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Ford Dispute Resolution Board

Angie of Manning SC (2/19/03):
I bought a 2002 Ford Expedition on March 30, 2002. It had 69 miles on it when I bought it. After putting 1500 miles on the Ford it smoked after sitting for about 4 days. It smoked when I first cranked it up. I called the dealer that i bought it from, Stokes Craven Ford in Manning SC, and spoke to the sales guy that I bought it from and he told me to just keep driving it and let them know if it does it again.

After that I was having other problems w/it. When you stopped it felt like you got hit in the back. At 3000 miles I took it to the shop for an oil change, front end popping, latch broke, RPM jumping up, missing, smoking and it felt like someone hit you in the back when you stopped.They told me that nothing was wrong w/the vehicle. I took it back to the dealship on Sept. 17,2002 for all the same problems again. They changed the IAC motor and the service manager, Paul, saw that it did smoke after sitting for a couple of days but didn't know why. At that time I was told by the Ford company that I needed to put 10,000 miles on the vehicle for it to stop smoking, that that was a good break-in time. The owners manual said to put 1,000 miles on it for a good break-in time.

Now that I am having problems w/it they are changing the rules in the middle of the game. I told them that my warranty started the day I bought it not at 10,000 miles. they refused to do anything about it. When they replaced the IAC motor, I drove it about 300 miles and the RPM's jumped again and I almost hit someone in the school waiting line. They told me that since they can't get it to do it that they could not fix it. That was what they told me the first time that I took it in and when I had to take it back the second time for that RPM's jumping up they then found the problem. During this whole time the vehicle is still smoking. It has sat in the shop more than I have had it. I have had it almost 1 year and it only has 10,431 miles on it.

I pay $602.00 a month for a ride that I am scared to drive and it smokes. Well I turned all this over to the wonderful dispute board that Ford has. Their decision was:

"Based on a review of the information submitted by you, the dealer, and Ford Motor Company, denies the request for a new vehicle refund or replacement. The Board determined that the engine miss, smoke, and surge soncerns do not substantially affect the use, value or safty of the vehicle. Furthermore, the Board concluded that these concerns remain unresolved but are repairable. Therefore, the Board directs the vehicle be taken to the servicing dealership for repair on the concerns under the supervision of a Ford Field Service Engineer. The Board based its decision on the limited repair history of the vehicle and the case file information, specifically the Dealer and Company Statements. If you accept the award, contact Beth Case to schedule an appointment for the vehicle repair. Every effort will be made to complete this award within 30 days following our receipt of the form."

I received this letter on 12/08/02 and I mailed my form back the very next day. Here it is Feb and they just got it in the shop on 02/17/03. Today, 02/19/03, I have heard that they can't find out the problems but they say that if it sits for a couple of days that it is going to smoke. I have 5 vehicles and all of them are older models and none of them smoke when I first crank them up. Ford will not do anything about my problems. As a consumer, I feel that I have been screwed over by Ford. they have all the money and there is nothing we can do about. If I try and get out of this vehicle I will have to pay them to take it.

My lawyer said that if we could find more people w/the same problems that I am having we could then do something, but just one person in a redneck town will not do. (He is also having the the same problem w/the RPM's jumping up.)

It would be very difficult and very, very expensive to pursue a lawsuit over this matter. Angie should fix the junker up as much as possible and sell it.

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