Ford Dealer Service Experience 😵

[thumperr]

Yep...Ford dealers suck. I had a similar experience with the wireless charging pad. Didn't work with my phone. I asked for it to be updated after verifying on this forum that the update was available for my VIN. Dealership told me the update was not applicable to my vehicle and the pad worked fine on their phone. I ended up purchasing the equipment needed to update the vehicle via FDRS myself and applying all outstanding updates. And guess what....the wireless pad now works. I figured buying the equipment was an investment in the future of this car for when I'm out of warranty. I updated my wife's explorer as well. I would rather work on the car myself than take it into a dealer because I almost never leave happy.......it shouldn't be that way.

can I ask what year and model of explorer? I have a 2019 Explorer Sport. Wondering if I need to look.

Sponsored

 

[Bard95]

My 2022 Mach E GT promoted me to go in for the 10,000 miles service/inspection, so I tried to schedule an appointment. First I called the dealership where I bought it from. Since my phone wireless charging pad works intermittently, I thought to have it looked at and likely needs to have a firmware updated at the same visit. To my surprise after speaking with the service adviser, she suggested me to go to the dealer closer to where I live. And her reason was to update the firmware, i would have to leave the vehicle there for an unknown period of time. She said it would take a day ot two just to figure it out. So I called the Ford dealer closer to where I live and scheduled an appointment. When I arrived, I was told they can only do the 10,000 miles inspection. And if I want the firmware updated for the charging pad issue, I need to leave it there for a few days. And this is even after I showed him the Technical Service Bulletin 22-2141 pertaining to the intermittent charging pad issue. Since they do not offer free loaner and it’s Mother‘s Day weekend, I can only get the inspection done. I will have to leave the issue unaddressed. Moving from BMW and Mercedes dealerships to Ford‘s is a big difference. I can now see why Ford is in the process of addressing dealerships issues. It’s my first Ford and I totally love my Mach E GT. I hope they can improve the service one day. It‘s not a good experience when one feels the dealerships do not welcome or have the capacity to address their electrical cars.
Now, I wonder if any of you have similar issues when you brought in your Mach E? Hopefully this does not happen often.

Absolutely!

I had a “stop safely now” and Ford of Franklin sat on the vehicle for an entire week until I escalated the issue with Ford customer service. I took them just a couple of hrs to update the software. I then wanted to look at my mobile charger. The customer service rep said not to bring the vehicle here. They had only two trained technicians, and both of them were unavailable.
One time I came in to look at a used vehicle to compare an issue I had with my windshield wipers.

The sales guy gushed with enthusiasm about how they are going to do all this stuff to welcome EV sales, when I know the real truth.
The sad part about this is that you can trip over Teslas all over my town.

 

[New2EV]

can I ask what year and model of explorer? I have a 2019 Explorer Sport. Wondering if I need to look.

My wife also has a 2019 Explorer Sport. There wasn't a lot of updates available...but while I had a 2 day FDRS license (which is also shared with
IDS and FJDS), I figured why not update it as well?

 

[SalsabyJake]

The 2-3 days to update firmware is pretty disturbing IMHO. I've had mixed experiences with Ford service with my last two Fords - they could never really fix certain issues on my Escape, it seemed. Regarding the charging pad, I hardly use mine due to the slow charging and heating up. But there IS an accessory that I'm considering to upgrade the car with two charging pads - costs $99

https://twraps.com/zh/products/magsafe-dual-wireless-charger-for-mustang-mach-e

 

[Jack Roberts]

My 2022 Mach E GT promoted me to go in for the 10,000 miles service/inspection, so I tried to schedule an appointment. First I called the dealership where I bought it from. Since my phone wireless charging pad works intermittently, I thought to have it looked at and likely needs to have a firmware updated at the same visit. To my surprise after speaking with the service adviser, she suggested me to go to the dealer closer to where I live. And her reason was to update the firmware, i would have to leave the vehicle there for an unknown period of time. She said it would take a day ot two just to figure it out. So I called the Ford dealer closer to where I live and scheduled an appointment. When I arrived, I was told they can only do the 10,000 miles inspection. And if I want the firmware updated for the charging pad issue, I need to leave it there for a few days. And this is even after I showed him the Technical Service Bulletin 22-2141 pertaining to the intermittent charging pad issue. Since they do not offer free loaner and it’s Mother‘s Day weekend, I can only get the inspection done. I will have to leave the issue unaddressed. Moving from BMW and Mercedes dealerships to Ford‘s is a big difference. I can now see why Ford is in the process of addressing dealerships issues. It’s my first Ford and I totally love my Mach E GT. I hope they can improve the service one day. It‘s not a good experience when one feels the dealerships do not welcome or have the capacity to address their electrical cars.
Now, I wonder if any of you have similar issues when you brought in your Mach E? Hopefully this does not happen often.

I went from a BMW to the MME and was surprised that anything that couldn’t be completed in a day you received a loaner. I had two Mercury MKX’s and a Town Car prior to the BMW and the service was always excellent and I always received a loaner if it would take more than a day. I expect the same service from but haven’t had a requirement yet but the time will come when they will need to explain why Mercury can do but they can’t.

 

[Mach1E]

Maybe I'm one of the few lucky Ford owners that have never had a bad experience at the dealership.
My MME has only been back for a L/S rear window replacement that arrived scratched and I had the service department apply the 22s41 update for the HVBJB recall at the same time. i was told I would need to leave the car which for me is not an issue since I worked up the street. I was actualy called at lunch time to let me know it was ready for pickup.

Now this is the exact opposite of my experinece with BMW and Mercedes, both of those dealerships said service would be 2~3 days and they performed service that was not required and tried to charge me for it!

For me this just proves that not all dealerships are bad, some actually care about their customers, you just need to find the good ones.

