from the waiting area, but did not acknowledge us at all. He went out and drove the car around the area for a very short time and the shop foreman called us out. He proceeded to inform us there was NO PROBLEM WITH THAT CAR. He Never Even Turned On The fan!! Or the heat! And refused to go and even sit in the car again with one of us! It had no odor and he could not control the earths environment and that we probably had allergies. People, I promise you or anyone can not breathe in that car with the heat on! The air conditioning smells in the summer also. He engaged in a very heated discussion with my husband (who ordinarily never raises his voice) all I could do was cry. I have had to go to the Dr. with my nerves twice since this incident. He just the same as called us liars. Then we told him that the shop foreman had explained to us the problem before but the inside of the ductwork was lined with mold form the stagnated water left in it for 2 months the first 2 mo. we had the car.Then he said that it was a lie. FORD never recognized any such thing and he didnt know where that idea came from. The foreman even told us FORD had supplied the formula to run thru the system. ZONE MANAGER said we should trade it in. Let someone else deal with it. And as my husband asked LOSE $15000.00! But he enlightened us on the real reason for a car-- to get from point A to point B. Of course he was riding in a company limo. Wonder what he drives?? Evidentally he doesnt realize some people have a 'relationship' with their cars. I have owned thiscar for 2 years and love it, except the only way I can enjoy it is with the top down. I have always had deep feelings for any car Ive owned.I never had the opportunity to have a car like this until now. You would think such a high profile automobile they produced would generate some concern when theres something wrong with it. Anyway, after all that, my husband contacted a man thru ebay who was a dealer and he gave us a solution. I will tell you how it comes out next time. Thanks. I know this is long but its important to me to put out the word. FORD employees up at the management level dont stand behind the product. No wonder they are in trouble.

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[George]

I am anxious to hear the rest of the story

 

[Anezangl]

Carol, I'm sorry to hear about your troubles w/ your dream car. If you read the thread " Help! Need quick response!" you will read of troubles I just went through last week. My wifes dream car an 03" bird caused alot of nerve damage also. You are correct, the dealer network for the Ford brand is playing a major roll in the current problems Ford is having. I was told by a Ford corp. contact via the complaint site that my dealer diagnosed transmission problem was abnormal BUT, it was made very clear that Ford Corp does not get involved when their product has abnormal problems and they DO NOT instruct the dealers as to how to conduct business. Sad but true. After reviewing my situation w/ an attorney it was suggested that I simply chaulk it up to a lesson learned and to NEVER buy an American made car again. The attorney said that unless we as Americans stand together on issues like this the Corporate world could care less. Their thinking in America today is that the car is no longer a luxury item , it is a necessity in America today. So, their big heads at their big corporate level with their BIG salaries don't care about the issue at the ground level because if you don't buy their car, somebody else will.
FYI: I went in aggrevation to a Nissian dealer this week with the bird acting as though I was trading it in. While they were making a deal for for me I dicovered that at no point did they offer me a "extended" warranty! I found this strange so I asked. The response was interesting, they have extended warranties availible for those who think they need one BUT, they do not offer because their product will not need it! I found this a 180* different approach than the Ford dealer who constantly pushed the extended warranty down my throat and then became VERY ugly when I declined it. Then both Ford corp. and the Ford dealer used the lack of that extended warranty to hide behind just last week. Personaly, this was not my first trip down this road with a bad American car but it was the one that broke the camels back. I will not buy American again ( I don't speak for the wife ) and have no problem w/ Ford going under in 2009 if and when their turn around efforts don't work.

 

[jetbird]

Thunderbird Prolems

Sorry to hear about your problems. Apparently, this is not uncommon. I have an 03 T-bird which is now out of warranty with 23,000 miles driven. I really regret not getting the extended warranty. All the multiple repair issues to date have been promptly handled by the dealer with no complaints from me. Now I'm out of warranty and my rear wheel bearing are humming away. I gues I'm still ahead if this is the last thing wrong. So far, transmission, power steering & rear torsion link pins. All these item with less than 20,000 miles. I love my car but I am losing patience.

As for Nissan, Don't do it. I had a new 350Z and it ate front tires. Three sets in 36,000 miles; an admitted factory defect in all the cars. The warranty was up and I sold it and bought the T-bird. Nissan was totally unresponsive after the warranty. The dealer also told me to "trade it in".

I don't think anyone cares about customers anymore.

 

[Anezangl]

Jetbird, my experience w/ nissian has been little but, when divorced I had to put the ex in a car, it was a nissian maxima. She drove the wheels off it, it very seldom had an issue and when it did, they simply to care of it. I have an employee that purchased one of the new larger pickup trucks from nissian in 02'. Since that time they have completly replaced his engine 3 times and as of a few weeks ago gave him a brand new truck. This in itself really supprised me because I have known and worked with him for over 20 years and I know that he is the most likely culprit in the problems. You see he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I don't think he knows that engines require oil to operate! 🙂 I don't know the answer, I just know that the big # need to get their head out of their butts and do what Harley Davidsion did back in 1982. They need to focus on quality and appoligize to America for worshiping the almighty dollar. If Harley can do it, so can they, it simply a chioce. I know! Most people think the same way..........Harley Davision? Yep, I have a hog w/ well over 25 thousand and not one single trip to the shop for a failure. I have several close friends w/ the same story and even higher mileage. I would jump on the bike right now and ride across America without a single hesitation but I can not say that about any of my current cars.

 

[jetbird]

Tbird Quality Problems

I have had great luck with our Toyota car but they are so boring. On second thought, I could stand a little less excitement at the Ford service department.

Jetbird

 

[dchamb]

car companies and dealers

There is a poll I recently saw on tv that asked for "most dishonest and unreliable professions". They listed the top 3. I won't mention 2 & 3, for fear of stepping on toes, but car dealers topped the list. On 2nd thought I'll give you #2, lawyers.