Transmission failure at 9600 miles, lost reverse months ago and dealer says not warranty for clutch in pieces

[MikeR397]

ya usually if a lemon atty takes your case, they are sure they are gonna win something to collect the statutory benefit, otherwise they don’t get paid. This is way better for the consumer than a shared recovery and certainly fee arrangement.

class action rewards can be quite different when you are the lead plaintiff, and it’s more a threat to leverage than use.Defense fees for the company can be massive, way more than the lead plantiff, so if the threat is valid, the company will want to remove the plaintiffs standing with a settlement.

anyway, I just want my proper car back or a replacement and am done thinking about lawsuits until it comes to that.

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[MikeR397]

Ford hotline, as I expected, told the dealer not to cover anything. They said just flat out no on the clutch, and that it doesn't matter that the clutch only has 11k miles and isn't worn, and that the dual mass material was destroyed in conjunction with the transmission failing. I ordered parts online for about $1100 for flywheel, pressure plate, and all the non-reusable bolts (the slave cylinder and synchros are included with the new trans), which is much better than the $2,600 the dealer wanted for these parts (and they won't price match).

As for the engine helicoils, the hotline said that since the "fix" was effective and does not have current issues, they will not honor replacing the motor. It sounds to me like if this was brought up before the helicoils were done (as the other cases here), they would have went the new motor route, but as it is, they told me to go pound sand and live with the inappropriately fixed AC compressor (let alone the 6 attempts to fix the VCT surging). The good news is the dealer foreman is assigned to my car and he is a very knowledgeable / good guy and I think will have a much higher chance of actually fixing the surging (I'll post here if/how it was fixed for the others having this surging issue).

Have to say, this experience has turned me off from Ford, being an R and Raptor owner. I will no longer consider buying a GT500 track pack nor the updated Raptor with the GT500 motor when it comes out. If my R doesn't get sorted and continues to cause missed HPDE events and lost $, I'll be ordering the 2022 C8 z06 or a GT3 at some point for a HPDE car and wash my hands of Ford. I do like the R and will keep using it if it can be fixed, but I am particularly concerned about being told that HPDE days can void my warranty (and threatened out of having a field engineer come out to look at my car for the helicoils and clutch), so if I throw a rod I can look forward to Ford dishonoring covering the motor b/c I used my track car on track? I'll call Ford customer service to get clarification on this, but not until after the transmission work is finished.

I'm also going to be suing Ford under the Magnuson act for all the issues this car has had and time out of service (going on 4 months cumulative time spent in service over 3 years ownership), cumulating with this stuff, and including in the lawsuit a request for reimbursement of the clutch costs and potentially cost of motor replacement, which they can prove how they handled other customers cases with this issue in discovery and if I'm owed compensation. My "friends and family" Ford customer service rep did absolutely nothing to help at all, and could not be more disappointed in her lack of effort and help. There's some really great engineers at Ford, including the one that opened my friends and family internal ticket, but have to say, the customer service is horrible and they've probably lost a customer for any future purchases. I know Ford (obvious to me now) gives zero shits about me as a customer; as a true car guy who owns six cars and spends every summer week at car events and HPDE events talking to other car guys. Whatever, I'm done complaining and thinking about all this. At least snowmobile season is coming.

 

[johnny1]

Ford hotline, as I expected, told the dealer not to cover anything. They said just flat out no on the clutch, and that it doesn't matter that the clutch only has 11k miles and isn't worn, and that the dual mass material was destroyed in conjunction with the transmission failing. I ordered parts online for about $1100 for flywheel, pressure plate, and all the non-reusable bolts (the slave cylinder and synchros are included with the new trans), which is much better than the $2,600 the dealer wanted for these parts (and they won't price match).

As for the engine helicoils, the hotline said that since the "fix" was effective and does not have current issues, they will not honor replacing the motor. It sounds to me like if this was brought up before the helicoils were done (as the other cases here), they would have went the new motor route, but as it is, they told me to go pound sand and live with the inappropriately fixed AC compressor (let alone the 6 attempts to fix the VCT surging). The good news is the dealer foreman is assigned to my car and he is a very knowledgeable / good guy and I think will have a much higher chance of actually fixing the surging (I'll post here if/how it was fixed for the others having this surging issue).

