From 7/12/24 to 7/29/24, we were unable to use our F550, with 4300 miles. It was our inaugural trip with the truck and a rear differential, plus associated parts, failure destroyed our plans. 

On a Friday evening, 7/12/24, we discovered leaking fluid in the rear end and a very dirty undercarriage. We called Ford roadside service, and they told us we would need to have it towed to Boise, appropriately 100 miles from where we were in McCall, ID. We were told we would have to pay $450 to have it towed, that the warrantee doesn’t cover the distance, no matter how new the vehicle and how low the mileage. Ford customer service was no longer answering the phone and the message told me they would not be available until Monday, the same time we needed to be leaving to make our appointments and event in Bend, OR. 

I spent three hours then calling and web searching all Ford related shops within a 120 mile radius looking for help and appointments. Luckily, we were able to find one shop open after 5 in McCall. The nice mechanic found the seal of the rear differential broken and that all the fluid was gone. He filled it with fluid and sold us extra to replenish it. He was not able to replace the differential and said we had to get to a dealer in Boise to do the warrantee work. The repairs cost us $226. We sent the diagnosis to Lithia Ford and China at Customer Service so, in the interest of our schedule timeline, they could order a new differential and have it ready. They would not.

Meanwhile, I was leaving messages with all the Ford dealers in Boise, all were closed until Monday. Online appointments were not available until the end of July at all the dealerships, until I went to Lithia Ford. They had an opening for Wednesday, 7/17/24, (two days after we were to leave for Oregon). I hoped that when I spoke with a customer service person three days later, on Monday 7/15/24, they would be able to advocate for us and help us cut in line because of the low mileage on the vehicle and our timeline. The nice woman I worked with on Monday, China, was not able to pull strings like that, but was very sympathetic. She was good about checking in with me and reminding me to keep my receipts. She told me there would be some subsidy for getting a rental, but nothing would be provided fully, as part of the warrantee, nor if there was hotel coverage. We would not have needed to pay for hotels on this trip because of our truck living space. This would add extreme expense to our trip and our two dogs added more complication.

Through extensive logistics, we were able to get a loaner truck and camper, that would most simulate our truck and living situation: an F350 with a cab-over camper. When trying to find a rental that would replace our failed Ford, the cost, with fees, averaged $300/day. 

I have linked to a Class C Motorhome that lacks the off-road capability, but does allow for us to live and cook and keep the dogs. Base costs, without insurance, taxes, and fees at Outdoorsy for $209/night. Another, available in the Boise area, is $270/night. Link Fees and insurance for the rental of the less expensive one is $7,787.90.

Our trip was meant to last until August 22nd, meaning leaving Idaho on the 20th, but Lithia Ford was not able to look at our Truck until late Thursday 7/18/24. They then ordered the replacement differential, pinyon, and accompanying parts. They were installed over the next week, and we scheduled a Greyhound from McCall, but then they discovered a carrier bearing seized up, and they had to order the part sent from Portland. We rescheduled with Greyhound, and then they ran into more delay.. After re-scheduling with Greyhound a third time, at a total cost of $136.49 because of cancellation fees, we were able to pick it up on 7/30/24. We had to get it at night, after dark because there is only one shuttle, and didn’t notice that they had not power washed the underside. We had to then go back to Lithia on August 1st, on our way back to Arizona, to get it clean so we would be able to notice if there were any leaking. We will not be back home until the evening of the 2nd, ten days late. 

The consequence of the critical failure of our new Ford is a week of lost work time, lost goodwill with clients who received their work two weeks late, cancelled appointments, a completely changed trip, many additional expenses for housing and transportation, details with the dogs like how to find heartworm medicine, starting them on new food; and, most importantly disappointment and indelible doubt in our vehicle. 

We built our dream vehicle on a Ford because we trusted it and now we can’t ever be certain. The purpose of this vehicle is overland and remote adventure all over this continent, but now we can’t go forth with confidence because not only did the vehicle fail us, but the warrantee coverage fell so far short of reasonable. 

Without our truck, estimating $130/day for an SUV rental, and $150/night for hotel for the 18 days we were without our vehicle in another state, would cost us over $5000. We bought a new truck, spending more than we ever had on a vehicle, so there wouldn’t be issues (just like our ’97 F350), but because of poor construction/workmanship, Ford would have us incur well over an extra $5000 out of pocket. Because our trip was extended by eight days, that adds that many more days of travel expenses. Hotel, rental, not being able to make our own food, would be an extra $3000 or so. That is, if we stayed in really cheap hotels.

I update this on September 2nd, prompted because we just received a notice from Ford that our warantee is nearly expired, And, because I have still heard nothing from Ford. If I had flown home in order to get to work, that would have been more cost I would have put out thinking I would be repaid. China, the initial Ford representative I worked with told me they would, but she has since disappeared and passed me to htenness@ford.com, who had not called me back or responded to my messages.

I especially love that they don't want to reimburse the $250 we spent getting the diagnosis of a bad seal and replacing all the fluid in the differential. htenness@ford.com said they don't cover oil changes. What is there to understand here?