Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > Tow Vehicles & Towing
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-25-2012, 07:40 AM   #1
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
I just had to laugh

Took my truck into a Ford dealer close to home, (not where I bought it) to get the seat belt retractor on Sue's side replaced. Sometimes it traps her and she can't lean foreword at all. Also I have tire wear on the right front that is abnormal, and there is a loose? feeling in the front suspension, it feels like a tapping on the steering assembly with a plastic handle on a screwdriver when I hit a small bump. And there was a recall on the master cylinder or something... Oh, also a big 'Clunk' when I started off from a stop sign from the drive-train. (Anyone else have that problem?)
So, this nice gal checked me in, told me she would call if anything required my OK, such as a charge to me, I agreed and we left.
Called that afternoon later, phone rang and rang and rang, finally, someone picked up the receiver and hung up the phone. I called again, rang for 5 minutes. I gave up. About 4:00 a guy called and said the truck was ready. Got there and they wanted $140.00 for diagnostic, and packing the drive shaft, said the retractor would be $450.00, wasn't covered by my 0 deductible ESP, and would have to order it and also said nothing was wrong with my suspension/steering.
I told them I wasn't paying anything and give me my keys.
After disappearing for 10 minutes the service manager gave me the keys and we left..no sign of the girl.
I then drove the 10 miles to where we bought it, that service manager told me the seat belt retractor assembly was covered under warranty, and I probably had a worn ball joint, which is covered also. I made an appointment the next week.
Next day the gal from the first dealership called me to see if I was happy with my service. I said no, told her why. THEN she said there will be a questionnaire coming, could I note that I was satisfied with the service there, as it reflects on her job. I laughed and hung up on her.
 
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 07:56 AM   #2
nosticks
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Tampa
Posts: 532
M.O.C. #10378
Have fun with the survey. They deserve a bad score.
nosticks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 08:16 AM   #3
Parts Ed
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Silverton
Posts: 489
M.O.C. #11144
Tank'em and that way Ford will know what kind of service they are providing to their customers. Seat belt should be at least an 8/80,000 mile warranty or possibly covered under an extended service plan with some kind of deductable..... JMHO other will vary....
BTW: is Blue Springs Ford the sealer you bought your truck from??
Parts Ed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 08:18 AM   #4
DQDick
Site Team
 
DQDick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Wilsey
Posts: 18,799
M.O.C. #11455
Surprised they haven't figured out a way to fill out the survey themselves.
__________________
Dick, Joyce, Diego, Picatso and Gustav
2017 3720 RL, and 2013 HC 343RL
Pullrite Hitch, IS, Disk Brakes, 3rd AC, Winegard Traveler, Bathroom door mod, Dometic 320, couch for desk swap, replaced chairs, sun screens, added awnings, etc.
DQDick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 08:26 AM   #5
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Ed, we have the best plan out there, with a 0 deduct. It will even cover the worn ball joint, and the alignment for that side.
Talk about night and day, yesterday, the 2nd dealership called us and said they would have a new Flex available for me when I bring my truck in. (Tomorrow) Just now, I got a call from them saying the free rental is ready for me now, if I would rather drop the truck off this afternoon. Now, that is great service.
The first inept dealership is called Thoroughbred Ford. My dealership where we bought it is Gary Crossly in Liberty Missouri.
And I will fill out the questionnaire honestly and in detail.
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 08:57 AM   #6
mhs4771
Montana Master
 
mhs4771's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sebring
Posts: 3,657
M.O.C. #9969
OK Ozz, I have to ask: What in the He double Hockey Sticks is packing the Drive Shaft???? Sounds like the old adds for the stuff you could squirt into Ball Joints to take up the slop so you could sneak through an inspection and then fall apart later while driving down the road. Sure sounds like a Universal Joint to me (don't ask how I know).
__________________
Michelle & Ann
2018 Chevy 3500HD High Country DRW 4X4 Crew Cab w/Duramax/Allison, Formally 2010 Montana 2955RL, Now Loaded 2016 SOB, Mor/ryde IS, Disc Brakes & Pin Box, Comfort Ride Hitch, Sailun 17.5 Tires.
mhs4771 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 09:03 AM   #7
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Ha Michelle, I know what you mean. On my...let's see it was the 3rd new Ford back, I had the 'clunk' and I remember they packed the yoke or something, and it lasted for 10-20K miles before it was ready again. I guess there has to be slop there somewhere in the drive train, so packing it tight helps. It is smooth as silk now.
Maybe one of the learned readers of the Forum can put it better. Good question.
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 11:40 AM   #8
Parts Ed
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Silverton
Posts: 489
M.O.C. #11144
Ford has some blue colored slip yoke grease (we call it Smurf Grease) that you "pack" in the slip yoke that will stop that noise.
Parts Ed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 12:18 PM   #9
Carl n Susan
Site Team
 
Carl n Susan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Carmichael - CA
Posts: 7,324
M.O.C. #4831
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Ozz

... to get the seat belt retractor on Sue's side replaced. Sometimes it traps her and she can't lean foreword at all....
I will bet dollars to doughnuts there is nothing wrong with the seat belt retractor. All seating positions except the driver are now required to accommodate a have Child Seat Restraint system. The retractor allows the belt to move in and out (except when locked up due to deceleration - e.g. pending crash) with the passenger as they move around. But it also has to lock up permanently to hold a Child Seat in position and tighten it down. Once the belts is extended *ALL* the way it morphs into Chile Seat Restraint mode. This means it will only tighten (not release and allow the belt to move out) *UNTIL* it has been fully retracted. That is why you can install the Child Seat, hook the belt to it, and really cinch it down tight!!!