Have to say, this experience has turned me off from Ford, being an R and Raptor owner. I will no longer consider buying a GT500 track pack nor the updated Raptor with the GT500 motor when it comes out. If my R doesn't get sorted and continues to cause missed HPDE events and lost $, I'll be ordering the 2022 C8 z06 or a GT3 at some point for a HPDE car and wash my hands of Ford. I do like the R and will keep using it if it can be fixed, but I am particularly concerned about being told that HPDE days can void my warranty (and threatened out of having a field engineer come out to look at my car for the helicoils and clutch), so if I throw a rod I can look forward to Ford dishonoring covering the motor b/c I used my track car on track? I'll call Ford customer service to get clarification on this, but not until after the transmission work is finished.

I'm also going to be suing Ford under the Magnuson act for all the issues this car has had and time out of service (going on 4 months cumulative time spent in service over 3 years ownership), cumulating with this stuff, and including in the lawsuit a request for reimbursement of the clutch costs and potentially cost of motor replacement, which they can prove how they handled other customers cases with this issue in discovery and if I'm owed compensation. My "friends and family" Ford customer service rep did absolutely nothing to help at all, and could not be more disappointed in her lack of effort and help. There's some really great engineers at Ford, including the one that opened my friends and family internal ticket, but have to say, the customer service is horrible and they've probably lost a customer for any future purchases. I know Ford (obvious to me now) gives zero shits about me as a customer; as a true car guy who owns six cars and spends every summer week at car events and HPDE events talking to other car guys. Whatever, I'm done complaining and thinking about all this. At least snowmobile season is coming.

Really sorry to hear this. Insurance companies are the same way. There is no customer loyalty they could care s**t how long a customer has been with them it's all about saving as much money at pay out as can.

 

[MikeR397]

3 months later, dealer calls and says trans is done. I get there and the clutch pedal has 5'' of slop in it and I can't even get the shifter into first gear. The shop foreman who was on this for me got Corona virus and was out for 3 weeks so they had some young kid do it without telling me. O ya, and the kid managed to curb the passenger front carbon wheel backing off the hoist and damaged the wheel and tire which they are now ordering a new carbon wheel and tire for me (with much complaining about how much it cost). I am also being told I don’t get to keep my damaged wheel, which MI law says I do, but not sure if the dealer pays for the repair?

Yes, I know, find a new dealer. The foreman is going to rebleed my clutch this morning and fix the pressure, but I suspect not being able to select first is a different issue.

Still haven't started figuring out why the car is surging and making a loud ticking sound on idle, so this is going to be a lot more shop time :(.

And Ford "friends and family" customer support rep: totally doesn't give a shit and just likes to update me with data and ask "how are things going." I would have hoped they would offer a way for me to get into a new R and trade this lemon in, instead I'm going to have to sue Ford when all these repairs are completed and try to get enough recovery to cover the switch into a replacement R. Sadly, the c8 z06 won't be out for next season.

 

[Rapid Red]

Disappointing to say the least, left it at the dealer correct.

Second thoughts that is a given.

 

[shogun32]

The foreman is going to rebleed my clutch this morning and fix the pressure, but I suspect not being able to select first is a different issue.

that's not 'curb' damage. Apparently nobody in the shop checks their work or a senior doesn't do a quick check? Sounds like intake leak too. Or a sensor is not plugged in right.

Miatas are cheap as chips, and cost a fraction to flog at HPDE. And should drive much better to boot.

 

[honeybadger]

that's not 'curb' damage. Apparently nobody in the shop checks their work or a senior doesn't do a quick check? Sounds like intake leak too. Or a sensor is not plugged in right.

Miatas are cheap as chips, and cost a fraction to flog at HPDE. And should drive much better to boot.

They're also super boring on fast tracks, terrifyingly flimsy, and depressingly slow. Don't get me wrong, they're tremendously playful and a great seat time car, but they're quite boring compared to a GT350.

 

[bigmixx]

3 months later, dealer calls and says trans is done. I get there and the clutch pedal has 5'' of slop in it and I can't even get the shifter into first gear. The shop foreman who was on this for me got Corona virus and was out for 3 weeks so they had some young kid do it without telling me. O ya, and the kid managed to curb the passenger front carbon wheel backing off the hoist and damaged the wheel and tire which they are now ordering a new carbon wheel and tire for me (with much complaining about how much it cost). I am also being told I don’t get to keep my damaged wheel, which MI law says I do, but not sure if the dealer pays for the repair?

Yes, I know, find a new dealer. The foreman is going to rebleed my clutch this morning and fix the pressure, but I suspect not being able to select first is a different issue.

Still haven't started figuring out why the car is surging and making a loud ticking sound on idle, so this is going to be a lot more shop time :(.

