Need Help: Bronco Damaged During Service

[bronocogagirl]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for advice on what my next step should be.

Back in January, I took my 2022 Outer Banks Bronco to a dealership to fix a noise coming from the front of the vehicle. They said they trimmed a rubber piece near the windshield to resolve it. When I received the Bronco back and inspected it in the parking lot, I noticed multiple scratches along the edge of the windshield area (see first image on the top side). These marks were not present prior to the service appointment.

I reported it immediately. They said the scratches might have come from a previous windshield replacement about a year ago, which they had arranged through a third party installer due to an adaptive cruise control issue. That replacement was completed under warranty.

They told me they would contact the installer and follow up, and that if the third party would not take responsibility, the dealership would. However, I never heard anything back. I had to keep calling and even visited in person multiple times. After several months, I was finally told they would not be taking responsibility.

I had the Bronco inspected at another Ford location, which confirmed both the scratches and a poor windshield installation—something I was not aware of from the original dealership (see attachments). That dealership quoted one thousand dollars to repair everything. I contacted the Ford Advocacy Team, and they offered to cover seven hundred dollars, which I appreciate. I asked the original dealership to cover the remaining three hundred dollars since the damage happened in their care, but they refused.

I also tried calling Ford corporate directly, but I was directed back to the Advocacy Team.

At this point, I feel stuck and frustrated. This all happened during a warranty repair, and I have done everything I can to resolve it the right way.

What would you recommend as the next step?

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[Valhalla]

Let the first dealer know you would start a case with the Better Business Bureau?

 

[Roger123]

Happened in January (or earlier), it's July, Ford has offered $700, take it and get it fixed and be a few hundred out of pocket. The dealer you're dealing with is not going to help, they've made that pretty clear.

Sucks, but not sure at this point what else you can do, you've tried the greasy wheel trick and it didn't work.

After getting it fixed write a nice letter to the general manager explaining the situation and that they have lost a family of customers forever. Include a copy of the repair order, and what you would like to see as a resolution. After the fact shows that you wanted the car fixed and aren't just trying to "shake them down" for a few bucks. Letter needs to be less than 3/4 of a page and 100% factual with dates and people you spoke with at their dealership and what your desired outcome is.

I've written two letters to general managers of dealerships and have gotten a call back within 24 hours of when they received the letter. I was shocked both times, this was many years ago though (pre-COVID, LOL)

Good luck!.

 

[Big Red Rocket of Love]

I would also add, never underestimate the power of concise, negative Google reviews and tweets that can live online forever. Be sure to name names.

~Steve

 

[GnormalGnome]

When the dealership said they'd cover it if the 3rd party did not...im assuming they did not put that in writing for you. Lesson learned, right? Always get verbal promises in writing.

What was the reasoning for partial reimbursement from the advocacy group? On the surface, it seems they don't feel like they are 100% responsible. Did they explain how they came to that conclusion?

Ultimately, you have to decide if the additional money is worth fighting for. Especially when it's unlikely it will be successful. Personally, it's not enough to spend much more time on for this situation.

Is the $700 being offered as a cash (check) payment directly to you, or is it a 'credit' to be used at the dealership doing the repair? If a check, I'd skip the dealership and visit an auto glass shop and have them do the work instead. Likely for well under $700.

I also like the letter writing suggestion. Be polite, concise, and stick to facts. It costs you nothing and even if you don't get fully reimbursed they may offer something to appease you.

Good Luck!

 

[broncobase1]

It sucks this happened but I would say getting $700 you did pretty good. Sometimes its not worth the stress and effort to fight it. If you haven't already, you could try taking the vehicle to the windshield company the dealer used and see what they offer.

 

[CV428]

I would also add, never underestimate the power of concise, negative Google reviews and tweets that can live online forever. Be sure to name names.
~Steve

My experience has been different. Any word of caution or review gets buried, ignored by the great unwashed, or the place has their brainless peons report it to Google.

Example:
My wife was in a car accident in 2017, and we took the truck to the dealership we bought it from several months prior (brand new). This particular big-name dealership did shoddy work, scratched the crap out of my wife's brand new truck inside and out, completely overlooked multiple issues, returned it to us 3 separate times with new issues, and didn't torque things properly resulting in components FALLING OFF while my wife was driving home. I had already argued with this dealership multiple times in person, so I left a scathing but truthful review. They replied, doxxing me in the process, claimed I was a liar and that I made the story up. There is no option to reply, so I edited the review. It got buried by the great unwashed (probably their own employees leaving fake reviews, all within a 24hr span, imagine that) and then my review got taken down by Google. Friends and family knew, yet still went there anyway (and several were screwed over as I predicted, they couldn't believe it, and I had ZERO pity for them)

Many, many other stories like this. I don't bother with reviews. The few that go viral are statistical outliers.

For OP, the best course of action would be to take the $700 and have a local paint shop touch up those areas. Trust me, I have tried every legal and professional way to get a dealership's attention (including putting together a case summary with all correspondence, dates, times, and sending it to them as a warning prior to legal action). They don't care. That's this day and age. Integrity is gone and most employers scraped through the bottom of the barrel and dug into the septic tank beneath it.

 

[BluebroncoNC]

Small Claims court. Let the dealership explain why they are not going to pay to a judge.

 

[heavyD]

Those windshield installers certainly did a terrible job. That's just awful.

 

[Imprezive]

Small Claims court. Let the dealership explain why they are not going to pay to a judge.

Yeah this feels like an easy small claims win.

 

[Mtrctylarry]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for advice on what my next step should be.

Back in January, I took my 2022 Outer Banks Bronco to a dealership to fix a noise coming from the front of the vehicle. They said they trimmed a rubber piece near the windshield to resolve it. When I received the Bronco back and inspected it in the parking lot, I noticed multiple scratches along the edge of the windshield area (see first image on the top side). These marks were not present prior to the service appointment.

I reported it immediately. They said the scratches might have come from a previous windshield replacement about a year ago, which they had arranged through a third party installer due to an adaptive cruise control issue. That replacement was completed under warranty.

They told me they would contact the installer and follow up, and that if the third party would not take responsibility, the dealership would. However, I never heard anything back. I had to keep calling and even visited in person multiple times. After several months, I was finally told they would not be taking responsibility.

I had the Bronco inspected at another Ford location, which confirmed both the scratches and a poor windshield installation—something I was not aware of from the original dealership (see attachments). That dealership quoted one thousand dollars to repair everything. I contacted the Ford Advocacy Team, and they offered to cover seven hundred dollars, which I appreciate. I asked the original dealership to cover the remaining three hundred dollars since the damage happened in their care, but they refused.

I also tried calling Ford corporate directly, but I was directed back to the Advocacy Team.

At this point, I feel stuck and frustrated. This all happened during a warranty repair, and I have done everything I can to resolve it the right way.

What would you recommend as the next step?

Totally sucks! So many sorry ass losers that take no pride in their work and don’t plain don’t care. It’s really hard these days to find a person with integrity.

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