RESOLUTION! $28,000 damage to Mach-E from tow truck hooking into battery rail

[Jim Glass]

It seems like this is starting to make the wider automotive news

Towing a Ford Mustang Mach-E Could Cost You $28,000 for a Battery Replacement - autoevolution

Given my towing experience last April, I’m sorry to say that the contractor Ford chose for its emergency service is wretched. It’s subbed to the least expensive independents many of whom don’t know doodie about towing or moving disabled EVs. The first three towing services contacted by the sub never showed and never notified anyone. One independent contacted me directly since the sub rejected them as too expensive. This consumed 6 hour on Easter Sunday the next day, we tried again and got nowhere. By late afternoon a Ford Customer Service Rep and I called the sub and WE told him to call the expensive guy (he had experience with lots of Teslas and had dollies to move the car while locked in park). The sub’s Rep said ok. But he lied and called someone else who refused the tow. The Ford CS Rep heard all of this and called the right service and arranged the tow. Note that this took place about 60 miles south of Atlanta on I-16, not somewhere in the boonies.

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[BigMach-E]

I'm going to add my experience to this conversation. I just had to get a flatbed tow. Had gone in to get a sandwich, came out to the dreaded "Stop Safely Now" message with battery icon. Couldn't move the shift. I had 50 percent SOC. Got jump, no dice. Got towed to dealership 2 miles from location (was just 12 miles from home). Tow guy seemed knowledgeable, but his hooks were too large to fit the proper winch points. He hooked to the control arms. Since it was fully in neutral (emergency tow mode) and just rolled up on the bed seemingly with ease, and the tow truck driver stated that he's done this with Porsches and Benz's in true neutral, I hope this is okay...I'll let you all know the results. Has anyone else had the experience? He also had towed another Mach-E recently, and that had larger winch points? Is that possible? Also, I gave Him the schematic of what not to hook into from this thread. So thank you!

 

[Motomax]

I'm going to add my experience to this conversation. I just had to get a flatbed tow. Had gone in to get a sandwich, came out to the dreaded "Stop Safely Now" message with battery icon. Couldn't move the shift. I had 50 percent SOC. Got jump, no dice. Got towed to dealership 2 miles from location (was just 12 miles from home). Tow guy seemed knowledgeable, but his hooks were too large to fit the proper winch points. He hooked to the control arms. Since it was fully in neutral and just rolled up on the bed seemingly with ease, and the tow truck driver stated that he's don't this with Porsches and Benz's in true neutral, I hope this is okay...I'll let you all know the results. Has anyone else had the experience? He also had towed another Mach-E recently, and that had larger winch points? Is that possible? Also, I gave Him the schematic of what not to hook into from this thread. So thank you!

Control arm is fine, that’s where most of your new vehicles that don’t come with tow points get hooked too.

 

[BigMach-E]

Thanks @Motomax ! Love your handle!

 

[E-questrian]

”Pull over Safely” came up on the dash, so we pulled over to side of highway and called Ford Road Side Assitance. A tow truck was dispatched. Car was dragged on to tow bed with a winch. The first winch snapped. The Ford dealership I was towed to had never worked on an electric car. We were halfway between our home in Canada and our winter place in Florida. On the recommendation of Ford Customer Care, they arranged to have the car transported down to a dealership in Florida. The tow company hooked into the battery rail and damaged the batteries. $28,000 repair bill. Now Ford customer care tells me I have to deal with Agero- claims for Road Side Assistance, that it’s not Ford. Agero denies the claim because it can’t be proven that it was the tow company’a fault it could have happened when the car was transported to Florida. Ford says it’s not their fault. My insurance company says it’s not claimable through them. So I am left finding lawyers in both the US and Canada to deal with this. Then I am sent a survey asking if I would refer Ford to a friend!

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

89 days later - I have my pony back. Ford came through.

Thanks to this forum for supportive comments and education. And yes - I would recommend Ford to a friend.

Wow, that's some pretty big endorsement after what you went through

 

[stryker]

89 days later - I have my pony back. Ford came through. The original issue was a detached capacitor. Lessons I learned - charging the 12v battery may have allowed the car to be put in neutral instead of dragged on bed. I’ve heard lots on tow points, not sure though that I could direct a tow truck.
The blame game between the tow companies could happen because no inspection was carried out between tows. The dealership that I was first towed to did not have the equipment to lift the MachE. A big shout out to John ’JW’ Weschler, asst Service Manager at Sarasota Ford, for keeping me regularly informed and helping me navigate. Thanks to this forum for supportive comments and education. And yes - I would recommend Ford to a friend.

