2014 TC Rear Wiper Not Working

[Beta Don]

I learned another expensive lesson about Ford dealerships today  -  Maybe I can save you guys some money . . . . or maybe you're all already way smarter than I was   

The rear wiper on our Van wasn't working when we bought it used a month ago.  I checked it's fuse and it was blown.  Since I had to take it in to the dealer for another warranty issue anyway, and since it is still under warranty, I figured I'd let the dealer's service department check it out  -  Fuses usually blow for some reason, right?

Big Mistake!!

Got a call today.  "Wiper wasn't working because the fuse was blown".  OK   "Fuses aren't covered under the warranty"  OK, so I owe you for a fuse.  "There's also a $99.diagnostic fee."  What's the diagnostic fee for?   "To find out why the fuse blew"   So, I'm paying you $99 to tell me why the fuse blew?  "Yes."  Well, why did the fuse blow?  "We don't know  -  We changed the fuse and it's working fine now  -  The fuse didn't blow again"  So my $99 'diagnostic fee' didn't tell me anything and I'm basically paying you $99 for changing a fuse?  "I guess you could look at it that way"

Two lessons learned.  At the first dealership I went to, I paid a 20% 'restocking fee' to return a rear cargo cover that came in with broken hinges  -  It had obviously been 'restocked' before because the box had been opened and re-taped shut several times before we got it, and now at the second dealership, I just paid $99 to have a fuse changed

I've always done 99% of my own maintenance on every car we've ever had (to include timing belts, clutches, brakes and all routine maintenance) but on this new 'computer controlled' beast I was really looking forward to taking it in to a Ford dealer every 7,500 miles to have the oil and filter changed and the tires rotated for the $29.95 they advertise . . . . but, sadly, it's pretty apparent I can't afford them.  Good thing I didn't throw away my ramps and creeper!

I've got the wiring manual  -  Guess I'd better get the factory shop manual on order too

Don

Edited October 5, 2016 by Beta Don

[Fifty150]

Sorry to hear that your local dealer is terrible.  

Did your dealer advise you in advance what they were going to do, and how much it will cost?  In my state, by law, they have to give you an estimate of work to be performed & cost, prior to doing anything.  And, you have to sign the work order authorization, or give your acknowledgement verbally (over the phone).  Otherwise, they can't simply do whatever they want, or tell you they did something to your car, and then charge you for it.  I am certain that you would have said no to $99, and changed he fuse yourself.  

The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act (P.L. 93-637) is a United States federal law, (15 U.S.C. § 2301 et seq.). Enacted in 1975, it is the federal statute that governs warranties on consumer products.

Where is it specifically in the bumper to bumper warranty that says fuses are not covered?  Did they show you the warranty subsection?  

With the new car warranty, it is suppose to be bumper to bumper for the first 3 years or 30,000 miles right?  And even when you buy a car used, you still are entitled to the effective balance of the warranty from when the car was first sold.  On my F-150, my dealer gave me an extra set of wiper blades.  Wear items should be included, since nothing should wear out in the first 3 years.  Nothing.  Not the water pump, battery, lamps, drive belt, radiator, alternator, et cetera.  Isn't that what bumper to bumper means?  The drive train is suppose to be covered for 5 years or 50,000 miles.  The tires have a completely different warranty.  And you're suppose to get roadside assistance in case you need a jump start, tire changed, or tow for the first 5 years.  

The only time that they can void your warranty is if you do something to the car, where your actions are a direct result of the failure.  If you lift your truck, and your new suspension plus larger wheels and tires wear out the brakes, or even worse, the transmission, drive shaft, rear end, and axles; them your warranty is void.  If you perform a bunch of engine mods, then go street racing, and you blow your engine; you are out of luck.  If you change out your lighting and your OEM lamp plugs melt, then you are at fault.  If you swap out your factory head unit and now all sorts of things that were controlled through the head unit no longer work, there is no warranty for you.  

But there has to be a direct correlation.  If you install a lift kit, and your wiper arms no longer work, then they still have to cover the wipers since one thing had nothing to do with the other.  If you replace your OEM sound system, and the radiator starts to leak, your new subwoofers have nothing to do with a bad radiator.  

 

Have you tried going to another dealer in your area?

In my local area, there are a lot of dealerships.  This makes them a lot more competitive for my business.  One local dealership has a children's play room, a refrigerator stocked with beverages, and a Starbucks coffee bar for customers.  At another dealership, the parts counter guy will do all the little things like change lamps, change batteries, change fuses, inflate your tires, et cetera, because you bought it there.  Sure, even the local Pep Boys will change your lamps and batteries, but service is getting harder to find.  As I recall, they all give free car washes every time you drive in for whatever little reason.  And all the local showrooms have pastries, daily newspapers, and free internet access.  It doesn't sound like much.  But it's leaps and bounds beyond a bad dealership experience.  I guess the difference is when the local dealerships are actually independently owned, and the owner cares.  If they want another $30K of my life savings the next time I'm ready to buy another car, they better not try to charge me $99 for changing a fuse.

Edited October 5, 2016 by Fifty150

[mrtn]

My local dealer (the only one, sole importer for Ford) is also terrible. I'm amazed they're still in business. Had my old diesel TC running bad. Went to the dealer, they read the codes and charged €65 for it. Told me to find a diesel shop to work on it as they have no idea what to do.

[Beta Don]

"The only time that they can void your warranty is if you do something to the car, where your actions are a direct result of the failure."

