At what point am I due some sort of compensation from the dealership/manufacturer?

Lavender Room
1

11 weeks ago in April I brought my F-150 hybrid in because there was some powertrain malfunction alert. My truck was the first model year that offered a hybrid F-150 (2021).

Truck was flawless… until it wasn’t.

The dealership believed there was some issue with the transfer of power between the various engine and battery components, specifically the small electric motor and the Li-ion battery. They asked Ford for a warranty replacement for those items. Those two things aren’t cheap so Ford sent a Field Service Engineer to take a look. Ford balks at the warranty claim for two very expensive parts and tells the dealership to try the cheaper X, Y, and Z first. X doesn’t fix it. Y doesn’t fix it. Z doesn’t fix it. Mind you that two weeks gets wasted every step of the way.

FSE comes back and whaddya know it’s likely the battery and/or motor. Almost 10 weeks wasted.

Dealership has the new parts being delivered but will likely take another two to three weeks to get them, make the necessary fix, and make sure it works.

That will be somewhere in the 13-14 week range that they’ve had my truck. Extra frustrating that the dealer wanted this fix from the get go and Ford said no.

The offered me loaners which have to be returned every week or two. That’s annoying. So I mostly turn them down as I have a work vehicle for work purposes and my wife and son both have cars so I can “borrow” those if needed.

I will have made three car payments on a vehicle I don’t have. So that’s kind of annoying.

I’m not expecting a million bucks or a free vehicle but would it be ridiculous of me to request some kind of minor compensation from either Ford or the dealership? It’s not a lemon law situation. It’s a “Are you fucking kidding me that it took 3 1/2 months to fix my fucking truck” kind of situation. $500 or $1000 Ford credit or some shit. I assume they likely legally owe me nothing but you never know.

This is a huge dealership group. I think the biggest one in the country. I won’t name them but it starts with Auto and ends with Nation.

2

11 weeks ago in April I brought my F-150 hybrid in because there was some powertrain malfunction alert. My truck was the first model year that offered a hybrid F-150 (2021).

Truck was flawless… until it wasn’t.

The dealership believed there was some issue with the transfer of power between the various engine and battery components, specifically the small electric motor and the Li-ion battery. They asked Ford for a warranty replacement for those items. Those two things aren’t cheap so Ford sent a Field Service Engineer to take a look. Ford balks at the warranty claim for two very expensive parts and tells the dealership to try the cheaper X, Y, and Z first. X doesn’t fix it. Y doesn’t fix it. Z doesn’t fix it. Mind you that two weeks gets wasted every step of the way.

FSE comes back and whaddya know it’s likely the battery and/or motor. Almost 10 weeks wasted.

Dealership has the new parts being delivered but will likely take another two to three weeks to get them, make the necessary fix, and make sure it works.

That will be somewhere in the 13-14 week range that they’ve had my truck. Extra frustrating that the dealer wanted this fix from the get go and Ford said no.

The offered me loaners which have to be returned every week or two. That’s annoying. So I mostly turn them down as I have a work vehicle for work purposes and my wife and son both have cars so I can “borrow” those if needed.

I will have made three car payments on a vehicle I don’t have. So that’s kind of annoying.

I’m not expecting a million bucks or a free vehicle but would it be ridiculous of me to request some kind of minor compensation from either Ford or the dealership? It’s not a lemon law situation. It’s a “Are you fucking kidding me that it took 3 1/2 months to fix my fucking truck” kind of situation. $500 or $1000 Ford credit or some shit. I assume they likely legally owe me nothing but you never know.

This is a huge dealership group. I think the biggest one in the country. I won’t name them but it starts with Auto and ends with Nation.

cybertruck doesn’t look so bad now does it?

3

You’re going to get zilch and like it.

I had a drag out fight over a warranty issue and didn’t have a car for call it three months. At the end of the day my only recourse was never frequenting that dealer again and for sure never buying an extended warranty from that company.

