Ford Service...

[SUGARCUBE]

...or lack of.

I need to know what to do in this situation.

My ford focus went in for a service 2 weeks ago with a ford dealer, it was the big 3 year service. Anyway they said everything was fine so I paid my £225.00 and was off on my way.

However within the last two weeks I have noticed the steering shaking a bit so though the balancing was out. I took my car to an independent tyre centre and boy am I glad that I did.

They asked me to come and have a look at my two front tyres they where both bald on the inside (in fords service they advised me that their was 3mm of tread on the outer, middle and inner of each front tyre and told me they would last another year).

The tyre centre said one would not pass an MOT and the other was borderline, so a nice bill of £200.

I am really concerned that ford have obviously not checked them and also have not had the wheels off to check the brakes as they have said they have in the service report. (tyre centre had to hammer wheels off as they had rusted on, said never been off since new)

What else had they not done which I can't tell.

Obviously I dont what ford to get away with this what should I do?

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

The tyres are unforgiveable however it isn't necessary to remove the wheels to check the brakes.

[SUGARCUBE]

However the point I was making was they had said they had which again was another thing they obviously have not done.

[moonrakerz]

.

ford have obviously not checked them and also have not had the wheels off to check the brakes as they have said they have in the service report. (tyre centre had to hammer wheels off as they had rusted on, said never been off since new).

Obviously I dont what ford to get away with this what should I do?

Firstly stop blaming Ford..........

just because the garage is a Ford dealer/agent doesn't mean that they are owned or run by Ford.

I wouldn't be too impressed by the tyre centre, £200 for two tyres for a Focus sounds a bit steep to me.
Who did the last service, and when, if the wheels were "rusted on".."since new" ?

If you are not happy complain to the service manager at the dealership, if still not happy complain to any trade body they belong to, SMMT, etc.

[mickamike404]

Think you were ripped off both times,
go to tradeing standards ,they will advice you.
thats what they are there for.

[Iamthesmartestmanalive]

Firstly if one would pass an MOT it couldnt be bald, also given you were ripped off for the tyres and i wouldnt bet either was illegal

I bet if ford had charged you £200 for them and you later found out 1 was still legal you'd be having a go at them

Tbh id believe ford over the other guys as it probably simply needed balanced/tracked

The other option is that you hit the tracking out during the 2 weeks

I very much doubt ford would have ignored the chance to make some cash

[jeannieblue]

The tyres are unforgiveable however it isn't necessary to remove the wheels to check the brakes.

Really??? Not going to your garage. :eek:

[jeannieblue]

However the point I was making was they had said they had which again was another thing they obviously have not done.
Had a similar experience in the sense that had to have my wheels hammered off as had not been off previously at a Ford dealership.

Recommend you write to Fords and let them know that their dealership is letting them down etc. They are quite grateful for feedback and they can keep an eye on them.

[Alias_Omega]

£100 a tyre, you have been conned...

i pay £93 for a 205/45/16 Michelin Pilot Sport Exalto PE2 which are standard tyres fitted to a Renault Clio 182 sports thing. RRP is £130 each

[molerat]

The tyres are unforgiveable however it isn't necessary to remove the wheels to check the brakes.
...... but part of a focus 3 year service is, and I quote from the service schedule, "with wheels off .... check" So taking the wheels off has been paid for. As for 3mm lasting a year !! :eek:

[jeannieblue]

...... but part of a focus 3 year service is, and I quote from the service schedule, "with wheels off .... check" So taking the wheels off has been paid for. As for 3mm lasting a year !! :eek:
We take them off EVERY service - even first services, when some dealerships just do a 'visual' and change oil and filter.

[Conor]

Obviously I dont what ford to get away with this what should I do?

The problem is that you can knock out the tracking by doing something as simple as driving through a pothole and clipping a kerb. If the tracking is sufficiently out, it can wear tyres out as quick as yours have been.

At the end of the day, they'll argue it was OK and you'll argue that you've not done anything to knock the tracking out...all for a set of tyres that needed to be replaced quite soon anyway. You're not sure that they actually did need replacing - you've only the words of a place with a vested interest in labelling them defective.

Make sure you get the tracking checked when you have the new tyres fitted.

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

Really??? Not going to your garage. :eek:


I don't own a garage. I don't need to remove the wheels to check the thickness of the pads and the condition of the discs including the ridge around the edge.

