Fan/Pigtail Dealer Runaround
9/21/16, 09:55 AM
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Fan/Pigtail Dealer Runaround
2013 GT A6
81k miles
Tuned for last 20k miles
ORX
A/B
Made a weekend trip to visit the family back home, car ran great no problems. Sunday leave parents and wife says AC doesn't feel cold, 97 deg outside I figure it will cool once I get on the road. Get about 3 miles down highway cycling thru gauges and all temps look good. But AC is definitely on the warmer side, stop to get gas and visual inspection of condenser etc. while idling I hear compressor click wife says air is cold again, 30 seconds later she says its hot. Poke my head in to feel, look at temp, running hot now, immediately shut it down. Couldn't find anything wrong, checked fuses relays, no leaks, nada visually wrong. Heard fan running but couldn't discern any speed change. Don't want to limp 3.5 hours home so State Farm free towing it is.
Dropped at the only Ford Dealer in their town Monday AM, give the guy the run down, history of the vehicle,Tuned etc., he ignores all, writes nothing and says he doesn't know when they'll be able to look at it. I ask if that means he doesn't know when today, when tomorrow...when next week, what? Just tell me a possible day. He said he had to take care of appt. first, I understand but can you at least give me a day it might get looked at bc I need to let work know how long I'll be out. He says tomorrow possibly. They'll call me.
My parents bought a few vehicles from them, and without me knowing they called their usual sales person to see what the deal was and they were told we'd know something by 2pm today
At 2:10 I get a call saying the fan went out and won't go into high, it will be $420 total with labor, but he will have to order the part should be in by 9am. tomorrow. I told him I didn't get how low could still work but high is just out, that was it just a relay? He said they were separate. I'm stranded at parents they have no tools, no jacks,ramps, nothing I could do to do it myself, and would have to have it towed back at my expense. So, I tell him just order it...and please call me when it comes in tomorrow so I'll know.
Next day, never got a call, parents were in town for errands so they ran me by at 1pm and he said he couldn't tell me a status bc his coordinator was at lunch, doesn't know when it will be done but they will call me, like the way he was supposed call me to let me know parts were in and work was beginning.
I called at 3 or so and asked him if he had a status now that the coordinator is back and he puts me on hold, says the tech is trying to do it as fast as possible that it might be ready at 4:30, but maybe 10:30am Wed. Ummm...He doesn't know if it will be 1.5 hours or 4.5 hours for him to finish? He said he will let me know around 4:30.
4:20 I answer the phone and he opens with, want to shoot me now or later?...I tell him I guess that doesn't mean today? He said they got it back together and that the fan still wasn't working so they inspected it and found the lower pigtail plug was burnt, which I found reports of. He said it's a $22 dollar part no additional labor, but he can't get one till Thurs. I express my frustration and ask how this was not caught at the diagnosis stage, he apologized but said they might have a used 5.0 on lot they can take one off of if I can't wait. I'm so aggravated at this point I told him just order the new pigtail, I'm getting a ride 3 hours back home with a family member who is actually walking out the door as we speak and going that way, and I will be back Saturday AM to pick it up. He says he will order it and let me know when it's ready.
On the ride back home aggravation wore off, and had time think.
I still don't get how the fan itself can have only the high go out, I get the high relay going out, I think there's 2, 1 in fuse box, 1 on shroud unit couldn't find diagram. They charge me for a new fan, but it still doesn't work, further inspection reveals the high pigtail was burnt, need to replace that. Hmm how about it was that pigtail all along.
First thing this AM I spoke to him and he said the car was ready...Wait I thought I told you to order the part and it would be Thursday before it came in. He said they found one. But didn't say where. I told him that I wanted them to put the old fan in the trunk bc I wanted to test it to make sure it wasn't still good. He stumbled through saying there was a core charge he would have to check if that was allowed by Ford. I told him "I was told the fan went out and needed a new one, ya'll put a new one and it still didn't work, that caused you to find a pigtail was burnt and need to replace it, I want to verify for myself that it wasn't the pigtail all along and that I didn't even need a new fan, just a pigtail" he said he was pretty sure the motor was bad too. He re mentioned the core charge and said he would check and let me know. That was 3 hours ago and no word back. Shouldn't he see the core charge when he pulls up parts on his computer, he should know pretty quick.
My suspicion is they didn't even really diagnose it, just saw the fan wasn't going into high and said the fan was bad. Once I said fine do it, then they started to take things apart and discovered it was just the pigtail, but are trying to give me an unneeded fan, when a pigtail would have rectified it. Now that I'm asking for my old fan bc I want to make sure i didn't get conned into a new one they are giving me the runaround. At least thats how it feels.
It says alot for breaking down and not being able to get to your preferred dealer you have a trusting relationship with, or being able to just sit at the dealership round the clock so you can say "Show me" when they say certain things are bad. I didn't have ability for either and looks like im going to pay the price. Don't really know what to say or do...
Sorry so long, just needed to vent.
