I'll be going to the dealer today to have hubcap number #4 installed in my
03 Econoline 150 van. A brand new van with less then 1500 miles, I've lost 3 hubcaps all on the same right front wheel. Even the wheel was replaced by the dealer thinking it was the problem only to lose a hubcap on it too. The caps all fall off at under 45mph on normal roads. They just " fall off ", all other caps remain tight and secured to the wheels.
The local Ford dealer has no answer as to why this is happening but apparently will continue to supply me with hubcaps everytime one falls off. At a rate of one a week with 30 months of factory warranty left, somebody at Ford has got to take notice.
I emailed a message to Ford Customer Service stating the problem. I suspect they will refer me to my local dealer as they always seem to do. last time I emailed a technical question to them they stated it was too technical in nature and referred me to the local Ford dealer for the answer.
The question that I had asked them was where the oil filter on my V6 engine was located. Too technical...hmmm....
I have the actual response email from Ford on file if anybody's interested.
Thank you for your message of 08/08/03 regarding your 2003 Ford Econoline. We appreciate the time you have taken to write us concerning the location of the oil filter on your vehicle.
We apologize for the delay in our response to you. Our goal is to respond to our customers within three business days; however, due to recent high volumes of e-mail we were unable to fulfill that objective. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
As the Customer Relationship Center (CRC) is not a technical facility, inquiries of a technical nature are generally referred to our dealerships. Our dealerships' staff are highly trained experts with a focus on Ford and Lincoln-Mercury products. In the rare case where a staff member of any dealership is unable to answer a technical question regarding one of our products, there are resources available exclusively to them from Ford Motor Company where answers may be obtained.
We regret that we are unable to provide the information that you are seeking, but the safety and continued proper operation of your vehicle are of the utmost importance to us. Therefore, we do not wish to speculate in technical areas.
Our goal is to provide first-rate customer solutions to valued customers such as yourself. Your loyalty is valued and appreciated. We would like you to continue to enjoy the many Ford products and services which we have to offer.
At Ford Motor Company, we consider the satisfaction of our customers as one of our most important objectives. If you have any other inquiries or concerns, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to address them.
Thank you for contacting Ford Motor Company.
Sincerely, Gaurav Ford Motor Company Customer Relationship Center
To: snipped-for-privacy@customersupportctr.com Date: 8/08/2003 11:36:32 AM Subject: Re: Ford Motor Company Acknowledgement Categories: Provided Concern Resolution Over Phone, Keep case Ownership, No Answer/Inactivate Message
Gaurav ?????? It looks to me that Ford has outsourced the customer service e-mail line to a foreign country. That's why they don't know where your oil filter is.
Be sure to keep *detailed* records of what's said on every trip to the dealer, and be *sure* to get a receipt every time. If it turns out to be some sort of wierd suspension problem, it could take a long time for somebody to figure it out. Watch the tires carefully too, and don't be in any hurry to rotate them. Sometimes, it takes 10k miles or more to spot the uneven tire wear and nail down the real problem.
That's the current plan, keep an eye on the tire for uneven wear. In the meantime, I picked up hubcap #4 from the dealer and tossed it inside the van. The suspect wheel will remain capless for the time being. I can't see putting the cap on the wheel and losing another one.I'll just wait for the offical response from Ford (chuckle) and monitor for tire wear a little closer then normal.
I think you are better off to keep putting them on and losing them. Your dealer and Ford will quickly forget your problem if it isn't constantly being brought to there attention.
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