Xr6t Problems

[Guest TRACK]

Update!

I have been a bit quiet on here lately due to work load and more importantly computer issues, but these have been fixed, unlike my car.

My car is currently at the dealer for the 20th time and has been there for over 3 weeks. At least Ford supplied me with a loan car free of charge. The following issues were to be fixed on this visit.

Rough idle / all but stalling

Flat spot betwen 3,000 - 4,250rpm

Hesitation - depress accelerator, not response from engine, then wait.......whack we are off!

Clutch shudder on light take off

Diff whine

Sunroof rattle

Front passenger seat rattle

Paint flaking off intercooler cover

Tarnished gear knob with loose leather (scr*w them, make them fix everything)

I phoned Ford CRC and asked to speak to Mr Robin Meadows (Manager), I've given up speaking to Hamish, he's an idiot. Apparently Robin doesn't speak to the public, so his offsider Kate Murray rang me. She's no better than Hamish.

Kate arranged for Stewart Mitchel (East Coast Technical Fixer Guroo) to come and drive my car. Well this happened on Monday (only took 3 weeks). The dealer rang me Tuesday and told me the car was ready, and Ford will send a report. I phoned Ford CRC to find out what was going on, but nobody was there. I left a message for Robin or Kate.

Today, Damien rings me back, apparently my file has been passed onto him. Damien is Kate's offsider. He would not put me through to Kate or Robin. Damien explained to me that my car was READY TO BE PICKED UP!! I asked what was done. NOTHING!!! he replied. Stewart and the dealer foreman drove the car around the block a couple of times and concluded that the car was operating within specification, and that the hesitation I was feeling was the traction control kicking in.

To this I exploded!! I asked him to please explain how the t/c causes the car to hesitate when the t/c is turned off. He couldn't. He just kept on repeating like a broken record it was the t/c. I asked him to explain how the t/c would activate at 100km/h on dry tar in a straght line. Are you telling me these cars can wheel spin at these speeds? (I know the T's are powerful, but there not that powerful.) To this he replied, "whats wheelspin got to do with anything?" I told him that I'm a little slow on the uptake, but I was under the impression that wheelspin activated the t/c system, therefore for the t/c to be causing a flatspot/hesitation at 100km/hr, the rear wheels by definition MUST be spinning, which we all no to be impossible (stock car). Again no reply. T/c he just kept saying. He told me that Stewart Mitchel is the expert engineer and he said that is what it was. To which I replied, "then Stewart is a f*ckwit, and if you agree with him or continue to back him, then your a f*ckwit too!!" Didn't go down well, but that's life. This discussion circled around for about another 20 mins, going nowhere.

I asked to speak with Stewart. Can't. I asked to speak with Stewart's boss. Can't. Apparently Stewart reports DIRECTLY to Tom Gorman (President). I find this hard to believe but anyway. I asked to speak again with Kate or Robin. Can't.

Evetually I asked for a report stating, the car is 100% fixed and if the car suffers from the preveously reported issues the car will be replaced. Can't do that. All they can provide is a report stating the car is within specification. I asked for a report stating all of the above defects the car was presented with for this vist, along with how Ford fixed, justified, etc. for each defect. They are talking to thier legal people to see if they can do this.

Out of curiosity, and to change the topic, I asked how they retified the diff whine and clutch shudder. "What diff whine, what clucth shudder? don't know anything about these." Too which I asked again "Is my car ready?" "Yes" he says. I then ask in turn, "has the Diff whine been fixed?" "Don't know", "Has the ....(all above defects) been fixed?" Damien quickly and proptly answered "Don't know" to every question. So I told him "you don't know much do you!" Again this didn't go down well. He said he would check with the dealer and get back to me.

Hour later he rings, Brad Lorrey the Service Manager is not in, so he agian dosn't know. I didn't let that go by without a dig. Damien informs me that he has spoken with Stewart Mitchel about my car again, and informed me that Stewart went there to look ONLY at the engine isues and was unaware of anything else. Earlier in the conversation I told Damien it would be a good idea for Setwart to contact the owner of the car when he looks at them, so the owner can pass on detailed info on how and when the car plays up, but apparently this direct method leads to missinformation and wasted time. So Ford have adopted the following more efficient and reliable system. The owner tells the dealer, the dealer telles Ford CRC, Ford CRC tells Stewart Mitchel. Talk about Chineese Whispers! So I explained in quite graphic detail to Damien of what I thought of their system, and how it has really helped the customer out in this situation. Agian "You don't even know if the car is ready!" Again didn't go down well.