They did mention that possibly the reason my passenger door window wasn't operating correctly could be . . . . because I changed out the radio.  When she was trying to tell me why my wiper fuse blew, "It could be anything . . . . even the radio"  -  Nevermind the fact that I told her that both issues were present when I bought the car, long before the radio was installed

They wanted to do an oil change and she told me I needed a new air filter  -  The oil was changed less than 2 months and 2,000 miles ago by the dealership I bought it from

Oh, you do sign some paperwork when you take it in for service  -  I probably signed that "I'm a sucker, so see what you can get out of me . . . . because I'm never coming back"

Don

[Fifty150]

3 hours ago, mrtn said:

My local dealer (the only one, sole importer for Ford) is also terrible. I'm amazed they're still in business. Had my old diesel TC running bad. Went to the dealer, they read the codes and charged €65 for it. Told me to find a diesel shop to work on it as they have no idea what to do.

Yikes.  I see the signs all over town.  "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT $50"

 

That's about 44.62 Euros by today's rate.  That's why I've always had code readers for my cars.  I've got a ScanGauge II installed in the F-150.  The SCT Flash devices and other handheld tuners also function as code readers.  I also have a OBD II cable that plugs into my laptop's USB port, and that came with software for diagnostic trouble codes.  I found an OBD II bluetooth dongle that works on the Transit Connect for about $7 or $8 on amazon.com, that works with my tablet computer and the Torque app.  When all else fails, buying a $20 code reader or borrowing one is still better than paying for some shop to read your codes and turn your check engine light off.

[Fifty150]

3 hours ago, Beta Don said:

"The only time that they can void your warranty is if you do something to the car, where your actions are a direct result of the failure."

They did mention that possibly the reason my passenger door window wasn't operating correctly could be . . . . because I changed out the radio.  When she was trying to tell me why my wiper fuse blew, "It could be anything . . . . even the radio"  -  Nevermind the fact that I told her that both issues were present when I bought the car, long before the radio was installed

They wanted to do an oil change and she told me I needed a new air filter  -  The oil was changed less than 2 months and 2,000 miles ago by the dealership I bought it from

Oh, you do sign some paperwork when you take it in for service  -  I probably signed that "I'm a sucker, so see what you can get out of me . . . . because I'm never coming back"

Don

I wouldn't give your dealer a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down".  I want a new icon to click on, depicted with an image of "the finger".  

I know the owner of the local Unocal Station.  I drive in, drink his free customer coffee, chat with him, and never buy his gas or allow his techs to work on my cars.  The "air filter service" is an old trick that he learned 60 years ago, as a teenager working at someone else's service station.  No white air filter will stay white once it's installed.  By the time the customer rolls in for anything, even to have the tires inflated, you can always open the air intake box and pull out a dirty filter to show the customer.  A $5 air filter could be re-sold by a service facility for $25 + free installation.  It's a scam.  The same way they put a little sticker in your windshield to have you bring your car back in 3,000 miles for the next oil change.  

Is there a local mechanic that you can trust?  It sounds to me like you should not go back t that dealership.  

 

 

[Fifty150]

3 hours ago, Beta Don said:

They did mention that possibly the reason my passenger door window wasn't operating correctly could be . . . . because I changed out the radio.  When she was trying to tell me why my wiper fuse blew, "It could be anything . . . . even the radio"  -  

 

Windows stop working.  Fuses blow.  It's an imperfect world.  Screws fall out all the time.

Ideally, under optimum conditions, fuses do not blow when everything is operating correctly.  Something happened, which caused a surge, which blew the fuse.  Now, how do you go about finding the cause?  Even though I understand the simplicity of 12V direct current X amperage = wattage, it still frustrates me when I can't figure it out.  On one of my other vehicles, the OBD II port is tied into the same fuse as the cigarette lighter adapter.  I couldn't figure out, no matter how hard I tried to, why that fuse blew.  I'm just lucky that the fuse did blow, and my OBD II port did not get damaged.  

 

 

[Beta Don]

Well, I eventually got the van back.  Took it in on a Tuesday because the passenger window rolled up or down in 1.5 inch increments.  They called me Wednesday morning to tell me they would have to order a new motor.  They said I could rent a car if needed.  Called again Friday after they put in the new window motor to tell me it still wasn't fixed and I wouldn't get it before Monday.  Again, offered a rental car if I needed one.  Monday about noon they called and said it's fixed.  99% sure it didn't need a new window motor and the eventual fix (when they finally found it) was something to do with programming

Anyway . . . . since they kept my car for a week for a simple programming fix, and I didn't hit them up for a rental car, they relented on the $99 'diagnostic fee' for the rear window fuse replacement and I got the van back for no charge  -  A week late, but no charge

Don 

[Fifty150]

Good for you, Don.  I'm glad that you didn't have to pay a diagnostic fee.  Sorry that you're getting bad service from your dealership.

 

I noticed a bunch of Highway Patrol Explorer/Interceptors at the dealership.  I saw one on a lift.  Me, being me, walked into the shop, pulled out a StreamLight, and started inspecting the car.  The transmission and front suspension were removed.  Parts were everywhere.  Tech comes over, and without me asking, volunteers that the power steering unit, rack & pinion suspension parts, and the transmission was out.  The pursuit package engine is putting out a lot of power, and the other parts are wearing out faster because of it.  Apparently, they're not having the same issues with regular civilian cars.  But cops are always pushing the pedal hard, driving off the pavement, hopping curbs, and hanging corners.  But wait, it's a SUV, isn't that what 4X4 & AWD are meant to do?  Sure.  But nobody hops curbs, drives over medians, drives over unpaved uneven surfaces, in and out of ditches; all at high speeds and 24 hours around the clock.  Not to mention all the wide open throttle driving, and left foot braking.  Although you'll be fine, since your car is only driven as a commute vehicle, not severe service.

[G B L]

Good news  One small victory for you.