Problem with Steering and AdvanceTrac

[NuclearPower]

Okay, so I formally requested Ford to answer some technical questions regarding the situation and the cause of the quality concern. I also requested that Ford pay for last months loan payment since the Shelby has been out of service for a full month (March 5 and still going). I also asked Ford to consider refinancing my loan at a lower interest rate than I am currenyly paying so that they can earn some of their money back - dont have much hope in that since I am 2.94% and it is Ford Credit versus Ford, but doesn't hurt to ask. Keep you guys posted on the outcome of these requests and on the situation overall.

 

[PudgeTheMidget]

Subscribed. Very interested to see where this goes.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

 

[PistolWhip]

I think at this point they need to step above and beyond a dam rental car. Your paying for a GT500 and stuck driving a budget rental and they can't even tell you when you'll have your car back. I guess its good that your in a state that has a warm climate most of the year, so your not limited in when you drive the car, but for me a month or two would be like losing my car for half a year. I only drive it the spring and summer (fair weather) so if I was in your position, losing my car in April and May would put me down 2 months out of the only 5 or 6 I get to drive it. Needless to say, I'd be a little miffed.
I applaud you for the way your handling it though, seems like your taking it like a champ and giving Ford every opportunity to make it right.

 

[NuclearPower]

I applaud you for the way your handling it though, seems like your taking it like a champ and giving Ford every opportunity to make it right.

Thanks for the words...I have looked at Texas Lemon Law and have to give them at least 1 opportunity to repair. So, as long as they step up and pay for the month that the car has been 'down' I don't have much to dispute. I am considering calling my employers employee assistance program and asking to speak to a lawyer to see what they think about Texas Lemon Law and my situation. Anybody know a Texas Lawyer that would give me some free advice??? One on this site would be fantastic.

 

[NuclearPower]

Talked to Ford today and there is no change. Part is still to be determined...Would really aprreciate any esquires out there willing to give me push about what to consider...

 

[dirtyo2000]

The hell with that. Time to get much higher up the chain for me. In no way will my car sit in the shop that long with me making payments, warranty time going by, and I'm driving a rental. Unless my rental is a BOSS, Shelby, or SUPERSNAKE we have some serious problems.

I would tell them this is not working. There is no way I can not get the parts for my car but you are still building cars that use the same part I need. There should be a Shelby at the end of the assembly line minus one rack. My car has a default that could have caused me and others serious injury.

I have given you more than ample time to fix this and you choose to place me on the back burner. I have no recourse but to seek higher counsel. I do not want to make this a national highway safety matter or cause any unneeded press for Ford but I do need the car that I paid for. I have no problems with you keeping that car and continue all the R&D that you need. Replace my car with another new one and enjoy that one. Other than that the news will be there for an interview and explanitation on national tv. That's just me though. Good luck with it.

 

[NuclearPower]

The hell with that. Time to get much higher up the chain for me. In no way will my car sit in the shop that long with me making payments, warranty time going by, and I'm driving a rental. Unless my rental is a BOSS, Shelby, or SUPERSNAKE we have some serious problems.

I would tell them this is not working. There is no way I can not get the parts for my car but you are still building cars that use the same part I need. There should be a Shelby at the end of the assembly line minus one rack. My car has a default that could have caused me and others serious injury.

I have given you more than ample time to fix this and you choose to place me on the back burner. I have no recourse but to seek higher counsel. I do not want to make this a national highway safety matter or cause any unneeded press for Ford but I do need the car that I paid for. I have no problems with you keeping that car and continue all the R&D that you need. Replace my car with another new one and enjoy that one. Other than that the news will be there for an interview and explanitation on national tv. That's just me though. Good luck with it.

I'm getting here...I am going to call the regional lady tomorrow to see if there is any change. On Monday will be 6 weeks. I think that I plan on asking to talk with her manager to see what other options Ford offers first.

I really am wanting Ford to step up here and make me like the car even more, but not so far...

