Can a dealer use aftermarket parts for warranty repairs?

[jth133]

So this is the situation I find myself in: My 2021 Mach-E Premium AWD has been waiting on parts since mid-May for an in-warranty issue with the front motor. Until today that's all I knew. After opening a case with Ford, I finally got in contact with a manager at the dealership who informed me that all the parts are in...except some one-time use bolts. And the ETA for those is 9/23. The thought of not having a car for another almost 3 months for a lack of bolts is infuriating, to put it mildly. So my question is, if I can find out from the dealership which bolts they need, and then buy them either OEM or aftermarket, would the dealership be able to use them? Thanks in advance.

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[Teslaeata]

So this is the situation I find myself in: My 2021 Mach-E Premium AWD has been waiting on parts since mid-May for an in-warranty issue with the front motor. Until today that's all I knew. After opening a case with Ford, I finally got in contact with a manager at the dealership who informed me that all the parts are in...except some one-time use bolts. And the ETA for those is 9/23. The thought of not having a car for another almost 3 months for a lack of bolts is infuriating, to put it mildly. So my question is, if I can find out from the dealership which bolts they need, and then buy them either OEM or aftermarket, would the dealership be able to use them? Thanks in advance.

I doubt either Ford or the dealer would entertain that as they can’t guarantee the quality & specification of those parts, even though they seem to be “just bolts” because they are quite specialised being torque-to-yield otherwise known as stretch bolts frustrating though it must be.

Good luck with the estimated arrival date coming forward.

 

[Logal727]

So this is the situation I find myself in: My 2021 Mach-E Premium AWD has been waiting on parts since mid-May for an in-warranty issue with the front motor. Until today that's all I knew. After opening a case with Ford, I finally got in contact with a manager at the dealership who informed me that all the parts are in...except some one-time use bolts. And the ETA for those is 9/23. The thought of not having a car for another almost 3 months for a lack of bolts is infuriating, to put it mildly. So my question is, if I can find out from the dealership which bolts they need, and then buy them either OEM or aftermarket, would the dealership be able to use them? Thanks in advance.

I’m a bit dubious about the bolts being hard to get….

 

[Maquis]

I’m a bit dubious about the bolts being hard to get….

4 years or so ago, I’d have agreed. Anymore, all bets are off. It’s crazy what’s hard to get these days.

 

[BigMach-E]

Open a case with Fords BEV team. 3 months is insane, for any type of repair. Get the parts expedited via COPIS.

 

[jth133]

Open a case with Fords BEV team. 3 months is insane, for any type of repair. Get the parts expedited via COPIS.

Thanks for the help. I have an open case with the "level 2" customer support team that was opened by a live chat rep, but so far they've basically just reiterated what I already know from the dealer. I assumed since the vehicle is a Mach-E that the case would automatically go to the BEV team, but maybe not? Do I need to specifically contact the BEV team to have a BEV case opened?

 

[EELinneman]

I’m a bit dubious about the bolts being hard to get….

There is a vinegar shortage right now. Vinegar! My understanding is that it's a shortage of train cars. I'm not surprised that something like bolts are hard to get. We really are in a very fragile state.

 

[BigMach-E]

Thanks for the help. I have an open case with the "level 2" customer support team that was opened by a live chat rep, but so far they've basically just reiterated what I already know from the dealer. I assumed since the vehicle is a Mach-E that the case would automatically go to the BEV team, but maybe not? Do I need to specifically contact the BEV team to have a BEV case opened?

Yes, call again, give your case number, ask for the BEV team, once you get them on the phone, immediately ask for escalation for parts via COPIS, give them the dealership information, and then hounds them and your dealerships service advisor until they have an expectation of parts within days, not weeks.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

Normally Ford can't reimburse for use of 3rd party parts. This is because Ford often doesn't make the actual part themselves ... that comes from a supplier. And the supplier is responsible for making good on the replacement parts.

Trouble happens if a 3rd party part is used (doesn't come from Ford's original supplier) because while that original supplier is supposed to make a replacement part available under warranty. A completely different parts supplier (who didn't make the defective part) is not obligated to make free parts available under warranty and the original supplier will only offer to replace THEIR product -- not buy a part from another supplier.

 

[jth133]

Normally Ford can't reimburse for use of 3rd party parts. This is because Ford often doesn't make the actual part themselves ... that comes from a supplier. And the supplier is responsible for making good on the replacement parts.

Trouble happens if a 3rd party part is used (doesn't come from Ford's original supplier) because while that original supplier is supposed to make a replacement part available under warranty. A completely different parts supplier (who didn't make the defective part) is not obligated to make free parts available under warranty and the original supplier will only offer to replace THEIR product -- not buy a part from another supplier.

I thought that would be the case, but just looking at the prices on various bolts for the Mach-E, which are generally <$10, I'd gladly pay out of pocket if it shaved 3 months off the wait.

 

[BigMach-E]

I thought that would be the case, but just looking at the prices on various bolts for the Mach-E, which are generally <$10, I'd gladly pay out of pocket if it shaved 3 months off the wait.

Yeah, don’t even try this. I still stand by leaning on the BEV team, expect that you might be on the phone for a while to first connect with them. Make sure you have a rep from the BEV team permanently assigned to your case, get their email, keep peppering them for updates and reach out to your dealership’s service advisor, let them know 3 months just won’t cut it, get the exact part numbers that they say are back ordered, email your BEV team with the part numbers and insist on a COPIS expedite.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease, and closed mouths don’t get fed.

I know a lot of people who are in the business of fixing problems that either don’t fix stuff unless someone seems like they care about it, or won’t fix anything unless they know they are being observed by people higher up in the organization. You got to let the dealership know that they are under the microscope, best way to do this is to get Ford Corporate involved.

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