Ford has $2B more in warranty costs than GM

[SwampSurvivor]

I think that's just an American thing to do. While I have had a ton of problems with the AC system on my car, I never once had to fight with Subaru to get it fixed. I paid to have the AC system diagnosed by a private mechanic in case they wanted to give me trouble on it, but they just took it in and found the problem and fixed it. Of course, more problems came.

When the motor mount blew on my Focus -- the hydraulic one --- a few dealers I called said they all do that and refused to warranty it for me. I eventually found a small dealer that would. I understand it's a common problem, but if the car is under warranty ... it should be fixed.

 

[Andrew1972]

I only perspective from their internal IT process and it is a horror show and would partially lead to to the costs overruns.

 

[HangFire]

As a retired IRS Special Agent I can assure you that you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. My job was to send people to jail for tax evasion and money laundering. Trust me, you are most profoundly wrong.

OK, so I'm not just wrong.

My experience is with a close relative working in bookeeping for a small company spinning out of control. Negative profit did little to lessen Federal taxes that hit them year after year. But that was many years ago (late 80's maybe?), either the tax code has changed, or it was relayed to me in a profoundly incorrect manner.

 

[HangFire]

"As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles, we are conducting final quality inspections on trucks built before dealer shipments started last month to ensure they meet the quality expectations of our customers."

"What I’ve seen with my eyeballs, they were installing seat belts, fixing trim that didn't fit, refitting doors, changing harnesses out, doing some electrical work," Sawatzke said of the work in Flat Rock.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...0-repairs-seat-belt-flat-rock-uaw/3994000001/

Hmm seems to me that should have been gotten right on the assembly line.

 

[buck91]

So... does this mean Ford's terrible warranty service is going to get worse? Not that its even possible. New F150 with under 30k miles, complained of vibe/shudder when accelerating on the highway and they wanted to charge me for a balance before even diagnosing. This is with stock tires and a clear description that the issue ONLY occurs when rolling into the throttle with light acceleration. Or how about my 2011 with slip-bump that they couldn't figure out... or the slamming into Drive that they "could not replicate" even though it happened 90% of the time... Or the 1-2 slam shift that STILL happens 10 years later that they couldn't fix under warranty.

Yet I still buy Fords. ***.

 

[4WD]

"As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality vehicles, we are conducting final quality inspections on trucks built before dealer shipments started last month to ensure they meet the quality expectations of our customers."

"What I’ve seen with my eyeballs, they were installing seat belts, fixing trim that didn't fit, refitting doors, changing harnesses out, doing some electrical work," Sawatzke said of the work in Flat Rock.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...0-repairs-seat-belt-flat-rock-uaw/3994000001/

Hmm seems to me that should have been gotten right on the assembly line.

Looks like some Ford Rams in one picture

 

[jhs914]

I'm an accountant and my pops is a CPA. I was surprised how many people evade taxes and wind up broke. I'm talking guys making $500,000+ a year... Go broke, because of not paying their taxes... No idea how such dumb people got rich to begin with, oh yeah, they Cheat and must be blessed by Satan himself.

I once put a CPA in prison for tax evasion. He was embezzling from his church. Go figure.

 

[ryster]

It's hard to get GM to replace anything under warranty. Every issue "cannot be replicated or within tolerance, or designed that way." Vehicle warranties have become such a joke.

GM replaced the front brake rotors on my Equinox at 30,000 miles without me even asking. I went in to the dealer for a vibration in the steering wheel while braking, and 2 hours later I was back home with brand new rotors. I fully expected to have to pay for the repair, but the dealer said it was covered under warranty.

The only other issue I had with the Equinox was the purge valve failed. I replaced it myself, sent the receipt to GM under an "extended service campaign" reimbursement claim for that specific part, and got a check back from them for more than what was on the receipt.

When I had my Hyundai, on the other hand, that was a joke. What they call "America's best warranty" isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

I needed a ton of warranty work on Fords I owned in the past, and it was never a pleasant experience. The issues I had were covered no problem, it was just the dealership experience that was unpleasant. Although, at one point with an old Explorer I had a brake caliper that kept seizing on the same wheel. After the 2nd caliper replacement under warranty, the dealer said that if I had to come back again for that issue it would no longer be covered. About a thousand miles later, the same caliper issue started to crop up again so I gave up and traded the Explorer in.