And Ford "friends and family" customer support rep: totally doesn't give a shit and just likes to update me with data and ask "how are things going." I would have hoped they would offer a way for me to get into a new R and trade this lemon in, instead I'm going to have to sue Ford when all these repairs are completed and try to get enough recovery to cover the switch into a replacement R. Sadly, the c8 z06 won't be out for next season.

Just finished reading this entire threat and I have to say I'm sorry you're going through this. Just unbelievable. It's amazing how Ford and other companies treat their customers for what probably cost them a few bucks.

 

[MikeR397]

Also, this is my old clutch that I was told “Grenaded”. I see a small chunk missing toward the edge, but overall does this not look acceptable for 11k miles? How thick should it measure?

 

[luc]

That is grenaded

 

[Tomster]

Ford hotline, as I expected, told the dealer not to cover anything. They said just flat out no on the clutch, and that it doesn't matter that the clutch only has 11k miles and isn't worn, and that the dual mass material was destroyed in conjunction with the transmission failing. I ordered parts online for about $1100 for flywheel, pressure plate, and all the non-reusable bolts (the slave cylinder and synchros are included with the new trans), which is much better than the $2,600 the dealer wanted for these parts (and they won't price match).

As for the engine helicoils, the hotline said that since the "fix" was effective and does not have current issues, they will not honor replacing the motor. It sounds to me like if this was brought up before the helicoils were done (as the other cases here), they would have went the new motor route, but as it is, they told me to go pound sand and live with the inappropriately fixed AC compressor (let alone the 6 attempts to fix the VCT surging). The good news is the dealer foreman is assigned to my car and he is a very knowledgeable / good guy and I think will have a much higher chance of actually fixing the surging (I'll post here if/how it was fixed for the others having this surging issue).

Have to say, this experience has turned me off from Ford, being an R and Raptor owner. I will no longer consider buying a GT500 track pack nor the updated Raptor with the GT500 motor when it comes out. If my R doesn't get sorted and continues to cause missed HPDE events and lost $, I'll be ordering the 2022 C8 z06 or a GT3 at some point for a HPDE car and wash my hands of Ford. I do like the R and will keep using it if it can be fixed, but I am particularly concerned about being told that HPDE days can void my warranty (and threatened out of having a field engineer come out to look at my car for the helicoils and clutch), so if I throw a rod I can look forward to Ford dishonoring covering the motor b/c I used my track car on track? I'll call Ford customer service to get clarification on this, but not until after the transmission work is finished.

I'm also going to be suing Ford under the Magnuson act for all the issues this car has had and time out of service (going on 4 months cumulative time spent in service over 3 years ownership), cumulating with this stuff, and including in the lawsuit a request for reimbursement of the clutch costs and potentially cost of motor replacement, which they can prove how they handled other customers cases with this issue in discovery and if I'm owed compensation. My "friends and family" Ford customer service rep did absolutely nothing to help at all, and could not be more disappointed in her lack of effort and help. There's some really great engineers at Ford, including the one that opened my friends and family internal ticket, but have to say, the customer service is horrible and they've probably lost a customer for any future purchases. I know Ford (obvious to me now) gives zero shits about me as a customer; as a true car guy who owns six cars and spends every summer week at car events and HPDE events talking to other car guys. Whatever, I'm done complaining and thinking about all this. At least snowmobile season is coming.

You are right. Ford does not care. I learned that lesson a while ago.

 

[overdrive714]

Sorry to hear your frustration and battles with Ford Customer Service. I know exactly how you feel when they were dragging their feet around getting my engine replaced. Luckily I had a reputable third party company (of which I purchased the car through) to directly intervene and forward my frustration to Ford corporate to get their attention. Best of luck getting your GT350 back in 100% working shape! Keep applying the pressure on them and documenting your journey!!

 

[ZZxtra]

That rim damage WAS NOT done backing off the hoist.

 

[MikeR397]

That rim damage WAS NOT done backing off the hoist.

Speculation? It would have to hit something unique to split the (front) tire and cause such a small shapely chunk missing. I think he started turning before clearing some part of the lift and banged something fairly pointed shaped and metal.

I don’t think it really matters, they are gonna replace it and I don’t see any other damage. If I can get them to let me keep this damaged wheel it might have some value to it, as a spare to me or someone who has a functionally failed front carbon rim and can live with the cosmetic damage.

 

[MikeR397]

That is grenaded

So are my clutch parts still viable? I’ve already had to pay for a new one, but it is worth trying to sell the 11k mile used flywheel and pressure plate? Someone who can diy a new clutch might be interested?

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