How do I get Ford involved when my dealership is messing up?

I bought an F-150 from Rowe Ford in Auburn ME in February 2024, and it’s been one issue after another. During the test drive, I pointed out a malfunctioning power mirror and a strange growling noise from the rear end. The sales manager said the mirror ‘shouldn’t have been on the lot’ and promised to fix it. They told me the noise was from ‘bad tires’ and refused to replace them unless I paid extra. They said if I didn’t buy it, they’d put new tires on and raise the price.

I should’ve walked away, but the price kept me hooked. During the closing, they at least scheduled a repair for the mirror in August 2024, which seemed absurd, but I figured maybe parts were backordered. After I got the truck home, the growl got worse and worse, so I took it in, and it turned out both front and rear differentials were shot, along with a new wheel end and other parts.

The repairs took from May to July, and for nearly two months, I was told a loaner vehicle was ‘coming soon’—never happened. The service department’s communication was awful. I had to call repeatedly to get a response, and voicemails were ignored. I escalated it to a service manager before anything got done.

By mid-July, I got my truck back and called in August to confirm the mirror repair. Turns out, Rowe Ford had no record of it, even though I had email and text confirmations from them. They scheduled a new appointment but tried to charge me $125 for a diagnosis on a warranty issue. They acted like they didn’t know about the warranty, and the whole situation was filled with rude, incompetent staff. The whole time, they claimed no record of the repair agreement, despite me having proof from them. They told me they’d fix the mirror for $125 + $450. I told them to forget it.

Last month, the vibration I originally complained about was still there, even after I bought new tires. It got so bad, I felt unsafe driving the truck. It sounded like someone was hitting the rear diff with a hammer. I scheduled another appointment, and they said it needed new axle bearings and seals. After they fixed that, they called me to pick it up and said there was still some vibration, but they thought it was the tires. I said, ‘These are brand new tires with less than 500 miles on them! How could it be the tires?’

I insisted that they put in writing that the vibration was from the tires, but they refused. They only gave me a ‘word of mouth diagnosis’ from the shop foreman. I said, ‘I’m not taking your word for it. I’ve had this truck in the shop all summer, and now you’re saying the problem is the new tires?’ They still wouldn’t commit it to writing. So, I told them that if they didn’t fix the issue before my warranty expired in 2.5 months, I would escalate it to Ford directly.

Moral of the story: I want someone at Ford to know what’s going on because I don’t feel like I’ve done anything wrong and just want a proper diagnosis. I don’t want to hear, ‘It must be the tires’ when the tires are brand new and the problem is still there.

You should contact the consumer affairs division. Call a good dealership, explain you’ve had issues with a different one, and ask for a contact. It worked for me with another brand!

Uriel said:
You should contact the consumer affairs division. Call a good dealership, explain you’ve had issues with a different one, and ask for a contact. It worked for me with another brand!

I did the same thing. The dealership was quick to help once they found out I hadn’t used them. I think they want to beat the competition haha!

Uriel said:
You should contact the consumer affairs division. Call a good dealership, explain you’ve had issues with a different one, and ask for a contact. It worked for me with another brand!

That’s a great idea! I’ll reach out to other dealerships tomorrow!

How old is the truck? What model year? And was it certified pre-owned?

Esther said:
How old is the truck? What model year? And was it certified pre-owned?

It’s a 2018 F-150, I bought it with 52,000 miles. It’s a Blue certified vehicle.

It’s the 3.5 EcoBoost with a SuperCrew cab.

Can you provide the VIN? It would help check the warranty details.

Kingsley said:
Can you provide the VIN? It would help check the warranty details.

The VIN is 1FTFW1EG8JFB91072.

Charlotte said:

Kingsley said:
Can you provide the VIN? It would help check the warranty details.

The VIN is 1FTFW1EG8JFB91072.

I see no record of vibration from the October 2022 repair on the rear diff. I noticed some previous issues with erratic shifting and brakes too. If you got new tires and the vibration got worse, I’d be suspicious about the tires.

@Kingsley
I bought the truck in February, and it was in the shop from early April to mid-July. They replaced the front and rear differentials, along with the driver’s side wheel end. I took it in with a whine and vibration. They fixed the whine, but the rear vibration was dismissed as feathered tires, which is why I bought new tires. Here’s what I found in my service notes:

  • Removed and replaced rear axle tube and overhauled the rear diff. Replaced ring and pinion. Set pinion preload to 22 lb./in. and backlash to .010 in. Road tested; concern no longer present.
  • Checked front noise, suspected left front IWE. Road tested, noise identified from left front, but no damage found. Noise reduced in 4x4 mode. Service team identified the issue in the IWE area.
  • Diagnosed excessive noise in the front diff; removed and replaced all front diff components. Verified concern no longer present after testing.

That’s rough. It sounds like the front and rear diffs were destroyed, maybe it never shifted out of 4x4? That’s something to consider.

Troy said:
That’s rough. It sounds like the front and rear diffs were destroyed, maybe it never shifted out of 4x4? That’s something to consider.

It’s hard to say. I haven’t owned it long enough to know for sure. I suspect the previous owner was a contractor or someone who used it for work. It has the tools and a long bed, plus faint signs of lettering that were peeled off the doors when I bought it. It’s a great truck, but I’ve had way too many drivetrain issues, which is really frustrating.

@Charlotte
Does it make a groaning sound when you turn or feel like the tires skip a bit when you do U-turns?

If the engine and transmission are fine and you still love the truck, replacing the axle and front diff might be worth it. Just don’t let that dealership touch it again. Find someone else for that work.

What tires did you go with? If you picked a cheaper brand, the vibration might be the tires. Even new, some budget tires just aren’t good quality.

Wesley said:
What tires did you go with? If you picked a cheaper brand, the vibration might be the tires. Even new, some budget tires just aren’t good quality.

I went with Michelins, the Defender LTX M/S2. These should be some of the best on the road.