81k miles
Tuned for last 20k miles
ORX
A/B
Made a weekend trip to visit the family back home, car ran great no problems. Sunday leave parents and wife says AC doesn't feel cold, 97 deg outside I figure it will cool once I get on the road. Get about 3 miles down highway cycling thru gauges and all temps look good. But AC is definitely on the warmer side, stop to get gas and visual inspection of condenser etc. while idling I hear compressor click wife says air is cold again, 30 seconds later she says its hot. Poke my head in to feel, look at temp, running hot now, immediately shut it down. Couldn't find anything wrong, checked fuses relays, no leaks, nada visually wrong. Heard fan running but couldn't discern any speed change. Don't want to limp 3.5 hours home so State Farm free towing it is.
Dropped at the only Ford Dealer in their town Monday AM, give the guy the run down, history of the vehicle,Tuned etc., he ignores all, writes nothing and says he doesn't know when they'll be able to look at it. I ask if that means he doesn't know when today, when tomorrow...when next week, what? Just tell me a possible day. He said he had to take care of appt. first, I understand but can you at least give me a day it might get looked at bc I need to let work know how long I'll be out. He says tomorrow possibly. They'll call me.
My parents bought a few vehicles from them, and without me knowing they called their usual sales person to see what the deal was and they were told we'd know something by 2pm today
At 2:10 I get a call saying the fan went out and won't go into high, it will be $420 total with labor, but he will have to order the part should be in by 9am. tomorrow. I told him I didn't get how low could still work but high is just out, that was it just a relay? He said they were separate. I'm stranded at parents they have no tools, no jacks,ramps, nothing I could do to do it myself, and would have to have it towed back at my expense. So, I tell him just order it...and please call me when it comes in tomorrow so I'll know.
Next day, never got a call, parents were in town for errands so they ran me by at 1pm and he said he couldn't tell me a status bc his coordinator was at lunch, doesn't know when it will be done but they will call me, like the way he was supposed call me to let me know parts were in and work was beginning.
I called at 3 or so and asked him if he had a status now that the coordinator is back and he puts me on hold, says the tech is trying to do it as fast as possible that it might be ready at 4:30, but maybe 10:30am Wed. Ummm...He doesn't know if it will be 1.5 hours or 4.5 hours for him to finish? He said he will let me know around 4:30.
4:20 I answer the phone and he opens with, want to shoot me now or later?...I tell him I guess that doesn't mean today? He said they got it back together and that the fan still wasn't working so they inspected it and found the lower pigtail plug was burnt, which I found reports of. He said it's a $22 dollar part no additional labor, but he can't get one till Thurs. I express my frustration and ask how this was not caught at the diagnosis stage, he apologized but said they might have a used 5.0 on lot they can take one off of if I can't wait. I'm so aggravated at this point I told him just order the new pigtail, I'm getting a ride 3 hours back home with a family member who is actually walking out the door as we speak and going that way, and I will be back Saturday AM to pick it up. He says he will order it and let me know when it's ready.
On the ride back home aggravation wore off, and had time think.
I still don't get how the fan itself can have only the high go out, I get the high relay going out, I think there's 2, 1 in fuse box, 1 on shroud unit couldn't find diagram. They charge me for a new fan, but it still doesn't work, further inspection reveals the high pigtail was burnt, need to replace that. Hmm how about it was that pigtail all along.
First thing this AM I spoke to him and he said the car was ready...Wait I thought I told you to order the part and it would be Thursday before it came in. He said they found one. But didn't say where. I told him that I wanted them to put the old fan in the trunk bc I wanted to test it to make sure it wasn't still good. He stumbled through saying there was a core charge he would have to check if that was allowed by Ford. I told him "I was told the fan went out and needed a new one, ya'll put a new one and it still didn't work, that caused you to find a pigtail was burnt and need to replace it, I want to verify for myself that it wasn't the pigtail all along and that I didn't even need a new fan, just a pigtail" he said he was pretty sure the motor was bad too. He re mentioned the core charge and said he would check and let me know. That was 3 hours ago and no word back. Shouldn't he see the core charge when he pulls up parts on his computer, he should know pretty quick.
My suspicion is they didn't even really diagnose it, just saw the fan wasn't going into high and said the fan was bad. Once I said fine do it, then they started to take things apart and discovered it was just the pigtail, but are trying to give me an unneeded fan, when a pigtail would have rectified it. Now that I'm asking for my old fan bc I want to make sure i didn't get conned into a new one they are giving me the runaround. At least thats how it feels.
It says alot for breaking down and not being able to get to your preferred dealer you have a trusting relationship with, or being able to just sit at the dealership round the clock so you can say "Show me" when they say certain things are bad. I didn't have ability for either and looks like im going to pay the price. Don't really know what to say or do...
Sorry so long, just needed to vent.
9/27/16, 02:40 PM
#2
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Update.