 

[NuclearPower]

So I reach my limit. Really bad week at work and shitty car to drive made me snap...:mj:...I called the regional rep to see if any change and there was none. So I asked to talk with someone that can have the authority to pull a part from the assembly line, replace the car, or buy back the car. She said that she couldn't and so she asked if I wanted to talk with her supervisor. Talked with her supervisor and he said that my car payment would be taken care of once the car was repaired and the rental car, but that he wanted to wait a little longer on the part. I talked to him about already having waited 6 weeks and that I was at my limit. He could always tell me lets wait one more week. So he asked if I wanted a something review. Don't remember the exact name, but it basically looks at the issue and whether they would consider replacement or buy back as act of good faith and not as lemon law. That is where I am currently. Supposed to hear something back by Wednesday on the review. Only down side is I don't have anything in writting yet. It is all verbal. I keep forgetting to ask them to at least email me that the rental is covered and that they will at a minimum pay the car payment on aprorated basis for the month. That's the latest folks. I hope that I am the only one with this issue so far...:cuss:

 

[NuclearPower]

So I just got an update from Ford today...the part now has a date to be shipped of mid-May. Not sure how much I trust that though. Still sounds like they are guessing and not really sure. I was also told that my request for replacement/repurchase was still under review. They are supposed to call me back on Monday with another update. The saga continues...

 

[E.Marquez]

Time to go talk to a lawyer that deals in consumer law, with dealings in warranty cases. I'd guess on two things happening once you have the lawyer write a letter on your behalf.

1:Once you have lawyered up, the Dealership minions will no longer talk to you at all.
2: Unless the Ford bean counters est it to be more a loss to fix your car, you will get faster resolution. If the bean counters have decided it is in there best interest to not fix it, for what ever reason, you will be delayed many months during arbitration.

Personally, for me, I see you have tried the polite version, it's now time to be the squeaky wheel and get some action (grease)

Need to make it more advantageous to them to fix it, then to string you along. Always let therm know there is a way to make you a 100% satisfied customer. And tell them often what realistically you need to be that happy Ford customer

 

[NuclearPower]

Time to go talk to a lawyer that deals in consumer law, with dealings in warranty cases. I'd guess on two things happening once you have the lawyer write a letter on your behalf.

1:Once you have lawyered up, the Dealership minions will no longer talk to you at all.
2: Unless the Ford bean counters est it to be more a loss to fix your car, you will get faster resolution. If the bean counters have decided it is in there best interest to not fix it, for what ever reason, you will be delayed many months during arbitration.

Personally, for me, I see you have tried the polite version, it's now time to be the squeaky wheel and get some action (grease)

Need to make it more advantageous to them to fix it, then to string you along. Always let therm know there is a way to make you a 100% satisfied customer. And tell them often what realistically you need to be that happy Ford customer

You are correct. When I mentioned that I was considering talking with a lawyer she plainly asked if I had legal council because if I did then she could no longer help/talk with me.

I am really trying to avoid the whole lawyer thing though, and even lemon law, because either of those paths could talk who know how long. At this point I feel stuck. They did promptly start the review when I asked about replacement or buy back and they are continuing to pay for the rental and for at least 1 month of loan payment...I asked for an update on friday, so I'll wait to hear then.

 

[E.Marquez]

pay for the rental and for at least 1 month of loan payment.

IF, and I say IF they continue that method while they source a solution, then I too might be inclined to stay the course...

At that point, it's down to making sure your vocal in the fact this can end in a satisfied customer, or one who will expend vast amounts of time and energy to be a FORMER customer. Who has a large network of friends, personal, professional, and through many social network forums will let people know how this ended.. Your willfulness to take your human interest story to the media.
The satisfied customer will use those same resources, telling a version of the same story but one with a positive spin on how FORD stepped up and fixed your car, while providing outstanding customer care.

Set realistic goals for them to meet in order to close this out with you satisfied.

• 1st in line for the part when it becomes available.
• Full month loan payment made for all full months the car is not available.
• Rental car provided at no cost for the duration.

Best of luck

 

[NuclearPower]

I have mimic-ed your sentiment to them already. I did that during the last phone call. Funny too, because they asked me not to blog about the situation...not sure where that is coming from, but my feeling is that as long as I am truthful and simply providing facts then no harm no foul. I am letting you all make your own minds. Although I am debating about what to do once the car gets repaired...

Thanks for the "best of luck" I hope to know when the part will be here this week. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[E.Marquez]

You know if this goes to the point you think you are getting ignored. A few hundred people calling in with TX phone numbers saying they are following this dealer support opertunity and looking forward to a great outcome to share with friends. It might remind them many locals are watching getting the dealer to push mother Ford a bit harder.

 

[NuclearPower]

You know if this goes to the point you think you are getting ignored. A few hundred people calling in with TX phone numbers saying they are following this dealer support opertunity and looking forward to a great outcome to share with friends. It might remind them many locals are watching getting the dealer to push mother Ford a bit harder.

Thanks for the idea. I'll keep you all updated. Right now I think that they are doing what they say. No reason to think otherwise.