So how does this relate to Sue you ask? Well Ford also decided to save a nickle by shortening the seat belt a bit (well maybe a lot). Correct me if I am wrong, but Sue's lock up occurs after she leans forward to get something off the floor or dash. She probably pulled the belt to its full extension and it shifted to "lock up" mode automatically.

Replacing the retractor will not solve the problem. What will solve it to get Ford's free seat belt extenders. This 6" extension adds enough length to avoid the full extension and lock up.
__________________
Carl (n Susan)
There is more to life than fuel mileage.
2012 Montana 3700RL Big Sky Package towed by a 2015 Ford F350 6.7L PSD 4WD CC LWB

Carl n Susan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 12:46 PM   #10
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Carl, the problem is that she is held in the upright sitting position, preventing her from moving even slightly to reach anything. I imagine if this is S.O.P. in all vehicles with the same seat-belt assembly, there would be many customers complaining to the service managers, with my conversation at both dealerships, this did not come up.
Sue and I tried to duplicate the problem at the dealership, it would not 'fail' Even on the way home, we tried moving the seat back and foreword, I tried braking, accelerating, we went up hills, and down hills with her leaning foreword each time
(I was thinking some sort of 'Pendulum' might be built-in to the system) I did not duplicate the irritating event.
It is definitely a malfunction, but just does not occur 'on cue'.
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 01:07 PM   #11
Crossthread
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Arroyo Grande
Posts: 504
M.O.C. #6460
Also, you can pull the seat belt out a couple extra inches and put a clothes pin up top where it goes thru the anchor. Class 8 trucks (semis) has a clip up there just for that. It keeps the belt from ratcheting tighter as you bounce down the road. Bill
Crossthread is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 01:19 PM   #12
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Thank you Bill, we will keep a clip in the truck and try that. Great tip!
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-25-2012, 03:07 PM   #13
patbarton
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Rising Fawn
Posts: 353
M.O.C. #11268
If it were true that anyone actually read the surveys, they WOULD have figured a way to fill them out themselves!
patbarton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 12:02 PM   #14
Parts Ed
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Silverton
Posts: 489
M.O.C. #11144
XG-8-A is the Motorcraft part number for the grease. $30.00 for a 1 pound can.
Parts Ed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 12:24 PM   #15
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Thanks Ed, I knew you would know about it.
I just came from the dealership, they are working on the front end, shims or something. The Ford Flex I am driving is really nice, it is like an old station wagon, but with all the bells and whistles.
How much do those front-end shims cost, they said about $75.00.
Seems high for shims??? Even at $37.50... cost.
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 01:01 PM   #16
brenkco
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lincoln
Posts: 856
M.O.C. #8154
Pat,
Apparently someone at Ford actually does read the surveys. I had a rather small issue with a local dealer after ordering my 2012 truck from them. The small issue grew and became an annoyance. Along with a few other things that hadn't gone well during the purchase process, I voiced my opinion when I got a chance to complete a detailed online survey sent directly from Ford.

The very next day, I got an email from the owner of the dealership. It was semi coherent but the one thing he asked was that he didn't want me to complete the survey to Ford. He wanted to keep the issue between us. Little did he know, I already completed the survey.

The reason I am so sure that the survey was read is that I finally got an answer to my issues along with a request to NEVER visit the dealership again for parts, service or another vehicle. Apparently I so angered the dealer, he had the salesman let me know that my business wasn't welcome ever again.

I have bought a lot of cars & trucks in my time but this experience was a first.

Ken
brenkco is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 01:20 PM   #17
bigmurf
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sunshine
Posts: 1,445
M.O.C. #538
OZZ: $2.00 for the shims. $73.00 for knowing where to put them.
bigmurf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 01:24 PM   #18
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by bigmurf

OZZ: $2.00 for the shims. $73.00 for knowing where to put them.
very true my friend.
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 03:02 PM   #19
HOOK
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Fayetteville
Posts: 4,200
M.O.C. #11401
When starting forward in any rear wheel drive vehicle, the driveshaft moves on a slip joint splined shaft somewhere between the diff and trans. It has an inner splined shaft and an outer splined collar or yoke. Some have grease fittings, but most later models have to be taken apart and packed by hand. The grease escapes after use and needs replacing . Not an abnormal occurrence . I assume we are talking about your TV?
HOOK is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2012, 03:14 PM   #20
Ozz
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: K.C.
Posts: 11,731
M.O.C. #5980
Yes, and a very nice 'spain..
Ozz is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
HUMOR Need a laugh? pineranch Sitting around the Campfire 17 05-03-2013 01:51 AM
Good Laugh for us Seniors mainer Sitting around the Campfire 8 02-13-2013 01:50 PM
This WILL make you laugh! Tom S. Sitting around the Campfire 12 01-06-2011 04:23 PM
Laugh for the day! Kathi Sitting around the Campfire 4 09-23-2006 04:42 PM
Need to Laugh?? Sue Sitting around the Campfire 5 02-01-2005 12:17 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:48 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.