Original story:

”Pull over Safely” came up on the dash, so we pulled over to side of highway and called Ford Road Side Assitance. A tow truck was dispatched. Car was dragged on to tow bed with a winch. The first winch snapped. The Ford dealership I was towed to had never worked on an electric car. We were halfway between our home in Canada and our winter place in Florida. On the recommendation of Ford Customer Care, they arranged to have the car transported down to a dealership in Florida. The tow company hooked into the battery rail and damaged the batteries. $28,000 repair bill. Now Ford customer care tells me I have to deal with Agero- claims for Road Side Assistance, that it’s not Ford. Agero denies the claim because it can’t be proven that it was the tow company’a fault it could have happened when the car was transported to Florida. Ford says it’s not their fault. My insurance company says it’s not claimable through them. So I am left finding lawyers in both the US and Canada to deal with this. Then I am sent a survey asking if I would refer Ford to a friend!

contact this guy http://lehtoslaw.com/ he will help you out all he does is lemon law

 

[J5hort]

It is in Ford's best interest to insure that issues with using this technology goes well and problems are solved. While it looks like better education was needed by recovery personnel, ultimately, the product will get most of the bad press. Remember the Explorer Firestone fiasco... turns out it was not the product that was the issue.

Billions of dollars are being spent on producing EV's at Ford. There is enough hesitation for persons to adopt the technology. I hear it every day. Most need to be educated as well.

I am happy that your battery problem was solved. Sometimes it is not the actual problem that is the most important, it is how the problem addressed and fixed.
New technology and still in the learning stages, from manufacturer to dealer (ADM practices) to servicer to consumer.

 

[Mach1E]

89 days later - I have my pony back. Ford came through. The original issue was a detached capacitor. Lessons I learned - charging the 12v battery may have allowed the car to be put in neutral instead of dragged on bed. I’ve heard lots on tow points, not sure though that I could direct a tow truck.
The blame game between the tow companies could happen because no inspection was carried out between tows. The dealership that I was first towed to did not have the equipment to lift the MachE. A big shout out to John ’JW’ Weschler, asst Service Manager at Sarasota Ford, for keeping me regularly informed and helping me navigate. Thanks to this forum for supportive comments and education. And yes - I would recommend Ford to a friend.

Original story:

”Pull over Safely” came up on the dash, so we pulled over to side of highway and called Ford Road Side Assitance. A tow truck was dispatched. Car was dragged on to tow bed with a winch. The first winch snapped. The Ford dealership I was towed to had never worked on an electric car. We were halfway between our home in Canada and our winter place in Florida. On the recommendation of Ford Customer Care, they arranged to have the car transported down to a dealership in Florida. The tow company hooked into the battery rail and damaged the batteries. $28,000 repair bill. Now Ford customer care tells me I have to deal with Agero- claims for Road Side Assistance, that it’s not Ford. Agero denies the claim because it can’t be proven that it was the tow company’a fault it could have happened when the car was transported to Florida. Ford says it’s not their fault. My insurance company says it’s not claimable through them. So I am left finding lawyers in both the US and Canada to deal with this. Then I am sent a survey asking if I would refer Ford to a friend!

I’m curious about the update. If the issue was the detached capacitor, was there really $28k in damage or not?

And if $28k in damage, who paid for it?Ford or the towing company?

Seems someone else is going through the identical situation so more details would be helpful.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/love-the-car-but.15599/

 

[E-questrian]

I’m curious about the update. If the issue was the detached capacitor, was there really $28k in damage or not?

And if $28k in damage, who paid for it?Ford or the towing company?

Seems someone else is going through the identical situation so more details would be helpful.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/love-the-car-but.15599/

The detachment happened before the tow truck damaged the battery rail. Where things got messy for me was two transports were involved. The first tow, which I believe did the damage, was to a Ford dealership not adequately equipped to handle the MachE and 600 miles away from our destination so Ford arranged for the car to be transported to where we live. The first tow company blamed the second. I was told ‘no sorry can’t help’ by so many different reps but kept pursuing. I also had a great service manager that kept pushing from his end. I don’t know what in the end led us to resolution but it ended well. It was covered fully by Ford - I assume they will go after the tow company. Good luck and don’t accept defeat!

 

[E-questrian]

And further to my note - Agero was of no help whatsoever- basically told me to pursue it with my own insurance.

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