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electrodog
Posts: 168 Deckhand
Ford dealer misdiagnosed a repair.
electrodog
Posts: 168 Deckhand
Let me start by saying avoid AutoNation Ford in Margate unless you like being ripped off!
I am the original owner of 2001 F350 4X4 7.3 diesel with only 63,000 miles. The only repair that has been needed since I have owned it was a water pump about 1.5 years ago. I am still on the original brakes! Started having an issue where the truck would lose power, idle roughly and the check engine light would come on. This was not a consistent problem but seemed to occur more often when the truck sat overnight. The shop that did the water pump was super busy so I figured I would take it to Ford, knowing I was getting ripped off paying way more for the repairs than I should, but I figured at least it would be done right. (So I thought!)
Five or six hours after dropping the truck off, I get a phone call from the service advisor that the tech found that the ICP is bad and needs to be replaced, (at a ridiculous cost of $640) I grudgingly tell him go ahead and fix my truck. Two hours after that I get a call saying that the tech said that injector #5 is bad and needs to be replaced. I ask how can both parts go bad at the same time? He just says that's what the tech found. Doing a little research myself it seems that when the ICP fails it has oil in the connector. No oil in mine. I tell him if the injector is the problem replace it. Leave the ICP alone.
I pick up the truck, (1200.00) lighter in the wallet and go on my way. Two days later the exact same problem comes back. Just to make sure the ICP isn't bad I went ahead and replaced it myself- took 10 minutes and they wanted $450 labor!!! Unfortunately the problem was still there!!! Obviously whatever was replaced was NOT the issue.
I brought the truck back this morning in the hopes that they would rectify the problem and fix the truck. Now the tech says its something else and that's going to be $1082.00!!! The service manager didn't even want to speak to me and the advisor said we would cover the labor and you cover the parts, ($625.00 my cost). I tried to explain that I brought my truck and already paid $1200 for a repair, which wasn't done. Why should I pay to keep replacing good parts until they find the broken one????
I am the original owner of 2001 F350 4X4 7.3 diesel with only 63,000 miles. The only repair that has been needed since I have owned it was a water pump about 1.5 years ago. I am still on the original brakes! Started having an issue where the truck would lose power, idle roughly and the check engine light would come on. This was not a consistent problem but seemed to occur more often when the truck sat overnight. The shop that did the water pump was super busy so I figured I would take it to Ford, knowing I was getting ripped off paying way more for the repairs than I should, but I figured at least it would be done right. (So I thought!)
Five or six hours after dropping the truck off, I get a phone call from the service advisor that the tech found that the ICP is bad and needs to be replaced, (at a ridiculous cost of $640) I grudgingly tell him go ahead and fix my truck. Two hours after that I get a call saying that the tech said that injector #5 is bad and needs to be replaced. I ask how can both parts go bad at the same time? He just says that's what the tech found. Doing a little research myself it seems that when the ICP fails it has oil in the connector. No oil in mine. I tell him if the injector is the problem replace it. Leave the ICP alone.
I pick up the truck, (1200.00) lighter in the wallet and go on my way. Two days later the exact same problem comes back. Just to make sure the ICP isn't bad I went ahead and replaced it myself- took 10 minutes and they wanted $450 labor!!! Unfortunately the problem was still there!!! Obviously whatever was replaced was NOT the issue.
I brought the truck back this morning in the hopes that they would rectify the problem and fix the truck. Now the tech says its something else and that's going to be $1082.00!!! The service manager didn't even want to speak to me and the advisor said we would cover the labor and you cover the parts, ($625.00 my cost). I tried to explain that I brought my truck and already paid $1200 for a repair, which wasn't done. Why should I pay to keep replacing good parts until they find the broken one????
Replies
He is located in the warehouses right across the street from Margate Ford.
Of course they tell me I need a new transmission. They were lieing and I caught them. I grew up hanging out at my best friend and his dad's transmission shop. I could probably rebuild one my self.
I said all that to tell you this. Go to the front desk and tell them you want to talk to the owner, they will send down a damage control guy for just these type of problems. I had them so backed into a corner they gave me a new transmission for free. (They ad already removed it and tore it down without my approval). Don't bother talking to the service manager. You at least want his boss.Be fair but firm. I did the same thing when they ripped off my Grandaddy. The less the customer knows about trucks the more they take advantage of you. That's why there is so many crooks in my business. The average customer doesn't no squat..
