Be aware. Warranty issues on the TSB A/C fix.

[16RRGT]

Back in May of 2019, my AC evaporator gave it up. I bought the car new in August of 2016 (it's a 2016 GT) so, under TSB 18-2256, they repaired it for nothing at a Ford dealership.

Well, 23 months and change, +10,400 miles or so later, it failed.

Again. The exact, same, part.

I took it to a different dealership and attempted to have it repaired. They told me that it's not covered under warranty, and this time, not only would I need the evaporator replaced, but the compressor as well. Total was around $2400+tax.

So, I called Ford.

Meanwhile I had discovered that when Ford repaired an item, the repair came with a 24 month warranty and unlimited miles.

But NOT if the repair was made under warranty and you didn't pay for it.

Pay for it, and you get the 24 month warranty. Get it repaired because Ford screwed it up in the first place, like they screwed up either the evaporator design or the installation of the evaporator, and you get a 12 month warranty.

Now, this is, in my opinion, obviously wrong, obviously unfair and obviously expensive.

Ford either stands behind their repairs and spare parts or they don't. Whether I pay for it or not.

An interesting thing happened once Ford got involved. Suddenly the requirement to replace the compressor, well, disappeared. Suddenly, the bill dropped around $600 and the compressor requirement was off the table. (I offered to, and did, scan the invoice from the TSB repair which was very helpful to the woman on the other end of the line... and which showed the compressor was not on the parts list under the TSB)

Now, I'm not sure why the dealer initially felt the compressor needed to be replaced. It was not replaced under the TSB the first time, so why would it need to be replaced this time?

That, however, is neither here nor there.

Ford, for their part, ultimately offered to cover 80% of the bill, which I gratefully accepted... given the $2700 or so including tax bill I was looking at initially, now reduced to about $360 or so including tax with the removal of the compressor part and installation.

My concern now is that this part (which I had asked to find out if it has been improved or redesigned in any way... and was told by the service manager the part, R3Z*19860*B CORE - AIR CONDITIONING EVAP , was unchanged from when it was installed in the factory new, meaning that both the FIRST replacement evaporator and the SECOND one they're putting in now will be PRECISELY the same as the one that failed initially under the TSB... which ALSO failed) and a few miles down the road I'll be picking up the tab for THAT failure as well... which will be evaporator #4.

So, here are the takeaways:

1. Dealer repairs under warranty are only covered for 12 months and 12,000 miles.

2. Dealer repairs you PAY for are covered for 24 months and unlimited miles.

3. In this instance and presumably all others, you cannot expect a Ford repair to last a reasonable amount of time or miles (I know, I know... how do you define reasonable?) and if you are no longer under warranty, expect to go out of pocket on the repair.

4. If a similar situation happens to you, call Ford customer service directly. ( (800) 392-3673 ) Have your facts together; hang on to your paperwork and keep it somewhere you can lay hands on it if you need it.

5. Be nice. Ask questions. Paint them a word picture of what's going on. It appears they are willing to help. If not 100%, at least most of it or some of it.

Extended warranties might have been an option but who could foresee a second evaporator giving it up at less than 11,000 miles?

I hope some of you find this helpful in dealing with your own warranty issues.

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[offroadkarter]

I actually got an extended warranty with this being one of the issues on my mind. My original evap core has already died. Only problem is the dealer broke many things doing this job, some I didn't discover til much later when I already moved out of state. So if mine dies again, I might just end up doing it myself.

 

[plresultsman]

Back in May of 2019, my AC evaporator gave it up. I bought the car new in August of 2016 (it's a 2016 GT) so, under TSB 18-2256, they repaired it for nothing at a Ford dealership.

Well, 23 months and change, +10,400 miles or so later, it failed.

Again. The exact, same, part.

I took it to a different dealership and attempted to have it repaired. They told me that it's not covered under warranty, and this time, not only would I need the evaporator replaced, but the compressor as well. Total was around $2400+tax.

So, I called Ford.

Meanwhile I had discovered that when Ford repaired an item, the repair came with a 24 month warranty and unlimited miles.

But NOT if the repair was made under warranty and you didn't pay for it.

Pay for it, and you get the 24 month warranty. Get it repaired because Ford screwed it up in the first place, like they screwed up either the evaporator design or the installation of the evaporator, and you get a 12 month warranty.

Now, this is, in my opinion, obviously wrong, obviously unfair and obviously expensive.

Ford either stands behind their repairs and spare parts or they don't. Whether I pay for it or not.

