Feedback on appropriate expectations for a Dealer

[topher10]

I have 2024 Lightning that needs the upper control arm recall repair. I also have a significant amount of water in the front light bar. A couple of weeks ago I decided to test my local dealer (not where I purchased the truck).

I called the service number on a Thursday, and the nice lady took the VIN, confirmed the recall, and scheduled me for Monday at 8:30AM. I asked whether I should wait or plan to leave it. She said, "Let me get you in touch with the service manager" and transferred me. The phone rang until the main receptionist picked up, and I then bounced around a few more times before hanging up without talking with anyone.

The next Monday, I drop off the truck at the appointment and ask how long will it take. I was told the service manager wasn’t in yet, but I would need to leave it. A few hours later, a service manager calls me and says that it would not be today and gave no real indication of when it would be done. He asked if I wanted to leave it or come back to get it. I suggested we just make an appointment for the work to get done, but he acted like I would start all over if I picked it. He said, “The only thing I can guarantee is that I can't get to it today, but I will call you to give updates.” I decided to leave it.

On Tuesday I drove by after work and it was parked in same place in lot. On Wednesday it also hadn’t moved. Thursday morning, I called but the service never answered, so I go by, tell them I need the truck, and the service front desk guy immediately went to get it (it still hadn’t moved). I said that I was a little frustrated by the lack of communication. Its fine if they are busy and can't work on it, just tell me when they are ready, and I will bring it back. I just didn’t want it sitting on the lot with no timeline. He said he understood and would speak with the service director (the head person), who would then call me. It's been four days with no call.

Is this a typical dealership experience these days, or is this a major red flag to consider finding another dealer? This one is convenient and has good reviews, but their lack of communication is concerning.

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[RickLightning]

Red flag.

 

[The Weatherman]

Seems to be the norm sadly not the exception.

 

[Henry Ford]

Terrible service.

Name the dealership, they don't want my business.

 

[Scorpio3d]

I would call the BEV team first and foremost and report this dealer if people don’t report these dealers then nothing will ever be done to change their behavior!
I would definitely go to a different dealer and never go back to them for anything even if I just needed a valve stem cover!

Sometimes you have to be proactive but a dealer that tells you they will call(although I think most of them will tell you that and not follow through) they should give you at least some sort of timeline like we will have it done by the end of the week not we will call you when it’s done at least for something this simple if they have to order parts or something then that is a different story!

I don’t know if Ford still reads things on this forum, but many of your dealers suck they give you a bad name by their lack of competence. Post after post after post lately have been stories about your dealers-do something!!!
Customer no service is not acceptable!

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I don’t trust the local dealer with my vehicles.

If I needed the upper control arm recall performed, I’d probably do it myself and leave it with an open recall.

We had to have the HVBJB recall done on our Mustang and tried to get the local dealer to do the work, but they didn’t do the replacement; they just did the software. We had to drive 3 hours twice to get the recall work done by a slightly more responsible dealer. I would have done it myself if I could afford the battery tray, hoist, and other tools necessary.

I’ll spend thousands to avoid taking my vehicles to a dealer.

 

[Ricks Lightning]

I stopped by the other day at a local dealer for the ball joint nut recall. Not only do they not have the parts, but they would need to look at it before they can order anything..

I'm under the impression if the nuts torque out properly, all they do is replace the Nuts. If the Nuts are loose or missing, they replace the ball joints.. which they say can take 2 days.

Seriously a 30 minute job takes 2 days for a working man's truck. Who has time to screw with this when the truck is your work truck that is used daily to perform your trade.

How does anything get done if they can't do a simple job without making it a 2 day project..

Rick

 

[RickLightning]

I stopped by the other day at a local dealer for the ball joint nut recall. Not only do they not have the parts, but they would need to look at it before they can order anything..

I'm under the impression if the nuts torque out properly, all they do is replace the Nuts. If the Nuts are loose or missing, they replace the ball joints.. which they say can take 2 days.

Seriously a 30 minute job takes 2 days for a working man's truck. Who has time to screw with this when the truck is your work truck that is used daily to perform your trade.

How does anything get done if they can't do a simple job without making it a 2 day project..

Rick

What takes 2 days is ordering the parts and receiving them, then doing the work. You're asking the dealership to have nuts and new steering knuckles, in stock (at their cost), awaiting a potential repair? How many sets? Should they do this for every recall? Is Ford limiting them from ordering the parts, due to availability, until they order by VIN (which is often done on large recalls to prevent parts hoarding by a dealership)?

Also, as noted many times on this forum, most dealerships have 1 or 2 EV techs. And, even with ICE vehicles, techs aren't just standing around waiting for a vehicle to show up.

My dealership's EV tech has 3 or 4 bays to himself, so he can bring a vehicle in, assess it, order parts, leave it up in the air, and then put the parts in tomorrow afternoon when they arrive.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/attachments/2_24s76_tech-pdf.95980/

 

[johaanryberg]

I had a similar experience at my local dealer (North Bay Ford in Santa Cruz, California). I ended up going with a reputable private auto shop that works on EV’s instead. Bummed.

