Ford Fusion - Engine Heating Problem

anupmathur · 27th September 2008, 12:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTO

Yup, my Jeep has the condensor right in front. But zilch overheating in the city. I have seen many non-aircon Classics having their temp go high if cruising at a constant 90 - 100. The minute you vary speeds, the needle drops drastically.

Would be interesting to see the coolant temperature at Engine outlet and that at radiator outlet! Should reveal something.
Maybe the waterpump impeller is too small?

nitrous · 27th September 2008, 19:29

@vij4all:
Do you still have warranty on the car?
If not, PM me, we'll find a real cheap solution for the AC. And a better diagnosis for the rest.

vij4all · 30th September 2008, 15:34

wrote to ford 4 times and got some exec level guy calling me and repeating like a parrot that they cannot do anything since it is out of warranty. Ive now written to the MD directly on his email id but i dont think much will happen.

My car continues to be at Chennai Ford and now im fighting to atleast give my car back the way it was minus the radiator fan or the cost of it.

Nitrous my friend since I just joined im unable to pm you but will be highly grateful for your help since im new to Chennai. Pls pls pm me and help me out.

Thanks

vij4all · 2nd October 2008, 12:49

Heres the latest update...i kept writing to ford repeatedly and some executive called me up and kept repeating like a parrot that nothing could be done in my case. He kept asking where I had bought the car from. I patiently told him that it would not make a difference since I was not in warranty anyway. I finally asked him to make his boss, the head of customer relations talk to me. The other gentleman called back but wasn't of much help so I finally requested him to remove the radiator fan and return the car to me the way i had given it to them. He agreed.

I went home a relieved man thinking atleast I had not spent anything extra and that I would get my car back the next day. Just before leaving from work, I sent the trail mails to the personal email of the MD (which i googled and did some guesswork as to what the id could be).

That night I got a call from a gentleman who spoke in a foreign accent. Introduced himself as the General Manager Asia Pacific and that the MD had forwarded my mail to him and that he was going to try and help me out. For the next 30 minutes, I narrated and vented albeit in a subtle manner. I also told him that Team BHP experts

felt that the service centre was shooting in the dark.

At the end of it, the GM asked me how i was managing without my car for the last 12 days. I replied that i used autorickshaws. "First thing Im going to do is give you an alternate car for use" he said. Hmmm.Well begun is half done I thought. "secondly" he continued "Im not promising you anything free but am sending my operations manager to the service centre tommorow to check what has happened to the car and will get back to you".

Next day the same service centre guys and the executive from ford called me up atleast half a dozen times asking me to take the replacement car. I was at work so I wasn't excited about it anyway. Then in the afternoon the GM called back and said that he could confirm that it was because of overheating that the PCM had a circuit problem with the AC and that had also caused the AC compressor to malfunction alongwith the high humming fan noise. He then went on to say that the total cost with labour would work out to approximately Rs 70,000 /-. My heart skipped a beat. "But considering what you have been through, I will be happy to waive off 50% and thus will charge you Rs 35,000". I could not believe my ears. He repeated it again.

I agreed and gave him another proposition. I told him that since I had purchased a secondhand car and was unhappy, he had the option of converting me into a lifetime happy ford customer by exchanging my fusion for a new car and i would be happy to pay the difference. his response " I will be happy to serve you and have you as a customer. I will speak to the dealers and get you the best deal".

And to think that just 24 hours back I had sworn never to even go near a Ford ever again.

Well for the moment alls well that ends well but in India unless you know who to approach, customer service still remains a long way to go.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. My technical knowledge has certainly gone up leaps and bounds

im_srini · 2nd October 2008, 20:00

Wow, that's an amazing turnaround !

The manufacturers who're known to ignore the plight of their unfortunate customers can certainly take a leaf out of Ford's book !

And, I guess congratulations are in order

So how're you going to break-in your new car, another drive to Mumbai ?

Jaggu · 2nd October 2008, 23:20

Hey congratz and enjoy your new ride, i had one for 7 years and was a very happy customer of Ford India. They do build really good drivers cars, and if treated proper serves long years trouble free.

Sowmya · 2nd October 2008, 23:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by vij4all

Heres the latest update...i kept writing to ford repeatedly and some executive called me up and kept repeating like a parrot that nothing could be done in my case. He kept asking where I had bought the car from. I patiently told him that it would not make a difference since I was not in warranty anyway. I finally asked him to make his boss, the head of customer relations talk to me. The other gentleman called back but wasn't of much help so I finally requested him to remove the radiator fan and return the car to me the way i had given it to them. He agreed.