An interesting thing happened once Ford got involved. Suddenly the requirement to replace the compressor, well, disappeared. Suddenly, the bill dropped around $600 and the compressor requirement was off the table. (I offered to, and did, scan the invoice from the TSB repair which was very helpful to the woman on the other end of the line... and which showed the compressor was not on the parts list under the TSB)

Now, I'm not sure why the dealer initially felt the compressor needed to be replaced. It was not replaced under the TSB the first time, so why would it need to be replaced this time?

That, however, is neither here nor there.

Ford, for their part, ultimately offered to cover 80% of the bill, which I gratefully accepted... given the $2700 or so including tax bill I was looking at initially, now reduced to about $360 or so including tax with the removal of the compressor part and installation.

My concern now is that this part (which I had asked to find out if it has been improved or redesigned in any way... and was told by the service manager the part, R3Z*19860*B CORE - AIR CONDITIONING EVAP , was unchanged from when it was installed in the factory new, meaning that both the FIRST replacement evaporator and the SECOND one they're putting in now will be PRECISELY the same as the one that failed initially under the TSB... which ALSO failed) and a few miles down the road I'll be picking up the tab for THAT failure as well... which will be evaporator #4.

So, here are the takeaways:

1. Dealer repairs under warranty are only covered for 12 months and 12,000 miles.

2. Dealer repairs you PAY for are covered for 24 months and unlimited miles.

3. In this instance and presumably all others, you cannot expect a Ford repair to last a reasonable amount of time or miles (I know, I know... how do you define reasonable?) and if you are no longer under warranty, expect to go out of pocket on the repair.

4. If a similar situation happens to you, call Ford customer service directly. ( (800) 392-3673 ) Have your facts together; hang on to your paperwork and keep it somewhere you can lay hands on it if you need it.

5. Be nice. Ask questions. Paint them a word picture of what's going on. It appears they are willing to help. If not 100%, at least most of it or some of it.

Extended warranties might have been an option but who could foresee a second evaporator giving it up at less than 11,000 miles?

I hope some of you find this helpful in dealing with your own warranty issues.

Thank you. My 2016 GT vert also has had AC issues. I just bought it three weeks ago, and am second owner. First owner had it fixed under a warranty (perhaps extended), and now one of the AC valves has given up, to tune of $330.

 

[plresultsman]

I actually got an extended warranty with this being one of the issues on my mind. My original evap core has already died. Only problem is the dealer broke many things doing this job, some I didn't discover til much later when I already moved out of state. So if mine dies again, I might just end up doing it myself.

What did they break?

 

[offroadkarter]

What did they break?

My dash has a rattle it didn't have before, they broke 3 clips off my shifter boot, put a ding in my dash trim and when I got the car back, a random nut and broken clip (which I later learned went to the shift boot) were laying on my floormat.

 

[Emt1581]

16RRGT- Thanks for sharing this info!!! I followed the first few steps and have opened a case with Ford. Other than being patient/nice any other tips to getting them to fully/mostly cover it??

My 17 GT is about 1.5yrs out of bumper to bumper but only 13k on the clock.

Thanks!!

 

[sdsteele2]

No question that Ford should have repaired their faulty part if they didn’t fix the engineering defect.

I have heard, you can have the service advisor add a line on the work order and add an hour or two of customer paid labor and you will qualify for the 24 month warranty. In a case of a large repair near the end of your warranty that may be an idea for others in the future. As a bonus it can give your tech a little breathing room to take their on your repair. Warranty service book time can be short for big jobs.

If I was looking at a trans or motor replacement near the end of the warranty I would definitely consider it.

 

[16RRGT]

16RRGT- Thanks for sharing this info!!! I followed the first few steps and have opened a case with Ford. Other than being patient/nice any other tips to getting them to fully/mostly cover it??

My 17 GT is about 1.5yrs out of bumper to bumper but only 13k on the clock.

Thanks!!

Sorry, just saw this.

As it turned out, they covered 90% of the repair AND threw in a 3 year/36000 mile extended warranty, premium care.

I was patient with them. I documented every conversation with the dealer and kept every scrap of paper. I urge everyone similarly situated to do the same.

And, FTR, the until still works.

 

[texaswrx]

Mine is a 2015 GT, and it died in 2017. Hopefully it makes it, as all warranty's are gone now.

 

[plresultsman]

Back in May of 2019, my AC evaporator gave it up. I bought the car new in August of 2016 (it's a 2016 GT) so, under TSB 18-2256, they repaired it for nothing at a Ford dealership.

Well, 23 months and change, +10,400 miles or so later, it failed.

Again. The exact, same, part.