Why would I remove the wheels? Its not necessary.

[Conor]

Firstly to clean out all the crud that collects around the pads so that you don't get them sticking. Secondly, to prevent the alloys corroding to the hub so you can get them off if you need to.

I guess you're not a mechanic?

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

Never had sticking pads, and to clean them you don't need to remove the wheel.

Never had a stuck wheel either. Next?

[Conor]

You've been lucky. And yes, to clean where the sliders are you do need to remove the wheel.

[Tomlad]

I had 4 new tyres put on my focus last year. They cost me a grand total of £150. They were not remoulds or second hand. They were made by Avon, no the best, but not the worst either. They have performed very well.

[moonrakerz]

£100 a tyre, you have been conned...

i pay £93 for a 205/45/16 Michelin Pilot Sport Exalto PE2 which are standard tyres fitted to a Renault Clio 182 sports thing. RRP is £130 each


I understand tyres for a DB9 are £400 each - next !

[jeannieblue]

Never had sticking pads, and to clean them you don't need to remove the wheel.

Never had a stuck wheel either. Next?
Aside from cleaning all the brakes thoroughly and the components too, as Conor mentioned, you should remove the wheels to enable you to see other parts clearly too.

Why would you want to skimp on the work?? Surely that would be false economy?

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

Theres no skimping involved. I want to check the thickness of the brake pads. Do I remove the wheel, or just turn the wheel full lock and shine a torch in there?

I know what I'd do. Its what many other garages do, its what the MOT man does.

I've never had to clean brakes ever. Maybe run a screwdriver around the edge of the disc, but what is the point of cleaning the calipers, unless they're cheap parts with small bolts that could sieze or rust? In fact, I've never seen anything but brake dust on my calipers, and that doesn't stop me from seeing if anything is askew. There isn't a spot of rust anywhere on my brakes.

[jeannieblue]

Theres no skimping involved. I want to check the thickness of the brake pads. Do I remove the wheel, or just turn the wheel full lock and shine a torch in there?

I know what I'd do. Its what many other garages do, its what the MOT man does.

I've never had to clean brakes ever. Maybe run a screwdriver around the edge of the disc, but what is the point of cleaning the calipers, unless they're cheap parts with small bolts that could sieze or rust? In fact, I've never seen anything but brake dust on my calipers, and that doesn't stop me from seeing if anything is askew. There isn't a spot of rust anywhere on my brakes.
You are still only getting an 'outside view' of the brakes. An MOT inspector is looking thru the wheels to see that they are basically safe. He is not servicing the vehicle.

I think the word 'servicing' is what you are missing out on here. If you have your car serviced properly, the parts will last longer. Surely that makes sense??

[Conor]

but what is the point of cleaning the calipers, unless they're cheap parts with small bolts that could sieze or rust? In fact, I've never seen anything but brake dust on my calipers, and that doesn't stop me from seeing if anything is askew. There isn't a spot of rust anywhere on my brakes.

No, but there's several layers of solid built up road dirt which sit in the caliper on the bit inbetween the metal on the pads and the disc which eventually prevents the pads being able to return once you take the brake pedal off.

And if you're saying there's not a spot of rust anywhere on your brakes then you're an outright liar as ALL brake discs get a layer of rust on the outside edge of them where the pads don't come into contact with them.

[jeannieblue]

Conor - he wouldn't know - he's never had the wheels off............ :D

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

No, but there's several layers of solid built up road dirt which sit in the caliper on the bit inbetween the metal on the pads and the disc which eventually prevents the pads being able to return once you take the brake pedal off.

And if you're saying there's not a spot of rust anywhere on your brakes then you're an outright liar as ALL brake discs get a layer of rust on the outside edge of them where the pads don't come into contact with them.


Nice selective quote, perhaps you should quote the bit where I said I run a screwdriver around the edge of the disc.

Road dirt between the caliper and pads? Nonsense, in fact I had my front wheels off today to replace the track rod ends and there wasn't a speck of anything that could stop the pads returning. This is on a car that has 204,000 miles on the clock. Long before your 'dirt' could ever stop the pads returning the pads would have been changed anyway.

[Pew Pew Pew Lasers!]

Conor - he wouldn't know - he's never had the wheels off............ :D


Not to check the thickness of the brake pads, no. Perhaps you strip the headlamps down to check the bulbs are still working. Its your time.