🚀 go-pugleaf

In <32668cc9.82285394@news.mhv.net> srothkin@mhv.net (Steve Rothkin)
writes: 
>There is an old adage that FORD stands for "Fix or Repair Daily."
>Based on reviews of the Windstar when it came out in 95, I thought
>that maybe that wasn't true anymore, and I shelled out over $20,000
>for one. Now I'm beginning to feel that I made a big mistake.
>
>Recently I began having transmission problems. If the van was stopped,
>and in either Drive or Reverse, it would not immediately engage into
>gear when I pressed the gas pedal (if on an incline, it would actually
>roll). If/when it finally did engage into gear, it did so with a big
>lurch.
>
>
>Only 3 weeks before I started having the transmission problems, I had
>a problem with the driver side power window. The dealer charged me
>$320 to replace the power window motor, and wouldn't cover it because
>at nearly 57,000 miles the van was considered "out of warranty"
>(despite being less than two years old, and as if the excess mileage
>really had anything to do with the power window motor). Given that
>experience, I brought the van to Aamco and didn't even bother with the
>Ford dealers.
>
>Aamco found (through their electrical/computer diagnostics) that the
>engine computer was not properly controlling the transmission -- it
>was telling the transmission to shift at the wrong times, and to run
>at the wrong pressure. They determined that engine computer and the
>shift lever position sensor needed to be replaced (at a cost of about
>$350) and they did that. At this point, the new computer reported
>transmission failure codes (the old computer never reported any
>problems). Furthermore, the transmission problems still remained. 
>
>At this point, Aamco removed and disassembled the transmission. They
>found significant pressure and heat damage inside
>the transmission, and a number of things inside the transmission 
>had all failed and/or needed to be replaced:
> - all solonoids,
> - all bands
> - drive chain
> - torque converter
> - all steel plates
>basically the transmission needed to be entirely rebuilt. The final
>bill after all repairs were complete was $3,525!
>
>Aamco's opinion is that the van was operating for an extended period
>of time with the failed engine computer not properly controlling the
>transmission. As a result, transmission eventually burned itself out. 
>Note that before the physical symptoms noted above caused me to bring
>the van to Aamco, I was given no indication of any problem with the
>engine computer (i.e., no Check Engine light, no increase in fuel
>consumption/decrease in MPG), and I had no noticeable transmission
>problems--the transmission failed suddenly and without warning (in
>fact, I nearly got into an accident the first time it happened as I
>was stopped at a red light on a hill and when it turned green and I
>took my foot off the brake and hit the gas, the van actually rolled
>backwards).
>
>I called Fords' customer service hotline to discuss this (I had also
>done this for the power window but to no avail). They told me the
>vehicle is out of warranty, so they won't help me. I asked to speak to
>a higher authority or to have a higher authority call me back, they
>said no and hung up the phone on me.
>
>To add further insult to injury, the day after getting the van back
>the Check Engine light came on. I brought the van in and was told I
>needed to replace two oxygen sensors--final bill $244.
>
>
>
>Add to all of this the 3 recalls and 2 service bulletins that I had to
>have performed on the van (at least Ford paid for those since the van
>was in warranty at the time), and my conclusions are
>  1) Ford's quality is as bad as it ever was (quality is definitely
NOT
>     job 1)
>  2) Ford's customer service sucks.
>
>My recommendations to the world:
>
>DON'T BUY A FORD VEHICLE.
One Lemon, simple as that. I have 6 (Count em) 6 Fords. Not one has had
a repair in excess of $500. The most expensive to date was the throttle
sensor failed on my 84 Crown Vic costing $457 (car wouldnt start unless
starting fluid was used). My 88 Aerostar, 93 Tempo, 90 Mustang all
operate fine with no problems. My 1987 Tempo emergency brake failed,
which I will end up fixing myself, and my 1987 F150 isnt inspected (I
had to do the brakes so it would pass and still havent gotten it in. I
have never had a major problem on a new one. Most start to fail in
their old age, as is my Crown Vic, it has had brake and engine troubles
(noisy lifters) for about a year (nothing a little Marvel Mystery Oil
and a new Caliper wont fix). Moral, Ford cant be all that bad. I also
have 3 more sayings about ford,
FORD, Found on Road dead
FORD, Fighting Ozone Repair Daily
FORD backwards is Driver Returns on Foot