4

They offered you compensation (loaner) and you declined it. Maybe negotiate to have the loaner until the truck is returned.

5

That sucks.

But, in defense of the dealer, they did offer loaners.
Why do you have to return a loaner before your vehicle is ready? I would start there.
Otherwise, being a large dealer, you are but one small customer. And in their eyes, perhaps the customer experience is poor in this instance primarily due to manufacturer decisions and processes.

6

11 weeks ago in April I brought my F-150 hybrid in because there was some powertrain malfunction alert. My truck was the first model year that offered a hybrid F-150 (2021).

Truck was flawless… until it wasn’t.

The dealership believed there was some issue with the transfer of power between the various engine and battery components, specifically the small electric motor and the Li-ion battery. They asked Ford for a warranty replacement for those items. Those two things aren’t cheap so Ford sent a Field Service Engineer to take a look. Ford balks at the warranty claim for two very expensive parts and tells the dealership to try the cheaper X, Y, and Z first. X doesn’t fix it. Y doesn’t fix it. Z doesn’t fix it. Mind you that two weeks gets wasted every step of the way.

FSE comes back and whaddya know it’s likely the battery and/or motor. Almost 10 weeks wasted.

Dealership has the new parts being delivered but will likely take another two to three weeks to get them, make the necessary fix, and make sure it works.

That will be somewhere in the 13-14 week range that they’ve had my truck. Extra frustrating that the dealer wanted this fix from the get go and Ford said no.

The offered me loaners which have to be returned every week or two. That’s annoying. So I mostly turn them down as I have a work vehicle for work purposes and my wife and son both have cars so I can “borrow” those if needed.

I will have made three car payments on a vehicle I don’t have. So that’s kind of annoying.

I’m not expecting a million bucks or a free vehicle but would it be ridiculous of me to request some kind of minor compensation from either Ford or the dealership? It’s not a lemon law situation. It’s a “Are you fucking kidding me that it took 3 1/2 months to fix my fucking truck” kind of situation. $500 or $1000 Ford credit or some shit. I assume they likely legally owe me nothing but you never know.

This is a huge dealership group. I think the biggest one in the country. I won’t name them but it starts with Auto and ends with Nation.

cybertruck doesn’t look so bad now does it?

Your joking right, I believe they have stopped production and have a recall on all the trucks cause the windshield wiper is failing. That’s just the latest issue.

Now you should have said, an F-150 Lightning isn’t looking so bad… everybody says phev till that complex powertrain fails which has like double the failure modes of an ICE and like 5 times the failure modes of an ev.

7

I’d at least ask for a loaner until the car is completely fixed.

If you don’t ask for anything the answer is definitely “no.” I’d take a few minutes and bullet point out the timeline, issues, costs you’ve incurred, payments you’ve made (on a car they cannot or have not fixed) and send a nicely worded email to the dealer manager asking for what you want. At the very least you have the issues documented if similar things pop up down the road. At best you get what you want.

drn92

8

11 weeks ago in April I brought my F-150 hybrid in because there was some powertrain malfunction alert. My truck was the first model year that offered a hybrid F-150 (2021).

Truck was flawless… until it wasn’t.

The dealership believed there was some issue with the transfer of power between the various engine and battery components, specifically the small electric motor and the Li-ion battery. They asked Ford for a warranty replacement for those items. Those two things aren’t cheap so Ford sent a Field Service Engineer to take a look. Ford balks at the warranty claim for two very expensive parts and tells the dealership to try the cheaper X, Y, and Z first. X doesn’t fix it. Y doesn’t fix it. Z doesn’t fix it. Mind you that two weeks gets wasted every step of the way.

FSE comes back and whaddya know it’s likely the battery and/or motor. Almost 10 weeks wasted.

Dealership has the new parts being delivered but will likely take another two to three weeks to get them, make the necessary fix, and make sure it works.

That will be somewhere in the 13-14 week range that they’ve had my truck. Extra frustrating that the dealer wanted this fix from the get go and Ford said no.

