Ford Motor Company Sender Assembly $12.86 fails costs me a new engine $5,405.12 Dearborn Michigan
My 2003 Ford F150 has a Sender Assembly (replacement cost is $12.86) which is supposed to send a signal to the Hot/Cold gauge to report that the motor is overheating. The sender assembly failed and the engine was overheating without my knowledge. This caused both head gaskets to blow allowing water to then get inside the engine. Because the sender assembly was not working, it also failed to send a signal to the Oil gauge that the oil pressure was low once water began to get into the engine.
There was no indication that there was a problem and it occurred between oil changes. All gauges registered normally but the engine was damaged beyond repair. The mileage on the truck when this happened was 71,976. A new engine had to be installed and that cost $5,405.12. Even worse that this, the dealership (Vaughn Ford in Oakdale, Louisiana) took 20 days to determine the problem, then order the engine and install it. My cost for the rent car was $672, out of my pocket.
I purchased this truck as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle from Sand Dollar Autoplex, Galveston, Texas. Before I purchased it, I ran the history on the vehicle and there had been no problems with it prior to my purchasing the truck when it had 52,045 miles on it.
I sent a letter to Ford Motor Company explaining what happened and asking them for some kind of reimbursement. The company called my house and left a phone message for me to call them. I did and their response is as follows: The dealership in Louisiana says you did not keep up the maintenance so it is all your problem. We will not reimburse you for any of your expenses. I reminded them that it took Ford Motor Companya full 5 days from order by the dealership to receipt by the dealership of the new engine. Ford's response was: It is not our fault.
What a ripoff ! In Ford's manufacturing process, they do not install a "backup" for the Sender Assembly so when a $12.86 part fails, you will have to buy a new engine. This will be the last Ford I ever buy and I hope by posting this, I can prevent someone else from experiencing this problem. When your truck goes in for maintenance, FORCE your dealership to verify that the sender assembly is still functioning or you too may be out the cost of a new engine.
Anne
Galveston, Texas
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Karl
Highlands Ranch,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Go To The RICHMOND TOYOTA Story On The Toyota Page Of This Site And...
#2Consumer Comment
Mon, September 10, 2007
mail your ripoffreport to ALL the News Stations listed in the Rebuttal section of that story. Also, contact the BANK where your vehicle is Financed and get COPIES of ALL the Loan Documents that were submitted to them by the Dealer.
There is a chance that some, or most, or even ALL of the Loan Documents were altered by someone at the Dealership and you have no idea. Just because you have copies of the Loan Agreement does not mean that those copies are the ones that were sent to the Bank by the Dealer!
If the Loan Documents are not true, then the whole transaction was not valid from the beginning! Make sure to get ALL of the Loan Documents and scrutinize EVERYTHING!! This could be your way out and a way to FILE CHARGES against anyone who submitted FALSIFIED Loan Documents to the Bank!
If EVERY consumer in the USA did this, it would be a NIGHTMARE for the Dealers in this country. You have the right to get your copies from the Bank. Just think, this could be PAYBACK for the hassle that almost every honest person goes through when they go in to buy a New or Used Vehicle. You have the power, just make that call to the Bank. You just might be surprised what you find!
We all know that Car Dealers are good at TRICKING customers, but few know the TRUTH about how these Car Dealers TRICK the Banks also. If no one will help you in your town go to stopautofraud.com for free help and watch the Dateline Undercover Video from 2003. Consumers must band together and EXPOSE all of the problems in the Auto Business.
You can also put a small display ad in your Newspaper that says:
GO TO ripoffreport.com and type in FORD and read my story about SENDER ASSEMBLY.
This small ad will alert consumers in your town of the problems and it will also raise awareness to this GREAT website where the TRUTH can be told by innocent people all over this land!
Write a letter, you'll feel better!