Our 1990 Ford Taurus SHO recently started smoking when driven. We took it to a Scio mechanic, who diagnosed the problem as an oil leak from the Rear Main Seal; and said there was also a slow seepage leak from the power steering cooler. But they didn't want to take on that large job.
So we took it to Ford Nissan in Albany, OR - asking them to diagnose the smoke. They said the same thing - (oil leak from the Rear Main Seal caused the smoking; and said there was also a slow seepage leak from the power steering cooler). So we oked them to do that work. Our car was in their shop for 13 days during Jan.
While the transmission was out, they checked the clutch and said it needed to be replaced. They quoted us 370 for the clutch parts. We thought that was expensive and called around on parts, finding the clutch kit ranging from 176 to 250. We asked if they could use the 176 Clutch kit from Knecht's. They said they didn't have an account with them and couldn't purchase it - but if I paid for it, they would pick it up when it came in. So we arranged to do that.
After getting the clutch kit, they said that the existing flywheel would not work, because someone had updated some of the clutch parts. So I oked them to get a new flywheel. When the new flywheel came - they said they could not get it to work with the Knecht's clutch kit; so they already got a different clutch kit to work with it. I did not ok them to get the different one - they just informed me they already had.
So the total bill was
800 Rear Main Seal parts and labor
130 power steering cooler, parts and labor
65 flywheel
325 clutch kit;
67 sublet maintenance CarQuest.
When I went to pay the bill, I looked at the itemization, and asked what the sublet CarQuest was for. The cashier called Adam; who said that they had sent the existing flywheel out to be machined at CarQuest - but that after machining it, it still didn't work. And right there, he took that off of the bill, so the total cost came to 1320.
(I did not ok them to machine it, nor was I aware they machined it until paying the bill. I had been in regular daily contact with Adam, during the 13 days.)
My wife picked up the car, and said it smoked a lot when she pulled out of the lot, then subsided some. She brought it to my work at Corvallis, so I could go back and forth to work with it. It never stopped smoking - and at first I assumed that it was residual oil from the leak, that would burn off.
After driving it one and one half days (commuting from Scio to Corvallis for work); the power steering fluid completely drained. I noticed this when I turned into a parking lot, and the car made a moaning noise with tension I felt in the steering wheel, and there was a lot of smoke. I had to turn gradually the rest of the way home. The next morning (Friday), I checked the fluid level, and the power steering resevour was empty.
So I called Ford that morning, asking to speak to Adam - who was gone Friday and Saturday. I mentioned to Troy about the problem, but I wanted to talk to Adam first, since I had dealt with him all along. So I added fluid and checked it Friday.
Monday, I arranged with Adam, to have the car brought in for them to check it free, to see why it smoked and lost power steering fluid. Adam checked into, and told me that they diagnosed it as 2 lines that were above a third line and had been rubbing on it, probably for awhile. (part of the rack and pinion) And it could be that when they were working on it, it got moved or bumped; which finally finished it going all the way through.
They said it would be 345 for the part, 405 for labor, total 750 to fix. I said that I didn't think I should have to pay for it; since our car did not have this problem when it went in to them - but did when we got it back (came in with slow seepage leak, and never ran out of power steering fluid, and left with a fast leak).
He said he would have to check with the Service Manager. After doing so, he said that they could show me the leak - but that I would have to pay for it, since they never touched it or came near it, (which contradicted what he said the first time).
So I asked to speak to the Service Manager, who I found out was Troy. After a delay, he got back to me and said he went out and checked it himself and found that the leak was not where Adam said it was. That it was in the High Pressure Power Steering hose. And since we had had the car in their awhile, he could donate 3.5 hours of labor (254 dollars - which is at 72.50 per hour) if I paid for the part, which was 110 dollars.
He said he would have it up on the rack and could show me the leak. I said I would think about it, and would probably come out the next morning.
After thinking about it that night, and considering the 3 different stories I got from Adam and Troy, the next morning I called Ford Customer Service and had them enter a report of the incident in their system - which provides feedback (not accountability) to the dealership. Then I contacted the president Tom Cutsforth directly, who said he occasionally has similar conversations with customers; and that he appreciated that I was talking in a nice tone to him. He said others would be in an angry tone, under less severe circumstances.
