I recently received a letter from Ford regarding a recall for the ABS Module Connector on my 2004 Ford Escape. My car had been running fine, but I made the appointment to bring it in and have it checked free of charge.
Two days before my appointment, my brakes started making a clattering noise and whenever I used them I could feel them skipping and vibrating. And sometimes I heard an electronic buzzing sound. When I brought the car in for the recall appointment, I spoke to Todd Nigh and asked if they could look at my brakes to see if they could find out what was causing the noise and vibrations if it wasn't being cause by the recall.
A few hours later Mr. Nigh called me and said that they fixed the ABS recall, but what was causing the clattering noise and vibrations was a problem with front axle and that my rear rotors were rusted through. He said the axle, rear rotors and the rear brake pads all needed to be replaced at a cost of $1600. He also said one of my rear shocks was leaking and should be replaced and that I needed a coolant flush and a transmission flush because my fluids were discolored.
Because my car had 92,000 miles on it, he also highly recommended additional maintenance (rear/front differential serve, transfer service, power steering flush, brake fluid replacement, a new fuel filter, and new spark plugs) all costing another $2200, bringing the grand total to $3,897.54. He also admitted at that time that he hadn't actually seen the vehicle himself.
I was thinking of just having the dealership fix the brakes and axle (figuring those were the most critical thing and it would be dangerous to drive if the problem was that serious) and postpone the other recommended repairs until a later date, but thank God I listened to the advice of friends who told me that I should get a second opinion before committing such a large amount of money.
When I called Mr. Nigh back to decline service and make arrangements to pick up my car, he offered me another 10% off and free inside/outside detailing if I changed my mind.
I still declined and when I arrived at the dealership and went to get my receipt (recall service was free, $62.32 charge for the labor to look into the clattering noise), I noticed that the receipt simply said "Ck. Brakes customer hears a grinding noise advise recommend ft. Pads and rotors and clean and adjust rear brakes - cust declined repairs." I asked the cashier why the receipt said front brakes instead of rear, and why there was no mention of the axle or rear shocks needing to be replaced or the other suggested maintenance. She said front/rear was just a typo and the rest was just suggested and not usually itemized on the bill. Strange, but I didn't think anything of it.
As I was driving away, I noticed that the clattering noise and vibrations were gone. I was relieved, but still concerned about the list of repairs the dealership advised, so I brought it to a local, independent mechanic the next morning.
After checking it over, they called me and told me that there wasn't a single thing wrong with my car. The axle was fine, my brake pads were fine (I was also told that when I had the car inspected two weeks earlier), my fluids, spark plugs, and rear shocks were in good condition. The only only thing that wasn't in perfect condition were my front rotors... They were a little worn, but still passable and should last me another year or so before needing to be replaced. I was also told that my model Escape doesn't even have rear rotors, but drums instead.
The mechanic jokingly said that they wished there was something wrong... Even needing an oil change... So they could make some money, but there was absolutely nothing they could find that needed to be repaired.
Was it something to do with the recall that caused the clattering noise and vibrations when braking? Or maybe it was something else and the simple act of opening it up to perform the recall maintenance, cleaning and closing it up again clear up the noise? Are the mechanics at the dealership just that incompetent? Or were they taking advantage of the fact that I was a young woman who came in alone, to suggest unnecessary repairs?
The only thing I know is that if I had given the Manhattan Ford permission to "fix" my car over the phone, I would have been charged for services I didn't need and couldn't afford, and I never would have been the wiser.
I love my Escape and was thinking of upgrading to the hybrid version when it came time to replace it. It should be a testament to the company and the vehicle that this car has 92,000 miles on it and is still in fantastic running condition, but after this experience I will never be buying another Ford again.
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