ComplaintsforParson's Interstate Ford, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  02/09/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On Wednesday, February 8, 2023, I took my Ford ******* to Parson's Interstate Ford to be worked on due to receiving two safety recall notices from Ford Motor Company. Both recall letters stated that Ford Motor Company had authorized all Ford dealers to fix the recalled issues free of charge (parts and labor). I explained to Parson's what issues I was dealing with and made it clear that the problems were due to a recall and the cost of repairs was to be covered by Ford Motor Company. Parson's told me they needed to inspect the vehicle. After inspection Parson's told me they could see the issues were indeed part of the recall and assured me they would fix the problems over the next few days. I agreed to leave my vehicle at the garage until Friday morning when I was told it would be ready for pickup. A few hours later, I received another phone call from Parson's telling me that the problems were not part of the recall and that I would need to pay for the repairs out of pocket. They asked if they should proceed with working on the vehicle or stop. I made it clear to them that Ford Motor Company was responsible for the cost of repairs as stated in the recall notices and told Parson's to stop working on the car if they did not agree to those terms. I was told to come to pick up my vehicle and when I went there I was given a bill of $545.16. I asked what I was being charged for since they did not repair any issues with the vehicle and Parson's said they were charging me for labor. Parson's refused to return my keys until I paid the bill, quickly took my car back into the garage, and closed the doors. After reading reviews about Parson's Interstate Ford online I found numerous customer complaints describing the same situation in which Parson's charged customers for open recall issues and refused to return their keys until the bill was paid.

  Business response

  02/13/2023

  The customer called in asking to have copy recall 22S06 done to fix his Ford ******* vin#*****************.  In order to perform this recall we needed access to the inside trunk area of the  car. We contacted the customer on 2/8/2023 at 11:14AM to let customer know that in order to get to area that needed to be checked we would need to remove the back seats, bottom and back to gain access.  The trunk area was not accessible any other way.  We explained to the customer when he came into the dealership at 12:01PM on 02/08/2023 having access to the trunk in this manner was not normal and there would be a charge for our services depending on what was found.  He stated this needs to be fixed. We gained access to the trunk area and found missing ground strap along with the ground strap bolt gone. These missing parts were part of the area we were to fix if it had chafing.
  Upon further inspection we found 3 more wires in the harness cut off.  Due to our findings we checked this cars' history thru ****** and found that this vehicle had been involved in two rear end collisions . 1st was on left rear 11/19/2016
  2nd on right rear 01/08/2020
  Since this vehicle has missing parts and prior accident damage to the vehicle we explained to the customer that Ford does not cover substandard work. We also explained that we could put the vehicle back together or continue to find the missing parts and reassemble the cut wires and reinstall them. He stated multiple times that Ford was to fix this .We attempted to explain that missing parts such as the ground strap and the bolt that holds it in came from substandard work.  That is not covered by Ford.
  We reassembled the ******* and billed the  customer for the labor.

  Customer response

  02/16/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  

  When I dropped my car at the shop at 11:05, I communicated with the lady at the front desk and she said they will contact me in a couple of hours. 15 minutes later, the lady called me and said the trunk won't open, and it was going to be my responsibility to fix it. I SAID '' No, this is part of the Recall, and that's the primary source of the issue, all of those wires are getting damaged because they go through a rigid tube in the trunk lid, and over time, opening and closing the trunk will cause the tube to wear away at the wires ( As it's mentioned on Ford website and on every car platform). The lady said she will ask the technician and get back to me. A few seconds later, she said YES we are going to cover this, and it's part of the recall, but it's going to require taking off the back seats, are you ok with that? I said: is that going to cause any damage to the car? she asked the technician and said no, I said ok let's do it. And she said it will take a couple of days until they get the parts and repair the car. I said I'll bring my car another day because I didn't have someone to pick me up. But when I went there, I changed my mind, and I said I'll leave my car since I had someone to pick me up. 
  So regardless of the 2 recalls that none of them was fixed and I was charged $545 , even though on Ford's website or in the letters I've received mentioned this:  MOTOR COMPANY HAS AUTHORIZED YOUR DEALER TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT LID WIRING HARNESS AS NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE PARTS AND LABOR.  
  Within the response of Parsons Interstate Ford , they stated, " there would be a charge for our services depending on what was found.  He stated this needs to be fixed". Give me proof that I agreed to this, and I said yes I'll pay for it, and I'll walk away, and I'm even willing to pay another $500 for this time being wasted here and take this writing as my signature to it.
  How am I going to say yes, do it, I'll pay for it, and then I'll tell you later to stop working on it and put the car back together with no fixing.
  And bringing up the ****** report and mentioning this very minor scratch on my car that happened in 2020 ( Look at the attachments) is just not common sense. And technician kept telling me that the Rear camera and the trunk were damaged since that accident in 2020 or 2016 (the first minor accident ), Knowing that I had at least 5 Car inspections and emissions and my car wouldn't pass if I had these issues. 
  Now I don't even want to argue if my car qualifies to perform the recalls, let's say that I was a customer who doesn't know anything about his car. Give me Proof that I said Yes fix my car, and I'm responsible for paying for it.
  I made it clear since the first call that I want to fix the recalls free of charge, as ford stated. So If you didn't have the attention of charging the customer, you would disagree when I said the trunk problem is part of the recall, OR  you would've said If we find out that It's a different problem, we are going to charge you. If you had said that, I would've picked up my car, left, and avoided this whole problem. 
  

  
  

  Regards,
  
  *******************
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/19/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My vehicle has been at this business since July 2021. I am waiting on a nationally back ordered part that is under warranty. I have been waiting for a rental car from them however they claim they cannot get ahold of anyone higher in Ford to approve it since July 2021. I have reached out to any and every Ford number even head quarters and have not received a call back on any of the calls I have made. My vehicle is under Ford parts warranty and I am being given no rental car or even a call back. I understand the part is back ordered however that should not be my problem when the part is under warranty.

  Business response

  12/02/2021

  To Whom it May Concern,

  We opened a repair order on 8/4/21 in an attempt to help the customer.  We conducted the needed testing to verify the complaint.  The complaint was verified and we determined that the vehicle needed a transmission control module.  We did not have the part in stock and the part is on national back order.  We were requested by the customer to supply a loaner which we did.  The customer called back after 2 - 3 weeks stating the loaner broke down.  we had the loaner towed in.  We had no more loaners & the one she was driving now needed an engine since it had overheated and caused internal issues.  Customer requested we reimburse them for gas.  We agreed to do that if they could supply a receipt.  

  The customer then stated they wanted the vehicle taken to another Ford dealer.  We agreed to have the vehicle rollbacked to another Ford dealer.  We closed the repair order on 9/21/21.  The customer family member came to dealership the following week asking when we were going to fix the vehicle. We explained that we were requested to take it to another dealership & we were awaiting to hear where it was to go.  We were eventually called & instructed to take the vehicle to ****** Ford in Carlisle.  It is my understanding the vehicle is now fixed & has been returned to the customer.  We did not charge the customer anything.  

  Parsons Interstate Ford

  Greg W. 

  Manager

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