The biggest thing that I don't like is the lack of information that they are sharing. This seems to be a redesign issue, what else would take this long, but Ford has not even sent notice letters to affected individuals. With the ability to get in so much trouble with this car when everything is working right, I would have thought that a courtesy letter saying this is a potential issue, be careful would be warranted. Hope to find out more on Friday.

 

[minicobra]

Nuclearpower,


Ok, ad me to the list !!!

Car is a 2012, about 15K miles, 10 months old.

Was driving today pulling out of a parking lot and everything shut down, almost hit the curb because I lost power steering completely, good thing there were no cars coming. All the lights are on, ABS, Traction Control, Service AdvanceTrac, etc.

I wasn't sure what to do, I was only a few miles from the house and I needed to get to work, so I managed to drive it home safely. Although the steering was extremely hard, way harder then an older car without power steering. I imagine that someone without much upper body strength would not be able to steer the car. I know my wife wouldn't be able to, when turning it's extremely difficult. This would be a really safety issue if it a happened in mid corner at speed. I would guess, or hope that Ford is taking so long, because that are possible considering a re-design of the system.

So I took my other car to work, and now I'm home online doing some searches and come across your thread. Oh boy, sounds like this is going to be fun one.

Can you provide me with any info of whom you talked with at Ford CS ? Names, Numbers, etc. ?? I'd like to call them to see if they can refer me to a dealer, before I just randomly bring it to one. The dealer I bought it from is 300 miles away, so that's not happening.

I guess If I have to bring it to them, I probably should bring up the 1 - 2 shift issue (grinding that a lot have been experiencing)

Appreciate your help

thanks,

 

[NuclearPower]

Dear MINICOBRA,

You poor bastard. I am sorry to see that you are in the club with me. I have no proof, and nothing other than my experience and discussions to go by, but I think that the part IS being redesigned. That is the only thing that makes sense that it would be taking 7+ weeks. I also did not take the car back to the original dealer. I took it to the closest Ford dealer. Funny that your car and my car crapped out at almost identical times, 2012 10 months old and 16,000 miles.

As for getting it fixed, take it or tow it to the closest dealership. Any dealer can replace the rack unit. The entire system is one integral component, rack, motor, and computer are a single unit with no servicable parts.

The system can be reset and then it might or might not work fine. Disconnetting the 100A fuse from the positive terminal resets the PSCM. I wouldn't bother though, let the dealership do that. If you do that then the dealership may not be able to replicate the condition and the code could be lost forever. I am still waiting on the part. i am supposed to be updated this friday. I'll post up what they tell me.

As for numbers and people, call the customer service number in the owners manual and tell them about your "significant safety concern" and a regional representative should call you back in about a day. Your rep will be different than mine since different parts of the US.

The grind issue...I told them the same thing and they told me to wait since the car is still under warranty...to see how everything "fits together" after more miles...

CALL THE NUMBER ASAP TO GET YOUR NAME ON THE LIST!!!

 

[PistolWhip]

I would call your closest dealer (as well as the one you bought it from) and inform them that the car will need to be towed in for immediate service. Don't take a chance driving it in. I can't believe this is popping up more frequently now, this could be a real problem for Ford in the future.

 

[minicobra]

Nuclear,

thanks for the quick response

Ok, before I read your post, I disconnected the negative cable and waited about 10 sec, then hooked it back up. All the warning lights went out and power steering is back.

One thing that I didn't mention in my first post (and this may have been the start of the problem) Last week at the Shelby/Cobra reunion in Pomona I noticed that the positive terminal was pretty corroded. When I got home I disconnected the positive cable, as well as the other cables, cleaned it up and re-installed. A couple of days ago the steering wheel had some kickback to it when I was pulling out of my driveway, it went away fairly quickly, so I just wrote it off.

Today, when I removed the negative cable, I checked the tightness of the other bolts, and the one where the 100a fuse is was a little loose. I think I may have forgot to tighten it all the way down, or it loosened up while driving. Either way, could this just be attributed to that cable being loose?

I don't know, I'm a little concerned about the whole thing, definitely in the back of my mind, I wouldn't want to loose the steering in a corner. I also don't want to be without my car for 7 or more weeks.

Anyway, I think I will take it to the dealer, at the very least they can look at the positive terminal area, maybe that or the battery, or both needs replacing. It shouldn't have been that corroded after only 10 months.

I'll post a pic of the terminal, it was pretty bad.

 

[minicobra]

Ok, not seeing where I can upload a photo just yet, so I posted it on fordgt500.com

here is the link: Lost power steering and Advancetrac while driving - Ford Shelby Cobra GT500 Forum

The pic is before I cleaned it.