The offered me loaners which have to be returned every week or two. That’s annoying. So I mostly turn them down as I have a work vehicle for work purposes and my wife and son both have cars so I can “borrow” those if needed.

I will have made three car payments on a vehicle I don’t have. So that’s kind of annoying.

I’m not expecting a million bucks or a free vehicle but would it be ridiculous of me to request some kind of minor compensation from either Ford or the dealership? It’s not a lemon law situation. It’s a “Are you fucking kidding me that it took 3 1/2 months to fix my fucking truck” kind of situation. $500 or $1000 Ford credit or some shit. I assume they likely legally owe me nothing but you never know.

This is a huge dealership group. I think the biggest one in the country. I won’t name them but it starts with Auto and ends with Nation.

You wont get shit, they offered you a loaner and you turned it down… Dumb, free miles, free ware and tear…

Field engineers get called in when the problem is either complex and unknown or potentially an issue they are trying to track and understand. You get way way way way way way better diagnostic and repair if the Field engineers get called in. Its not usually about cost, its about understanding the failure. Sure its easy for the customer and dealer to just replace everything, but it doesn’t actually identify and fix the problem or prevent it from coming back.

9

Check your state’s lemon law. California, for example, says a car is a lemon if it’s taken more than 30 days to repair. So, depending on your state, that could be one avenue.

You might have some rights under the terms of your warranty. It can’t hurt to ask for some compensation. They may argue that you were offered a loaner, which was compensation for the time the vehicle was in the shop.

10

They have a Ford Rep, look to get the Ford rep involved. There are programs and budget for these issues. Compensation might not be in the form of cash, but other items like maintenance, etc.

I know this may seem like not much but if the offer were to take a pre-paid maintenance program up to a certain number of miles. It can reduce your cost of owners over the time you own the vehicle. Your scheduled maintenance covered for a certain amount of time.

11

Ford should have some sort of customer care line. I know all the GM brands do. I would call it explain everything that is happening, and they will start a case, probably wont get you anything, but its a shot.

Now GM has another line for exec’s, I would assume Ford does, so if you know a Ford employee, it maybe possible to get that number and you will definitely get better care. Only went that route 1 time with GM, when Dad died, mom was back here, lease ending buy out, in Dad’s name through Florida dealership covid times… it had become a nightmare as they wanted her to sign off at the dealership in Florida. Anyhow I called them they contacted mom (and sister cause mom wasn’t doing so well) anyhow, they took charge and got it all worked out. They were wonderful…

Side note, from what you said, seems SOP for complex powertrain issues. They offered a loaner so your losses are minimal, (not there fault you turned it down) If you get anything, its cause they get tired of your constant calls (either Ford or the Dealership) maybe the dealership will give you a free oil change. But really, you have not described anything out of the ordinary for warranty work.

Now if you had a cybertruck, they would have your truck apart in your driveway since no service center (joking I know they take it to a vacant lot to work on, lol) and they dont give loaners so there is that. LOL

12

Maybe I wasn’t clear about the loaner. Every week or two they need the loaner back and will swap out with another one. That’s fucking annoying as the dealership isn’t on my way to anything.

Like I said, I don’t really need it as most of my driving is work related and I have a work car for that.

My truck is for weekend use and schlepping around kayaks, bikes, and paddleboards. We just use my wife’s vehicle to go anywhere on the weekend since this happened. Obviously not schlepping around kayaks, bikes, and paddleboards. Same would go for the loaners. They were all Bronco Sports which can’t hold shit.

13

Check your state’s lemon law. California, for example, says a car is a lemon if it’s taken more than 30 days to repair. So, depending on your state, that could be one avenue.
.

Its actually a total of 30days not consecutive for any issues within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles… Thats wild I don’t think any other state has a presumption like that.

I wonder how manufactures get around this, or if there are a higher level of lemon law cases in California.

