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My Dashcam Caught Dealer in a LIE!

GMONSTAH

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So I brought my car in to have a noise checked out. They kept it overnight, parked it, then they took a test drive, parked it again, then the next time it moved, was to bring it back to me. They actually said they brought it into a bay, put it on a lift (this is all itemized on the receipt too), checked a bunch of things (Iā€™m intentionally not being specific), and found nothing wrong, but the noise was ā€œin specā€. I come home, check my dash cam, and it was all bullshit! It never even went in a bay!

Contemplating what to do. Not sure if I should go to the dealership manager, straight to Ford, or one of those consumer reporters from own of our big networks here in Atlanta. What a snow job, I wonder how many others...
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ExtantPuzzle

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Ultimately up to you, but first... what do you want to get out of it at the end? If it's me, the end goal is just to have them do what they said they would and not to cause a drama shitshow.

So I'd go to the dealership -- either the GM or the service manager -- and calmly explain the situation and provide a copy of the dash cam for their records. Ask them how they should handle a situation like that. Give them a chance to make it right. Don't turn it into a shouting match, don't call them names or accuse them of any evil plot.

Just say "here's what you claimed you did, here's what you charged me, and here's what the dashcam shows -- and that doesn't seem like it lines up. Can you help me explain this?"

If you go to Ford HQ or to the media, you've burnt any shred of a positive relationship with the dealer. Maybe that matters to you, maybe it doesn't. Giving them a chance to own their mistake and make it right might buy you a valuable friend later in life. And if they deny it, then you still have other options left available.
 
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GMONSTAH

GMONSTAH

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I agree, there are several dealerships in the area, and I didnā€™t get my car from this one, it just happened to be more convenient. I donā€™t really care if they get burned. Ideally I would like the annoying noise to stop. What is worrisome is some of the testing they obviously lied about doing, had to be done on a lift, so the noise may very well not be normal. So basically F-me... I am leaning towards, doing just that, calmly letting the GM know this is going on at his dealership. Unless heā€™s in on it. Does Ford pay them for diagnostic work?
 

ExtantPuzzle

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> Unless heā€™s in on it

And if he is, he's still going to have to explain your dash cam footage one way or the other - either going "whoops you got us, we won't do it again" or "wtf I can't believe someone on my team did that, we won't do it again."

Obviously as part of it they're going to need to re-do whatever work they claimed they did, so you'll get a better idea about the noise then.
 

BrettT

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So if you file a complaint with the dealer, do you trust them to take care of your car again. You know they will disconnect your dash cam. What ever you do, you will end up at another dealer.....
 

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ModularKid21

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I agree, there are several dealerships in the area, and I didnā€™t get my car from this one, it just happened to be more convenient. I donā€™t really care if they get burned. Ideally I would like the annoying noise to stop. What is worrisome is some of the testing they obviously lied about doing, had to be done on a lift, so the noise may very well not be normal. So basically F-me... I am leaning towards, doing just that, calmly letting the GM know this is going on at his dealership. Unless heā€™s in on it. Does Ford pay them for diagnostic work?
They get paid for nearly everything they do, as long as thereā€™s a labor operation code for whatever it is they did. Problem is, most techs look at it as a waste of time because theyā€™re not getting paid much time to look at and find the problem unless they remove or replace parts. Itā€™s unfortunate, but I work with people like that and thatā€™s the sad reality
 

green97probe

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As bad as it is that they didn't actually do anything, it could always be worse.

I clicked on the thread expecting to read that the dealer had abused the car.
 

aham23

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Ford has no control over dealers and wonā€™t do / cant do squat for issues like this. Dealers are independent contractors.
 

dogiebitt

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I took mine in to have an engine whine diagnosed and the reverse camera checked (TSB). I dropped car off to them for 3 hours and went to take care of other stuff. Contacted dealership on my way back to get an ETA on completion and was told they can replicate either issue. Both issues are extremely obvious and don't require more than 30 seconds of 'diagnosing' so I told them I'll replicate both issues as soon as I get there. Miraculously when I got there, they had diagnosed both and my car was almost ready for pickup with parts ordered. After I checked the dashcam, I see that they didn't touch the car until after I contacted them for the ETA, and the service advisor must of went to check with the mechanics. Mechanics were then overheard ragging on the service advisor for whining (like my idler pulley, har har.)

Moral of the story: it's not always the service advisors fault. Sometimes it may be lack of oversight of the mechanics. If you want to pursue it, find a way to address it without placing blame. And realize that you may have to change dealerships if the conversation goes south or the dealership tells you that they have a no-dashcam policy for future visits.

Ford has no control over dealers and wonā€™t do / cant do squat for issues like this. Dealers are independent contractors.
Not true. They are a franchise and represent the parent brand. Ford corporate does have the power to fix things like this, but it's usually not easy.
 

RIBS

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Just curious which Atlanta area dealer this was....I will add them to my avoid list....
 

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There was a common thread through a number of similar occurrences I experienced or heard about from reliable informants within and without the businesses involved: If the problem didn't keep you from using the car. at least one try to get away with the "ultra-violet treatment"ā€”let the car sit in the sun for a few hours or daysā€”was standard operating procedure. They reckoned that if it worked it cost them nothing in labor, and they disregarded any loss of "good will" as less significant than the potential gain. I almost always got them to fulfill their specific or implied promise by suggesting that there had been a bit of forgetting, or erroneous paperwork/communication, within the dealer's organization.

Never such a problem with my current choice of dealer service facility.
 

Ghost50

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I agree with @ExtantPuzzle

Iā€™d escalate in steps. If the person with whom Iā€™m speaking to doesnā€™t satisfy whatever Iā€™m seeking I would continue up the ladder.

About a year ago there was a post on here where the mechanics took the posters car for a joy ride up in Jersey.

It blew up and got a lot of coverage.

A few weeks after that I had my car in for something and my advisor, who Iā€™m cool with, told me if I had any dash cam of some sort Id be required to make sure it was disconnected before leaving it.

I donā€™t have one and didnā€™t need to leave the car but I donā€™t think it was coincidence. The times I had it in there prior to the joy ride episode dash cams were never mentioned.

Anyways Iā€™d bring the service manager in on this first and see what he says. Iā€™d also do this knowing that Iā€™m severing my relationship with that dealer since there are others by you.
 

hemistar1

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Chiming in here...the OP paid money and used his time to get the car there and last time I checked ā€œan honest days work for an honest days pay.ā€ I find it unacceptable that they did what they did..whatā€™s next ? Charge to change the oil but then donā€™t change it? Cutting corner?

I would talk to the GM if he/she donā€™t get you a rental while they check it again and a full refund/coupon or some sh8t then I would blast them on social media.

ā€˜First try the diplo approach but then all bets are off.I am very upset for OP ..keep us updated as to there resolution.
 

Erik427

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So I brought my car in to have a noise checked out. They kept it overnight, parked it, then they took a test drive, parked it again, then the next time it moved, was to bring it back to me. They actually said they brought it into a bay, put it on a lift (this is all itemized on the receipt too), checked a bunch of things (Iā€™m intentionally not being specific), and found nothing wrong, but the noise was ā€œin specā€. I come home, check my dash cam, and it was all bullshit! It never even went in a bay!

Contemplating what to do. Not sure if I should go to the dealership manager, straight to Ford, or one of those consumer reporters from own of our big networks here in Atlanta. What a snow job, I wonder how many others...
Go back to the Dealership and demand they fix it.
Give Ford a heads up.....
Let them know that failure to do so will result in legal action including post the footage on You Tube.
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