I don’t think your service department is any different, just that your expectations are different.

You probably haven’t called the dealer last minute for a 3 day repair then posted online complaining about it when they couldn’t get you in.

If there was a dealer forum, from the dealership’s perspective the post of the OP’s encounter would look like this:

Ford driver experience ?

Why are Ford drivers so inconsiderate and demanding? Today we had a customer scheduled for regular 10k service, then they want to all of a sudden tack on a software update that’ll take 3 days. When I explained we don’t have the room on our schedule for the longer service, I suggested they call another dealership to see if they can take care if it.

Well……. I just heard from the other dealer that when they explained the same situation, the customer claimed they were lying then went online to complain more!

 

[PilotMark]

10,000 mile check. Rotated tires and checked fluids and did a once around look $30 and 1 hour.

 

[FordFamily]

The 2-3 days to update firmware is pretty disturbing IMHO. I've had mixed experiences with Ford service with my last two Fords - they could never really fix certain issues on my Escape, it seemed. Regarding the charging pad, I hardly use mine due to the slow charging and heating up. But there IS an accessory that I'm considering to upgrade the car with two charging pads - costs $99

https://twraps.com/zh/products/magsafe-dual-wireless-charger-for-mustang-mach-e

Didn't a member of this forum do volunteer design and test work for an aftermarket company to create better iPhone charger pads? A couple weeks ago? WAs it for this company?

 

[SalsabyJake]

I don't really know the answer to that... The company makes products for other cars too now.

 

[wareagle1440]

I don’t think your service department is any different, just that your expectations are different.

You probably haven’t called the dealer last minute for a 3 day repair then posted online complaining about it when they couldn’t get you in.

If there was a dealer forum, from the dealership’s perspective the post of the OP’s encounter would look like this:

Ford driver experience ?

Why are Ford drivers so inconsiderate and demanding? Today we had a customer scheduled for regular 10k service, then they want to all of a sudden tack on a software update that’ll take 3 days. When I explained we don’t have the room on our schedule for the longer service, I suggested they call another dealership to see if they can take care if it.

Well……. I just heard from the other dealer that when they explained the same situation, the customer claimed they were lying then went online to complain more!

I had a Ford F-150 and never had problems with service, but had nothing but problems with my MME. The dealers truly don't care. i even days ahead of time and the day before would confirm the scope of work and then when i arrived they would tell me they couldn't do the work.

I'm sure the person might have made a mistake here or there but it's Ford. Ford dealers are the reason I sold my MME and switched to Polestar. I've had to take in my PS2 once and I got a loaner and it was done in 24 hours. It was night and day in how my issues were received. it felt like they actually wanted to fix the problem.

 

[minders]

Hilariously enough, I came from two BMWs before the MME - an i3+Rex and an X1 - and had a MUCH worse dealership experience for both of those vehicles than I did purchasing the MME in October. BMW couldn't get their crap together and tried to bill me for taxes that didn't even exist in the state (TX) for the i3 AFTER I no longer had the vehicle, screwed up the lease turn in - sent the payoff to the wrong place, and other misc issues. Had to fight for a loaner when the i3 needed a door panel replaced (noticed at delivery) because they only had one tech that could even touch it who decided to go on vacation for a week and they wouldn't let me keep the car until he was back. When I finally did get one, they tried to give me a 3 series when I specifically told them I would NOT drive a low sitting vehicle. I was finally able to get an X3, but only after fussing a little. They were a nightmare to deal with in TX and the Atlanta area. My Ford dealership in town here was phenomenal. Haven't had the MME long enough to take it in for anything, but I'm not expecting any trouble based on the sales experience.

 

[Mach1E]

I had a Ford F-150 and never had problems with service, but had nothing but problems with my MME. The dealers truly don't care. i even days ahead of time and the day before would confirm the scope of work and then when i arrived they would tell me they couldn't do the work.

I'm sure the person might have made a mistake here or there but it's Ford. Ford dealers are the reason I sold my MME and switched to Polestar. I've had to take in my PS2 once and I got a loaner and it was done in 24 hours. It was night and day in how my issues were received. it felt like they actually wanted to fix the problem.

I think a perspective change is needed on both ends (the customer and the dealer).

Customer needs to realize you can’t just show up for routine service and expect them to tack on a few days of work (module updates) easily.

Dealer service center needs to realize that even though there isn’t much $$ in BEV service, they need to get on board because more are coming every year.

Polestar is a different situation since that’s all they service.

 

[wareagle1440]

I think a perspective change is needed on both ends (the customer and the dealer).

Customer needs to realize you can’t just show up for routine service and expect them to tack on a few days of work (module updates) easily.

Dealer service center needs to realize that even though there isn’t much $$ in BEV service, they need to get on board because more are coming every year.

Polestar is a different situation since that’s all they service.

I get service at a Volvo dealership just for the record. And I believe most polestar customers have the same experience. Polestar has a dedicated polestar rep at the dealership for service and they share EV techs I believe with Volvo. At least that was my experience and the way I understood it.

 

[Mach1E]

I get service at a Volvo dealership just for the record. And I believe most polestar customers have the same experience. Polestar has a dedicated polestar rep at the dealership for service and they share EV techs I believe with Volvo. At least that was my experience and the way I understood it.

Ah. But either way it seems Polestar built out a service model specifically for the brand.

Ford is “retrofitting” into the existing service model……. And it isn’t working well. Probably a lot of bitterness when they tried to force dealers to spend hundreds of thousands to put in chargers.

Franchises hate that kind of corporate strong arming. And my bet is that bitterness now gets directed at us.

It’s a business and if we are the customers that are losing them money, we aren’t going to have the red carpet rolled out when we show up. Especially if we are making last minute demands.

Sponsored