He said he would get Troy and Adam's side of the story and then contact me later that day or the next day. I said I only wanted to speak to him; which he seemed ok with.
Later that day Troy called me, and at first threatened to cancel the car rental. (We were without a car for the 13 days it was in the shop the first time - which was a strain on my family. My wife not having a car to grocery shop with, so I picked up eating out food; and also drove her car to work, which had considerably lower gas mileage. So it was more expensive for us, and very stressful and inconvenient to have the car in the shop 13 days. We didn't request a loaner car during that time, as we didn't think of it. But after we took it in the 2nd time, to have them find the new leak, we requested and got a rental car through them.)
The Troy explained how he is honest, and wants me to come back. I asked why he wouldn't also pay for the part, if he wanted me back. I had called 2 places (one of which was the same place he said he would get the high pressure hose from, and both priced it at 67 dollars). So I told him this. He said that they never mark up their parts, and he would have to check on the price again.
He said that I would need to pay for it. I could pickup the part for 67 if I wanted. He said the president, who was unavailable till tomorrow, would say the same thing that he did. But I said I wanted to wait to speak to the presidentm. So he said he wouldn't cancel the car rental, as long as I made a decision by 10:30 AM Friday the next day.
So I went into Ford at 9AM, and asked to speak to Tom, who was available. He wanted me to pay for the part, and said it was a delicate situation, difficult to know whether the mechanics caused the problem or not. He thought that a 50/50 solution was fair in such situations, and they were doing more than 50 percent. I still had not viewed the leak, but we discussed that we could look at it.
I said,
After I view the the leak, I may change my mind. But the way I feel right now, is that I have some not so good feelings about the business inside. If you guys will pay the additional 67 for the part, I will keep those feelings to myself. But if you won't, then I'll say, go ahead and fix it and I'll pay the part. But I'll probably share my feeling with friends and family and the better business bureau.
I said this in a nice quiet way.
This seemed to make him mad. He calmly said We are done dealing with you. We will cancel the car rental right now, and you can take your car. You should get that leak fixed soon. He seemed offended that I questioned the honesty of Troy, and said he didn't like being threatened. (However, they were the ones to threaten cancelling the car rental and followed thru with it) This occurred shortly after 9:00 AM, so I wasn't given until 10:30 to decide if they would fix it, and did not view the leak.
I was totally shocked by Tom's response. I calmly got my stuff out of the rental car and put it in the Taurus. I checked the level, added some more power steering fluid and left for work, without saying anything further.
I felt like someone who didn't have a place to stay, being sent away to walk out in the rain. Power Steering fluid is very flammable, and the smoking was caused by it leaking onto the manifold, which is hot. This car was dangerous to drive, and I had to go to work to get my hours in for the week. I had difficulty getting in enough hours, because of all the dealing with the car stuff, and I have a 45 minute commute each way.
I did not seek any lawsuit for being sent away with a car that is dangerous to drive, nor did I contact Tom again, as he turned out to be an unreasonable person to deal with.
Later, 2 other mechanics looked at it, confirming the leak was in the high pressure hose. One of these mechanics said that it was shameful the way the car was put back together, as both mechanics noted that 2 bolts for the bellhousing were missing; and some clips were missing that went to some of the lines. One of the mechanics replaced the hose for 120 dollars labor, and 47 dollars for the hose - which was much better than 254 and 110.
After getting the car back from Nissen Ford; my wife and I both noticed that there is a clicking noise coming from the steering column area - that was not there before we took it in. This seems like it could be a bentpinched speedometer cable, though we haven't confirmed this.
I recommend that you NOT go to Ford-Nissan in Albany, especially for any extensive work. Some of the people there are deceptive. The president at first appeared to be a nice person, but turned out surprisingly unreasonable in the end.
The people I dealt with there, were
President - Tom Cutsforth
Service Manager and Customer Relations Manager - Troy Williams
Contact person - Adam
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