Why dont u post the ID ? It may also help others ...

Shashank.A · 3rd October 2008, 08:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sowmya

Why dont u post the ID ? It may also help others ...

That would not be a good Idea. The best way would be to ask it over PM is anyone needs it.

benbsb29 · 3rd October 2008, 11:33

Vijay, amazing turnaround. Now, lets see the trumpcard they come up with.
Under the options, which would be your choice as your next car?

Glass · 3rd October 2008, 12:22

Way to go, Ford!
First the car replacement for another Team-BHPian and now this! A relief to see responsiveness, since I myself own a Ford!

akroy · 3rd October 2008, 16:18

Hey Vijay, amazing turnaround !! Which car are you choosing now? (Fiesta D, Fusion D or something else)
Anyway, all is well that end's well, after some horrific experiences you finally had something really nice to cheer for.

Have a nice Varanasi trip in your new car.

Good Luck
Abhi

filcord · 3rd October 2008, 16:49

Congrats Vijay, a lot of credit must go to the sincerity that you must have spoken with.
Do let us know what deal they have offered you on the new car, and whether you have taken it up.

unni.ak · 3rd October 2008, 17:03

Congrats Vijay. Really happy with the way things have turned out for you. :-)

hellstar · 3rd October 2008, 17:58

Congrats Vijay on your success.

I belive as usual resolution of such issues boil down to how soon you are able to get the attention of the management at the decision making level .These are the people who value and know the credibility of a brand name . The guys we call up at helpline number are totally helpless and are always at the recieving end of such disgruntled customers to such an extend that after some point in time they loose the sensitivity that they have for the customer.

vij4all · 4th October 2008, 23:10

to be very honest i cannot afford any car at this moment. i invested 3.9 lakhs in this fusion and have now spent another 35k (car yet to be re claimed back from the service centre and paid for). But given what i have gone through and the fact that id have to choose from a ford, the cheapest option seems to be the fiesta exi (petrol) @ roughly 7.20 on road. Assuming a best case scenario of them giving me 3.20 for the fusion, that would mean an extra 4 lakhs.

My heart still beats for an SX4.

27th September 2008, 19:29	#32
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: UAE/Lon/Madras Posts: 6,965 Thanked: 333 Times View My Garage	@vij4all: Do you still have warranty on the car? If not, PM me, we'll find a real cheap solution for the AC. And a better diagnosis for the rest.
	() Thanks

30th September 2008, 15:34	#33
vij4all BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Thane Posts: 108 Thanked: Once	wrote to ford 4 times and got some exec level guy calling me and repeating like a parrot that they cannot do anything since it is out of warranty. Ive now written to the MD directly on his email id but i dont think much will happen. My car continues to be at Chennai Ford and now im fighting to atleast give my car back the way it was minus the radiator fan or the cost of it. Nitrous my friend since I just joined im unable to pm you but will be highly grateful for your help since im new to Chennai. Pls pls pm me and help me out. Thanks
	() Thanks

2nd October 2008, 12:49	#34
vij4all BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Thane Posts: 108 Thanked: Once	Heres the latest update...i kept writing to ford repeatedly and some executive called me up and kept repeating like a parrot that nothing could be done in my case. He kept asking where I had bought the car from. I patiently told him that it would not make a difference since I was not in warranty anyway. I finally asked him to make his boss, the head of customer relations talk to me. The other gentleman called back but wasn't of much help so I finally requested him to remove the radiator fan and return the car to me the way i had given it to them. He agreed. I went home a relieved man thinking atleast I had not spent anything extra and that I would get my car back the next day. Just before leaving from work, I sent the trail mails to the personal email of the MD (which i googled and did some guesswork as to what the id could be). That night I got a call from a gentleman who spoke in a foreign accent. Introduced himself as the General Manager Asia Pacific and that the MD had forwarded my mail to him and that he was going to try and help me out. For the next 30 minutes, I narrated and vented albeit in a subtle manner. I also told him that Team BHP experts felt that the service centre was shooting in the dark. At the end of it, the GM asked me how i was managing without my car for the last 12 days. I replied that i used autorickshaws. "First thing Im going to do is give you an alternate car for use" he said. Hmmm.Well begun is half done I thought. "secondly" he continued "Im not promising you anything free but am sending my operations manager to the service centre tommorow to check what has happened to the car and will get back to you". Next day the same service centre guys and the executive from ford called me up atleast half a dozen times asking me to take the replacement car. I was at work so I wasn't excited about it anyway. Then in the afternoon the GM called back and said that he could confirm that it was because of overheating that the PCM had a circuit problem with the AC and that had also caused the AC compressor to malfunction alongwith the high humming fan noise. He then went on to say that the total cost with labour would work out to approximately Rs 70,000 /-. My heart skipped a beat. "But considering what you have been through, I will be happy to waive off 50% and thus will charge you Rs 35,000". I could not believe my ears. He repeated it again. I agreed and gave him another proposition. I told him that since I had purchased a secondhand car and was unhappy, he had the option of converting me into a lifetime happy ford customer by exchanging my fusion for a new car and i would be happy to pay the difference. his response " I will be happy to serve you and have you as a customer. I will speak to the dealers and get you the best deal". And to think that just 24 hours back I had sworn never to even go near a Ford ever again. Well for the moment alls well that ends well but in India unless you know who to approach, customer service still remains a long way to go. Thanks for all your help and suggestions. My technical knowledge has certainly gone up leaps and bounds
	() Thanks