14

Check your state’s lemon law. California, for example, says a car is a lemon if it’s taken more than 30 days to repair. So, depending on your state, that could be one avenue.
.

Its actually a total of 30days not consecutive for any issues within the first 18 months or 18,000 miles… Thats wild I don’t think any other state has a presumption like that.

I wonder how manufactures get around this, or if there are a higher level of lemon law cases in California.

In MA it’s 3 repair attempts or 15 days in the shop for the same issue.

15

You’re going to get zilch and like it.

I figure I’d be getting the Judge Smails treatment.

https://media1.tenor.com/m/NF7a96BfoK8AAAAd/caddyshack-get.gif

I was more wondering if it was out of the norm to ask for $500 or something.

16

You’re going to get zilch and like it.

I figure I’d be getting the Judge Smails treatment.

https://media1.tenor.com/m/NF7a96BfoK8AAAAd/caddyshack-get.gif

I was more wondering if it was out of the norm to ask for $500 or something.

Yes it is…

https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNGJyc213MWFwN3Bqa2NhcjR6eWlieGthNXhmN2x3MmppeTl6Mmg4eiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/10h8CdMQUWoZ8Y/giphy.gif

17

Maybe I wasn’t clear about the loaner. Every week or two they need the loaner back and will swap out with another one. That’s fucking annoying as the dealership isn’t on my way to anything.

Like I said, I don’t really need it as most of my driving is work related and I have a work car for that.

My truck is for weekend use and schlepping around kayaks, bikes, and paddleboards. We just use my wife’s vehicle to go anywhere on the weekend since this happened. Obviously not schlepping around kayaks, bikes, and paddleboards. Same would go for the loaners. They were all Bronco Sports which can’t hold shit.

That’s when you should have said … “a Bronco sport isn’t big enough and I want to keep an F-150 until you are done with my repairs.”

Let them tell you no.

drn92

18

Take the loaner, tell them you’ll return it when you get your truck back, and in the meantime drive it like you stole it. Guaranteed you’ll at least feel better.

19

That was tongue in cheek yes. I saw a Silverado EV leaving Home Depot this past weekend. Better looking than I expected.

20

11 weeks ago in April I brought my F-150 hybrid in because there was some powertrain malfunction alert. My truck was the first model year that offered a hybrid F-150 (2021).

Truck was flawless… until it wasn’t.

The dealership believed there was some issue with the transfer of power between the various engine and battery components, specifically the small electric motor and the Li-ion battery. They asked Ford for a warranty replacement for those items. Those two things aren’t cheap so Ford sent a Field Service Engineer to take a look. Ford balks at the warranty claim for two very expensive parts and tells the dealership to try the cheaper X, Y, and Z first. X doesn’t fix it. Y doesn’t fix it. Z doesn’t fix it. Mind you that two weeks gets wasted every step of the way.

FSE comes back and whaddya know it’s likely the battery and/or motor. Almost 10 weeks wasted.

Dealership has the new parts being delivered but will likely take another two to three weeks to get them, make the necessary fix, and make sure it works.

That will be somewhere in the 13-14 week range that they’ve had my truck. Extra frustrating that the dealer wanted this fix from the get go and Ford said no.

The offered me loaners which have to be returned every week or two. That’s annoying. So I mostly turn them down as I have a work vehicle for work purposes and my wife and son both have cars so I can “borrow” those if needed.

I will have made three car payments on a vehicle I don’t have. So that’s kind of annoying.

I’m not expecting a million bucks or a free vehicle but would it be ridiculous of me to request some kind of minor compensation from either Ford or the dealership? It’s not a lemon law situation. It’s a “Are you fucking kidding me that it took 3 1/2 months to fix my fucking truck” kind of situation. $500 or $1000 Ford credit or some shit. I assume they likely legally owe me nothing but you never know.

This is a huge dealership group. I think the biggest one in the country. I won’t name them but it starts with Auto and ends with Nation.

Hindsight is 20/20, but if you wanted a ford. You should have bought the Raptor.