So now, we wait to see if the car is ready.

For the record the car has been at the dealer 20 times and 55 days off the road.

I've send letters to Tom Gorman (Ford President), Robin Meadows, Kate Murray, Today Tonight, A Currant Affair, Sydney Morning Herald, Motor Magazine. All of which have not replied. It generated some standard Ford legal crap, but nothing constructive.

Suing them for failing to provide a product of merchantable quality, is the only real next step, but as Ford have said, they are prepared to issue a report stating the car is within specification, and have acted promptly to rectify all identified defects. This could be a hard road. I believe my best bet still remains with national media coverage.

Sorry about the rant and length of the post.

Feedup and pissed off!!

Track

Edited 16/03/05 07:52 AM by TRACK

[wicksy]

sh*t that sucks man,that macho pricks, don't care about the customer they are only in it for the money, wat kind of loaner car have you got a base XT

[Guest TRACK]

I spent about 3 hours arguing on the phone with Kate, trying to get a T, basically I've paid to drive around in a T, therefore I want to drive around in a T.

She wouldn't do it. She organised a Hertz car me, and told me I had to pick it up at the dealer as Hertz would not deliver to a private residence, and I must be present to sign for the car. I asked for a Expensive Daewoo if I couldn't have a T. You should have heard her go off, very professional she was.......NOT.

Eventually, She connected me with Hertz direct, they were great. I asked for a T, but they don't have any so I was given a 2 day old MKII XR6 N/A, delivered to my door, signed for by my wife. Great cooperation. Ford should take note!!!

Track

[Guest Senator]

Mine has a bad habit of turning itself off from time to time, while driving along the road, but your problems would make me burn the car and get a Daewoo.

Your first option is with the dealer which has given you jack, then you must make a formal complaint to the NSW department of fair trading who will notify Ford on your behalf. Takes FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dont forget to disrupt there business by parking your car out the front of the dealership on weekends and making a general nuisance of yourself by telling other cuctomers about your problems. It would deter me if I didnt own one and rocked up looking to buy one.

[Buf-Phoon]

Track ... sorry you are continuing to get the bum's rush from the clown factory(as Hypnodoc so eloquently put it). There is little recourse than the office of fair trade as you have stated. Ford with the millions at ther disposal will however try and send you broke in the process

I have had my share of run in's with these Chimps , but fortunately with better outcomes thus far. Just reading your posts has sent my blood pressure through the roof

I hope that someone from the national media picks up your story and a least shames Ford into getting you into a new T. Not that you would really want one .... a cheque would be better ?

Grrrrrr and all the best in getting it sorted

[dave-]

Holy farken crap Track! I'd say your getting close to taking a chance with insurance fraud!!!! Might be a less painful resolution

And I felt hard done by with my 3mth old MkII Turbo...

Without Hijacking that other thread, or yours too much hehe.....

Items I've raised with the dealer and they claim to have "fixed"

By 3000km's the engine required 2.5L of oil for the dipstick to register "Ok"

- 1st Dealer said don't worry about it, normal run-in

At about 5000km I saw the oil pressure light flash again, mention it to dealer #2 and they claim its all good. Suspect they just topped it up.

Again at 7000km, oil press light again while accelerating or hard braking to a traffic light etc. Check oil, dipstick shows nothing. Add 500ml, still nothing.

Car now at 8000km, starting not to give a fark!

Circular marks on every one of my 18" wheels.

- Dealer claims these are factory machine marks and they all have it

Hollow cracking/banging noise coming from the steering under varying amounts turn, happens while reversing, driving thru round-a-bouts, u-turns, anything really!!!

- 1st Dealer did steering re-work as per TSB #78/04 (that's whats on my paperwork), didn't do a damn thing!

- 2nd Dealer, 2-3 different visits claims I'm hearing things and the car is fine. However they claim to have first torqued up the rack and then on a later occation said they replaced a washer which was a recall item (wtf), one mech claimed they removed the whole rack and re-fitted it at one point (yeh sure).

For the last couple 1000km's, the engine check light would flash constantly.

4-5 times the car has gone into an erratic coughing fit, reving like sh*t with check light on.