 

[Wendy]

My local dealer, Bickford Motors, Snohomish, WA, is wonderful. The salesman really knew EVs (I'm a newbie at EV), and I believe they have 2 EV techs so there is always some coverage. They sell the most trucks in the area and they service them well. While I have had to wait for parts on occasion they always make sure I have a loaner when needed, and schedule the work for when they can get it done.

The longest I waited was when I had a recall, my 'rain sensing' wouldn't sense rain, and had also asked them about the WAL. The desk tech said he didn't know if WAL was something they could do since at that time it was a Forscan thing and not scheduled for download to everyone.

They had a hard time getting rain sensing to work and kept trying things. Finally I said I needed it back, picked it up, drove home and some rain fell and WHAT! the wipers went by themselves. Got out and walked away and WOW! the truck locked itself.

They also have an 'express' service area that does regular maintenance. I went there for 10,000mi, it was $39.95 for them to check everything out and top off the wiper fluid. And quick.

If you are anywhere in the Puget Sound area I definitely recommend Bickford, and Brandon Dupen was my sales guy.

 

[RickKeen]

The Ford dealer I deal with is excellent on Service. There are several Ford dealers of similar distance from my house, but this one is exceptional, so I never go to the others.

Some things that stand out:

A: They are exacting on appointments. They work on your vehicle when they say they will.

B: Once the initial diagnosis is complete, they give you an estimate of both the cost AND the delay to get parts. They are very clear on the schedule - they have a good idea of when they can reliably get the parts. If there is a delay, they let you know before you waste your time dropping off your vehicle again.

C. They actually get things fixed.

D. For recall types of things, they seem to be able to order the parts in advance.

E. Their service department services a lot of municipal and commercial fleets which keeps them busy. They are used to dealing with people on a professional basis. It shows in everything they do.

Only negative is of course they are not the cheapest (compared to non-dealer options).

 

[Ricks Lightning]

What takes 2 days is ordering the parts and receiving them, then doing the work. You're asking the dealership to have nuts and new steering knuckles, in stock (at their cost), awaiting a potential repair? How many sets? Should they do this for every recall? Is Ford limiting them from ordering the parts, due to availability, until they order by VIN (which is often done on large recalls to prevent parts hoarding by a dealership)?

Also, as noted many times on this forum, most dealerships have 1 or 2 EV techs. And, even with ICE vehicles, techs aren't just standing around waiting for a vehicle to show up.

My dealership's EV tech has 3 or 4 bays to himself, so he can bring a vehicle in, assess it, order parts, leave it up in the air, and then put the parts in tomorrow afternoon when they arrive.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/forum/attachments/2_24s76_tech-pdf.95980/

The selling dealer that I'm not referring too has the parts. They offered to come out to me to do the work, problem is I don't have a 9-5 job in the same location.
I could set aside 1 day when I know where ill be and have it done there.

Difference is 1 dealer is stocked and wants to do the job, the other is not really interested in making it convenient.

2 days for a 30 minute job with a truck that is more than transportation, it's my work truck with equipment and supplies.

I get to 5 jobs a day on average. I know what I need and I have it with me. I don't waste my time or my customers time. Plus I make house calls so I have to have it in the truck when i arrive, not at my shop.

Rick

 

[The Weatherman]

I have two Ford Dealerships that are nearly exactly the same distance from house one east Don Franklin Ford and one west Gilley Hyde Ford (aka Get-Your-Hide often pronounced Getchi-Hide). Goes without saying which dealer I use.

If you’re in the South Central KY area and need assistance Don Franklin is the place to go.

 

[topher10]

Some things that stand out:

A: They are exacting on appointments. They work on your vehicle when they say they will.

B: Once the initial diagnosis is complete, they give you an estimate of both the cost AND the delay to get parts. They are very clear on the schedule - they have a good idea of when they can reliably get the parts. If there is a delay, they let you know before you waste your time dropping off your vehicle again.

C. They actually get things fixed.

D. For recall types of things, they seem to be able to order the parts in advance.

E. Their service department services a lot of municipal and commercial fleets which keeps them busy. They are used to dealing with people on a professional basis. It shows in everything they do.

This is sort of my point, and what I was hoping for. Why would they schedule me if they cannot even look at it for more than 3 days? Similarly, I completely understand that they may need to order parts. But just tell me what it's going to take, and perhaps let me pick the truck back up after an evaluation, and we can reschedule a time when the parts are in.

I am trying to decide whether to try to call back and talk with the head service manager and see if I can get any traction, or call another dealer and see if they respond better. In some ways, it gives me an 'easy' test case to establish the best dealer in my area.

 

[Rlevans]

Here's what I'm sick and tired of hearing:

"Well it's an EV so we have to wait for the EV tech to look at it"...

Funny how the EV tech at our closest dealer seems to always be at lunch.

I dropped my truck off for ball joint nut recall (which they claim they did but doesn't show in Fordpass) and for bed camera not working in the heat and was told that bed camera is a special EV part and would have to be inspected by phantom EV tech.
"But if I leave it overnight maybe he can look at it"...

I explained to the gal very patiently that my limited research indicated it was the same part in all the trucks (as are quite a few other parts) and was rewarded with a very long pause and repeated robotic reply.

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