BTW. **** good truck growing in value. I run mine till 100k and have Never replaced the brake pads either.
Frank’s Custom Auto Repairs
5900 SW 42nd Pl
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314
Phone number (954) 727-1690
Tell him Ray sent you
Funny thing- they didn't include the code on the invoice.
Thanks, I will never go back to that Ford dealer ever again.
I wanted them to make it right, but they still wanted to charge me for parts after paying $1200 to replace obviously good parts! I have an appointment with a place I trust and will have them check the work that the dealer did and hopefully they will correctly diagnose the issue.
That was the first thing I did- I had a spare. Unfortunately that wasn't the problem.
:wink
because this is the typical "know it all" move - this gentleman threw a few parts at it first,failed miserably at repairing it...
clearly lacks diagnostic equipment,probably has a box of tools from home depot....
a 16yr old vehicle - that's way out of the norm,for a dealership to work on - think about this for a second:
if a guy started working there when the truck was new - that would be 16yrs ago....technology changes,tools become obsolete.....
:wink
The fact that you may own a socket set and a wrench doesn't make you a mechanic. It is also true that just because you "own" a brain it doesn't make you intelligent. If I were able to troubleshoot and repair my truck with the symptoms it was exhibiting, I would have done so. I do not mind paying "top dollar" for repairs if they are done right.
The fact that a dealership would not be able to correctly diagnosis and repair a problem on one of the most popular vehicles in the world is surprising. I wanted to share my experience with the forum and possibly save someone some grief if they were looking to have a vehicle serviced.
common human trait:
overestimating abilities/knowledge
people often make this mistake - they believe their abilities/knowledge are way beyond what they truly are.when I had my shop,i seen this almost daily - some of the things I've seen,i would actually ask the people "what were you thinking" ??
whenever problems occur,with vehicles,boats,ETC,everyone knows everything - till it comes down to actually doing it....that's when it all changes....look at the boating section - whenever a problem is posted,the usual guys give the standard answer: ethanol in fuel,that's the standard problem,with seafoam,or startron being the cure....
i'm surprised someone didn't tell the owner of the truck,it had a clogged VST filter .....
:wink
I suspect water got into the station tanks, then into your fuel tank
I had a full tank before all the rain problems started here and I waited until a week ago to fill up again.
Dude, Learn some grammar and maybe how to type, Reading your post is like trying to read a foreign language......
Good luck with getting it fixed.
I decided to check a Ford diesel forum and sure enough I discovered that there is a TSB for my engine regarding under valve cover clips. As a matter of fact the TSB states "DO NOT REPLACE INJECTOR, IF THE CLIP REPAIRS THE CONDITION". I would have expected the Ford mechanic would have checked for any TSB's and caught this, but unfortunately he did not. Truly sad that when I brought it back they re-diagnosed the problem to something else!!! Stay away from AutoNation Ford in Margate, stay far far away!
I think they use youtube and forums also when they get in trouble. Glad it is fixed.. .Wanna sell it ?
Not ready to sell yet, but I will tell you I am amazed at the prices these trucks with a 7.3 are going for!! Best vehicle I have owned by far...
First off, you have a great truck/engine combination. Not my opinion but by people
in the Ford dealership north of here I worked at for a short period of time as a sales rep
(until I found decent employment back during the dot com crash).
EDIT: That is usually a quarter million mile truck until major problems occur.
Secondly and after that, I was a "Ford man" and always took my vehicles to the dealer to have
serviced. Was a Wayne Acres Ford (in Lake Worth) customer for over 30 years. Knew most of the
people there on a first name basis and they gave me every special servicing and sales
deal they had.
A couple years ago I bought an off-lease Honda CRV from the local dealer here in Delray Beach
(after talking with a life-long friend who sold them up in PA and gave me the okay on that model).
I again take it to them for servicing and am very impressed with their customer service. Again,
am on a first name basis with my service writer though have only been there a few times -- the last
time to have warranty work done.
But then, I am old school and believe in personal relationships and handshake agreements.
A southeast Florida laid back beach bum and volunteer bikini assessor who lives on island time.
$150 was a lot of money back then.