Rented a car and made the drive from Baton Rouge to Bolton Ford Lake Charles Saturday AM. Pull in @ 10am, walk up to the service Dept and doors locked, lights out. I only told them 3 times I would be back Saturday AM to pick up the car. On Thursday even received a we'll see you saturday response when he told me it was ready to go no overheating, and I told him I couldn't make it back til Saturday.
Walk across lot to the open Quicklane hoping maybe its there. Tell the guy whats up and he says he doesn't have keys to my car or that building, come back monday. Went round and round asking why my guy despite being told multiple times, never said Saturday was a problem. He said sometimes they will leave keys at quicklane but they don't have anything for me, nothing he can do, come back monday. Asked him who I could talk to that actually could do something and he said his manager and pointed.
Waited at his counter for him to look up from his computer which never happened, but he did without even looking at me say there was nothing he could do, that no one has keys to that building. After telling him that was the most ridiculous thing I've heard, someone whether I need to speak to the dealership Manager, has keys to that building. I rented a car, drove 3 hours to pickup my car, and because the service guy I got stuck with is too incompetent to know his own hours of operation or how to leave keys with Quicklane for Saturday pickup, I'm being told to drive back to Baton Rouge and try again later... I'm not leaving without my car, even if I have to get in the building my **** self. He said he had his own stuff to deal with but he was going to get me my car because that's what kind of a guy he was.
Stood around a while but finally heard a loud *** car start and knew it was mine. Of course he couldn't tell me anything about getting the old fan or anything like that so I just left. Also my car was stored on their gravel junk lot because my entire drivers side looks like someone threw white powdered donuts all over the floor and seats. I don't even know how to begin to get that out of the carpet. It's like it mixed with water and made cement in my carpet. Most dealers use the paper floor mat and seat wrap. And the icing on the cake is they didn't even reinstall the radiator cover, got a mile down the road and pulled over from a horrible rattle, it was the prop rod for the hood rattling around. They were kind enough to leave the rad cover in the trunk and to lose all the push clips but 2 so yeah...He also sent me a text message Yesterday asking me to leave feedback on my service visit, look for it in my email. Can't Wait!
Avoid Bolton Ford and if Glen Priola is the service advisor you get...RUN.
Rented a car and made the drive from Baton Rouge to Bolton Ford Lake Charles Saturday AM. Pull in @ 10am, walk up to the service Dept and doors locked, lights out. I only told them 3 times I would be back Saturday AM to pick up the car. On Thursday even received a we'll see you saturday response when he told me it was ready to go no overheating, and I told him I couldn't make it back til Saturday.
Walk across lot to the open Quicklane hoping maybe its there. Tell the guy whats up and he says he doesn't have keys to my car or that building, come back monday. Went round and round asking why my guy despite being told multiple times, never said Saturday was a problem. He said sometimes they will leave keys at quicklane but they don't have anything for me, nothing he can do, come back monday. Asked him who I could talk to that actually could do something and he said his manager and pointed.
Waited at his counter for him to look up from his computer which never happened, but he did without even looking at me say there was nothing he could do, that no one has keys to that building. After telling him that was the most ridiculous thing I've heard, someone whether I need to speak to the dealership Manager, has keys to that building. I rented a car, drove 3 hours to pickup my car, and because the service guy I got stuck with is too incompetent to know his own hours of operation or how to leave keys with Quicklane for Saturday pickup, I'm being told to drive back to Baton Rouge and try again later... I'm not leaving without my car, even if I have to get in the building my **** self. He said he had his own stuff to deal with but he was going to get me my car because that's what kind of a guy he was.
Stood around a while but finally heard a loud *** car start and knew it was mine. Of course he couldn't tell me anything about getting the old fan or anything like that so I just left. Also my car was stored on their gravel junk lot because my entire drivers side looks like someone threw white powdered donuts all over the floor and seats. I don't even know how to begin to get that out of the carpet. It's like it mixed with water and made cement in my carpet. Most dealers use the paper floor mat and seat wrap. And the icing on the cake is they didn't even reinstall the radiator cover, got a mile down the road and pulled over from a horrible rattle, it was the prop rod for the hood rattling around. They were kind enough to leave the rad cover in the trunk and to lose all the push clips but 2 so yeah...He also sent me a text message Yesterday asking me to leave feedback on my service visit, look for it in my email. Can't Wait!
Avoid Bolton Ford and if Glen Priola is the service advisor you get...RUN.
9/30/16, 07:50 AM
#4
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Yeah, it would seem. I will say Robinson Bros. here in Baton Rouge has always been as good as possible to me. When my radio screen peeled, and my seat stitching was placed too far out and tearing the leather, Robinson Bros. replaced the entire Radio Unit, and seat under warranty and offered me a loaner 5.0 whereas Richards Ford in Baton Rouge where I bought the car told me it was normal wear and would not waste their time submitting it. Everyone knows dealerships typically suck, I think it says more about being in a bigger city, Lake Charles has 1 Ford Dealer, whereas Baton Rouge has 5 in the immediate area, not happy with one, go to another. But breaking down out of town I was kind of hamstrung into dealing with them.