I took it to a different dealership and attempted to have it repaired. They told me that it's not covered under warranty, and this time, not only would I need the evaporator replaced, but the compressor as well. Total was around $2400+tax.

So, I called Ford.

Meanwhile I had discovered that when Ford repaired an item, the repair came with a 24 month warranty and unlimited miles.

But NOT if the repair was made under warranty and you didn't pay for it.

Pay for it, and you get the 24 month warranty. Get it repaired because Ford screwed it up in the first place, like they screwed up either the evaporator design or the installation of the evaporator, and you get a 12 month warranty.

Now, this is, in my opinion, obviously wrong, obviously unfair and obviously expensive.

Ford either stands behind their repairs and spare parts or they don't. Whether I pay for it or not.

An interesting thing happened once Ford got involved. Suddenly the requirement to replace the compressor, well, disappeared. Suddenly, the bill dropped around $600 and the compressor requirement was off the table. (I offered to, and did, scan the invoice from the TSB repair which was very helpful to the woman on the other end of the line... and which showed the compressor was not on the parts list under the TSB)

Now, I'm not sure why the dealer initially felt the compressor needed to be replaced. It was not replaced under the TSB the first time, so why would it need to be replaced this time?

That, however, is neither here nor there.

Ford, for their part, ultimately offered to cover 80% of the bill, which I gratefully accepted... given the $2700 or so including tax bill I was looking at initially, now reduced to about $360 or so including tax with the removal of the compressor part and installation.

My concern now is that this part (which I had asked to find out if it has been improved or redesigned in any way... and was told by the service manager the part, R3Z*19860*B CORE - AIR CONDITIONING EVAP , was unchanged from when it was installed in the factory new, meaning that both the FIRST replacement evaporator and the SECOND one they're putting in now will be PRECISELY the same as the one that failed initially under the TSB... which ALSO failed) and a few miles down the road I'll be picking up the tab for THAT failure as well... which will be evaporator #4.

So, here are the takeaways:

1. Dealer repairs under warranty are only covered for 12 months and 12,000 miles.

2. Dealer repairs you PAY for are covered for 24 months and unlimited miles.

3. In this instance and presumably all others, you cannot expect a Ford repair to last a reasonable amount of time or miles (I know, I know... how do you define reasonable?) and if you are no longer under warranty, expect to go out of pocket on the repair.

4. If a similar situation happens to you, call Ford customer service directly. ( (800) 392-3673 ) Have your facts together; hang on to your paperwork and keep it somewhere you can lay hands on it if you need it.

5. Be nice. Ask questions. Paint them a word picture of what's going on. It appears they are willing to help. If not 100%, at least most of it or some of it.

Extended warranties might have been an option but who could foresee a second evaporator giving it up at less than 11,000 miles?

I hope some of you find this helpful in dealing with your own warranty issues.

A questions for you and the others on this thread: If you call Ford Customer Service, and get a "no" for repair help on out-of-warranty stuff (MT-82 Transmission Valve leak, trunk lock failure (WTF?), and A/C Shroeder value failures), is there a second level of recourse? Any thing known to work? I have my 'long term owner since 1977 background' and played very nice. They responded "there are no programs for those things". Thanks for any insights.

 

[Cobra Jet]

A questions for you and the others on this thread: If you call Ford Customer Service, and get a "no" for repair help on out-of-warranty stuff (MT-82 Transmission Valve leak, trunk lock failure (WTF?), and A/C Shroeder value failures), is there a second level of recourse? Any thing known to work? I have my 'long term owner since 1977 background' and played very nice. They responded "there are no programs for those things". Thanks for any insights.

My responses EXCLUDE any ESP or aftermarket extended warranties and strictly speaking on terms of original New car/Powertrain/Emissions warranties.

It's a tricky question because if one is talking about the SAME part that has failed again AFTER it was replaced under New car/Powertrain/Emissions warranty, but is now beyond those warranties, Ford may offer assistance. That assistance will not be a "free" repair to the consumer. In this type of situation, Ford is known to provide assistance as far as discounting the repair cost for the consumer.

If the part is being replaced for the first time and after all New car/Powertrain/Emissions warranties have expired - the part only comes with its own parts/labor warranties as expressed or implied on the repair order signed by the consumer. Genuine Ford Motorcraft parts do come with warranties - check their website for exact verbiage and info to what is or is not covered. At this stage, Ford Corp. won't do anything, because it was a repair totally outside of any New car/Powertrain/Emissions warranties - and it doesn't matter if it's a "known issue" or there are existing TSB's about the "common failure".

Hope that helps.

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