 

[HangFire]

Hmm. I was thinking of the DCT issues as old, out-of-warranty news, but the settlement payouts are happening this year... so all this Focus transmission discussion IS relevant!

https://www.freep.com/story/money/c...a-transmission-settlement-buyback/3486344001/

 

[mbacfp]

My 2014 F550 6.7 had two upper oil pan repairs for oil leaks. First one done three years into ownership, second one done year and half after that. Both were $3,500+ in warranty work. I remember asking the service guy if same tech was doing the second repair, he replied "oh no". My guess is first tech didn't know what he was doing? Going in for DEF Reductant Heater repair in the New Year.

 

[Ram02]

My 2014 F550 6.7 had two upper oil pan repairs for oil leaks. First one done three years into ownership, second one done year and half after that. Both were $3,500+ in warranty work. I remember asking the service guy if same tech was doing the second repair, he replied "oh no". My guess is first tech didn't know what he was doing? Going in for DEF Reductant Heater repair in the New Year.

Goodluck

 

[mbacfp]

Goodluck

So far so good...I hope.

 

[R1jake]

If it's a fusion it should be a regular automatic. Just the focus and fiesta had the DCT AFAIK.

Opps I meant focas, he has corrected me a couple times where I’ve called it a fusion. Lol I think I even called it a Taurus once. Lol

 

[wtd]

Ford is a joke when it comes to warranty repairs. My Mustang was my first new Ford and I had issues from the beginning that Ford wanted to blame me for on a car that I'd only had for two months. They fixed two things under warranty and refused on two others. One of the fixed items took me four months of fighting with them to get it fixed.

Car has only 33,000 miles on it and I've had to replace the switch in the console that pops the trunk and has the flasher in it because all of the lights went out and the low oil sensor message keeps coming on even with the oil level at full. This has been an intermittent problem for awhile now. This will probably be my last Ford.

 

[Job]

My 2014 F550 6.7 had two upper oil pan repairs for oil leaks. First one done three years into ownership, second one done year and half after that. Both were $3,500+ in warranty work. I remember asking the service guy if same tech was doing the second repair, he replied "oh no". My guess is first tech didn't know what he was doing? Going in for DEF Reductant Heater repair in the New Year.

So who pays for the second repair effort, Ford? Just wondering as it seems like dealer fault. Sounds like Ford is willing to do the repairs, which was my experience with Ford too. Unlike Dodge who were horrible to deal with. Maybe it is the dealer.

 

[ryster]

It seems like a lot of these warranty issues are more dealer issues than manufacturer issues. Based on comments here (and my own experiences over the years) it is sounding like there are a lot of dealers simply not willing to submit claims to manufacturers for certain jobs, and I wonder if it is due to the flat rate issue. Perhaps dealers know that a job is going to take way longer than what the manufacturer is willing to pay for, and simply don't want to lose money on the repair. So they claim the fix isn't covered, hope the customer will pay for it out of pocket, and make out better. If they aren't going to make money on the repair under warranty, what difference does it make if the customer takes the car to another dealer at that point? They do the warranty work and make nothing, or the customer goes elsewhere and they make nothing. If the customer doesn't fight the issue and pays for the repair, the dealer comes out ahead at the expense of the customer.

 

[mbacfp]

So who pays for the second repair effort, Ford? Just wondering as it seems like dealer fault. Sounds like Ford is willing to do the repairs, which was my experience with Ford too. Unlike Dodge who were horrible to deal with. Maybe it is the dealer.

This repair was done twice at a Ford Truck Center. Second repair was invoiced same as the first, but looked like it was covered by Ford. Didn't ask nor figured it was my business to ask, but was curious though.

 

[brianl703]

If they aren't going to make money on the repair under warranty, what difference does it make if the customer takes the car to another dealer at that point? They do the warranty work and make nothing, or the customer goes elsewhere and they make nothing. If the customer doesn't fight the issue and pays for the repair, the dealer comes out ahead at the expense of the customer.

In the short term, the dealer comes out ahead. In the long term...well, I won't be buying any new Ford vehicles from any dealer. And that dealer won't be getting my business for parts or service.

 

[tvaughn]

What did you replace it with ?

I go through cars quite often so didn't have a direct replacement but I do have a M2 CS arriving in 2 weeks

 

[ryster]

In the short term, the dealer comes out ahead. In the long term...well, I won't be buying any new Ford vehicles from any dealer. And that dealer won't be getting my business for parts or service.

Or the customer goes to another dealer who repairs under warranty, they never have another major issue with their Ford, and they buy another from the second dealer.

If one dealer tells me an issue isn't covered under warranty, but the next dealer says it's covered and fixes it, the first dealer will never see me again. That is a dealer issue and not the manufacturer's fault.