- Dealer replaced "TPS Sensor" and cleared fault codes claiming they test drove the car and it was fine.

Drive home and notice constant flashing within 5mins again heh, book it in again....

- Dealer then replaces the Accelerator Pedal and "Self tested electronics management system, all ok"

Check light stops flashing constantly but the coughing fit remains

Gear knob leather peeled up from the metal at the bottom, theyre pissing me off so I made it worse and made them change it

- Dealer replaced knob, so far the only thing they've done right heh

From day 1, wasn't happy with the 6spd shifting quality at times. 1st to 2nd is the worst.

- 2 Dealers said its fine

1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd is getting "crunchy". Quite embaressing when you goto do a change and the f*cker sticks in the middle of the gears (And yes I have looked at my driving, I even thought it was my fault at first, but I can get it to do it on a real slow and easy shift, fully concentrating on what im doing!!!)

Other stuff that I've not chased the dealer about yet, as I believe they are incapable of doing 1 thing at a time let alone many!!!

- Front Passenger Seat makes a squeaking noise but only if someone is sitting in it!!!!

- Car quite often feels like it is struggling, surging, and just in general lacking power

- I ALWAYS turn TC off, yet a number of times I've noticed it switch itself back on.

- Severe brake shudder and that's with Premium brakes! (Dealer has actually noticed this and said next time they'd send the discs off for machining because they can't be done in house wtf.

Then there is the general build quality of the car. I should have paid more attention when I took delivery but the excitement took over and being a company car I figured its not a big deal anyway. But the fit and finish of all the doors, guards, bumpers are f*cking terrible. Front inner guards have dried up paint runs, bumper near headlight you can see where the paint stops. Almost looks like a really bad front repair job!!!

Probably more stuff, but that's all I can remember off the top of my head right now.

Being a company car, I'm now at the point where if the dealer doesn't care about my car, then I couldn't give a sh*t either. Don't have time to spend returning a car every week to the dealer and being without for a day. So when it breaks, they'd better hope a courtesy car is waiting!!!!

Edited 16/03/05 09:37 AM by dave-

[Guest cdfa]

  KEN 24T said:

  JB said:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shuddup you ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Times 2 smart A-----------E (That's right buddy you're a big smart A--E!)

Cam,

P.S No offence intended

[Guest TRACK]

We will have our day!! Ford need to have a good hard look at themselves, their product has major defects, with components that arn't really new technology. Any car that has the number of motor, gearbox, diff, brakes and steering defects that are appearing in the T's can't be a good thing or satisfactory for the manufacturer.

Unfortunately too many people like the look of the car and it's performance so much they are willing to accept a number of these defects. People are also prepared to accept these and other defects because it is just so farking hard to get them fixed.

Ford are basically bullying and pushing Joe average customer around because thay can. Life is a funny storey, no matter big you are or how tough you play or how many resources you have, there is ALWAYS somebody bigger, tougher and with more money, just waiting to rip you down to size.

It might not happen this week or the next, but rest assurred it will happen! and when it does, I for one will be having a party.

Ford need to remember to treat others as you wish to be treated yourself, because no truer words have been spoken than "what goes around, comes around!"

Edited 16/03/05 04:17 PM by TRACK

[Guest FatBAt]

We only have to remember the Leyland P76. It won Wheels Car of The Year. but have you ever seen a P77?

[Logsie]

Hey Track

Maybe all the people with turbo problems should organise a meeting with fair trading and should all send in a letter to today tonight ,a curent affair etc

They might take more notice with a large group off people

Another avenue is accc (Australian Competion And Comsumer Corporation)

I used to own a Expensive Daewoo and the stuff the mechanics did. They told me I needed a new power steering pump I told them I would look at it and found that they had acutally undone all the hoses and the stupid bastards left the scew driver there resting under the bonnet . So I tightened all the hoses and refilled what had leaked took it back and got the money out off them for the replacement fluid. They also never change the oil or filters on services all these kind off things. And I could keep going on. Expensive Daewoo mechanics are the dodgeiet bastards and after what you have said I am starting to get this feeling with ford.

As I just bought a xr6 turbo 2 weeks ago I had xr scuff plates($30) and fog lamp protecters($48) fitted through ford I checked the invioce before fitting and they were going to try and charge me $238 for the fitting of the fog protecters as I replied that on fords website they are $48 fitted ,oh sorry we will just fix that up