I wanted to post this in case anyone else experiences coolant issues from the factory. I'll preface this by stating that I've been a Ford fan my entire life (mid 30s) and I've owned ten different Fords, six of which were purchased new. With that said...
Here's how the first 675 miles has gone.
I picked the car up with less than a mile on it. It was already dark when I picked it up and about 20 degrees outside, so going through it with a fine tooth comb didn't happen. I drove it home (about 130 miles) and was happy with the purchase. The next day, while showing the car to an employee and looking at the engine, I noticed the coolant was a little low. I topped it off and didn't think anything of it. I just figured the factory didn't top it off.
After running around town for a week, I had about 200 miles on it. On a Friday, I decided to run down the road to a competitor and count the cars coming in for pizza. While sitting there I noticed my air was blowing cold. I decided to head home (about 1.5miles) and check it out. On the way back the car killed itself, CEL'ed, and went into limp mode. I called Ford Roadside and had it towed in to the local Ford shop. Two days later, I get a call and am told it had a bad thermostat from the factory. It was replaced and I'm good to go.
I pick the car up and drive it for the next two weeks (about 200 more miles). I'm watching the fluid now and notice it getting low again. I take it back in. This time, they tell me that it was air in the system from the first time it was in the shop. I think "okay, we'll see" and pick the car back up.
Fast forward another week and bam, cold air again. I check the coolant and yep, it is low again. This was after about 200 more miles. I take it back up there again and tell them to keep it until they figure out what exactly the real problem is. Later that day, one of my employees called me (he works there too). He tells me the motor is plucked and that coolant is in the 4th cylinder.
Later that day, the service manager calls and tells me what my employee has already told me. He also let me know they are sending a crate motor to replace mine with. Ford initially wanted the mechanic to just rebuild mine, but he went to bat for me and told them he didn't feel comfortable doing that. I told him thanks because he saved me from having to scream at them because there was no way I was going to let them just rebuild it.
The new motor is here now and I should have the car back in a couple of days. I don't want the car as I don't trust it now, but I can't take the hit on trade-in either. I can see it now, "Well sir, we can only offer you $5.00 for it as a trade because it has had a new motor put in it". Ford has no responsibility to repurchase the car, just repair it per the warranty. I just don't like the fact that I know have a car that is going to have major history issues and I'm the one that is going to have to eat the cost of those issues.
I went to the dealership as I had left my wife's V-day present in the car. I talked with the mechanic for a while and this is the first one he has seen like this. He thinks there was a flaw somewhere in the block or head casting.
Like I stated earlier, I'm posting this for others to see in case they experience the same coolant issues.
Here's how the first 675 miles has gone.
I picked the car up with less than a mile on it. It was already dark when I picked it up and about 20 degrees outside, so going through it with a fine tooth comb didn't happen. I drove it home (about 130 miles) and was happy with the purchase. The next day, while showing the car to an employee and looking at the engine, I noticed the coolant was a little low. I topped it off and didn't think anything of it. I just figured the factory didn't top it off.
After running around town for a week, I had about 200 miles on it. On a Friday, I decided to run down the road to a competitor and count the cars coming in for pizza. While sitting there I noticed my air was blowing cold. I decided to head home (about 1.5miles) and check it out. On the way back the car killed itself, CEL'ed, and went into limp mode. I called Ford Roadside and had it towed in to the local Ford shop. Two days later, I get a call and am told it had a bad thermostat from the factory. It was replaced and I'm good to go.
I pick the car up and drive it for the next two weeks (about 200 more miles). I'm watching the fluid now and notice it getting low again. I take it back in. This time, they tell me that it was air in the system from the first time it was in the shop. I think "okay, we'll see" and pick the car back up.
Fast forward another week and bam, cold air again. I check the coolant and yep, it is low again. This was after about 200 more miles. I take it back up there again and tell them to keep it until they figure out what exactly the real problem is. Later that day, one of my employees called me (he works there too). He tells me the motor is plucked and that coolant is in the 4th cylinder.
Later that day, the service manager calls and tells me what my employee has already told me. He also let me know they are sending a crate motor to replace mine with. Ford initially wanted the mechanic to just rebuild mine, but he went to bat for me and told them he didn't feel comfortable doing that. I told him thanks because he saved me from having to scream at them because there was no way I was going to let them just rebuild it.
The new motor is here now and I should have the car back in a couple of days. I don't want the car as I don't trust it now, but I can't take the hit on trade-in either. I can see it now, "Well sir, we can only offer you $5.00 for it as a trade because it has had a new motor put in it". Ford has no responsibility to repurchase the car, just repair it per the warranty. I just don't like the fact that I know have a car that is going to have major history issues and I'm the one that is going to have to eat the cost of those issues.
I went to the dealership as I had left my wife's V-day present in the car. I talked with the mechanic for a while and this is the first one he has seen like this. He thinks there was a flaw somewhere in the block or head casting.
Like I stated earlier, I'm posting this for others to see in case they experience the same coolant issues.