2nd October 2008, 20:00	#35
im_srini BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Portland Posts: 1,010 Thanked: 491 Times View My Garage	Wow, that's an amazing turnaround ! The manufacturers who're known to ignore the plight of their unfortunate customers can certainly take a leaf out of Ford's book ! And, I guess congratulations are in order So how're you going to break-in your new car, another drive to Mumbai ?
	() Thanks

2nd October 2008, 23:20	#36
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,384 Thanked: 17,299 Times	Hey congratz and enjoy your new ride, i had one for 7 years and was a very happy customer of Ford India. They do build really good drivers cars, and if treated proper serves long years trouble free.
	() Thanks

3rd October 2008, 11:33	#39
benbsb29 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Brisbane Posts: 10,104 Thanked: 14,192 Times View My Garage	Vijay, amazing turnaround. Now, lets see the trumpcard they come up with. Under the options, which would be your choice as your next car?
	() Thanks

3rd October 2008, 12:22	#40
Glass BHPian Join Date: May 2008 Location: MegaBHPian* at Hyderabad Posts: 292 Thanked: 67 Times	Way to go, Ford! First the car replacement for another Team-BHPian and now this! A relief to see responsiveness, since I myself own a Ford!
	() Thanks

3rd October 2008, 16:18	#41
akroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 2,424 Thanked: 88 Times View My Garage	Hey Vijay, amazing turnaround !! Which car are you choosing now? (Fiesta D, Fusion D or something else) Anyway, all is well that end's well, after some horrific experiences you finally had something really nice to cheer for. Have a nice Varanasi trip in your new car. Good Luck Abhi
	() Thanks

3rd October 2008, 16:49	#42
filcord BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: goa Posts: 997 Thanked: 68 Times	Congrats Vijay, a lot of credit must go to the sincerity that you must have spoken with. Do let us know what deal they have offered you on the new car, and whether you have taken it up.
	() Thanks

3rd October 2008, 17:03	#43
unni.ak BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 777 Thanked: 84 Times View My Garage	Congrats Vijay. Really happy with the way things have turned out for you. :-)
	() Thanks

3rd October 2008, 17:58	#44
hellstar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,073 Thanked: 44 Times	Congrats Vijay on your success. I belive as usual resolution of such issues boil down to how soon you are able to get the attention of the management at the decision making level .These are the people who value and know the credibility of a brand name . The guys we call up at helpline number are totally helpless and are always at the recieving end of such disgruntled customers to such an extend that after some point in time they loose the sensitivity that they have for the customer. Last edited by hellstar : 3rd October 2008 at 18:00.
	() Thanks

4th October 2008, 23:10	#45
vij4all BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Thane Posts: 108 Thanked: Once	to be very honest i cannot afford any car at this moment. i invested 3.9 lakhs in this fusion and have now spent another 35k (car yet to be re claimed back from the service centre and paid for). But given what i have gone through and the fact that id have to choose from a ford, the cheapest option seems to be the fiesta exi (petrol) @ roughly 7.20 on road. Assuming a best case scenario of them giving me 3.20 for the fusion, that would mean an extra 4 lakhs. My heart still beats for an SX4.
	() Thanks