I have a new Mondeo which was purchased on HP in April 2003. It has been misfiring (Undulating)and revving itself up.
I took it to a Ford Dealer for diagnosis. They put a new injector on after the management check diagnosed this.
That took a WEEK. The problem was still prevailent when I picked up the car. It went back for further checks and Ford have replaced the engine. The problem is STILL prevailent. It is more intermittant than at first but albeit it is still there.
The cut out on a multi storey car park and had to be towed away back to the dealership. Check proced there was a fault but they could not source it.
The engine was replaced (Two weeks) at approx 9000 miles and relinquished back to me WITHOUT an engine number. The dealer thought this was OK and perfectly legal. Not according to the traffic police, the AA, the RAC or the man in the moon. Funnily enough The number has NOW been stamped on.
The customer services centre at Ford say there is NO hard evidence that there is still a fault (Breaking down must be O.K then) Ford say they will not replace the vehicle because the fault has to be induced at the dealership. Everytime I take it though, it makes a liar out of me. Further to this I will have to pay a penalty for the miles that have been put on to the car before a new one is handed out.
THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A FAULT WITH TDCI ENGINES JUDGING BY THE COMMENTS ON THIS FORUM. WHAT IS FORD GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
This is pathetic. Umpteen phone calls, courtesy cars and time off work to sort things outhave gone too far and I will now be taking my own action on this matter. Needless to say, I will NEVER buy another ford car.
Dealer name deleted. No naming and shaming please. DD.
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Have you written to the HP company? They are responsible to you for the car as well.
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Yes! They haveput in a formal request for the car to be rejected. On the grounds that it is not fit for the purpose it was built and that it had no new engine number. The number has subsequently been put on. The letter was sent bythe leasing company to the executive office of the Ford Motor Company UK.
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Looks like you've got a fight on your hands then. Shame I think you bought your car just before the new regulations came in regarding any fault in the first 6 months which would have made your task easier. You could try writing to the What Car? readers' problem page.
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Thanx! I've already thought of that and I will contact watchdog about it too.
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Godfrey - he actually bought the car just *after* the regulations came into force. However, they don't really help that much in this case because the car is covered by manufacturer's warranty anyway. It would be useful with regard to a second hand car that had similar faults, but that's not the case here.
As for the lease company 'requesting' that the vehicle be rejected... they are your supplier, the dealer or manufacturer is their supplier. If you have a leasing or HP agreement, you have a contract with them, not just for the finance, but for the supply of the product as well.
If the dealer (who may not be the supplying dealer) is giving no joy, then you may be better advised to go after the lease company.
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Yes but I thought the point was any fault in the first six months was presumed to be there from manufacture. The point being it makes it easier to reject the car irrespective of the manufacturer's warranty.
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Hi T'd Off
I took the challenge despite the comments on this site. Fortunately I got a good'un in nearly all respects (can never get that claimed 47.9mpg...). I am truly sorry to hear of your experiences since I know that the TDCI, for those who have the reliable kind, is a superb car.
However, your post rekindles some important issues to which B/Roomers such as Kurnal have previously referred. There must be a way of getting Ford to own up to the problems it must be having with this engine. What you and plenty of others want is some sort of recognition by Ford. You've shelled out a small fortune on what should be one of the pleasures in life - driving a brand new car- and its all gone belly-up and there seems to be no redress. This is unacceptable. Surely there must be a way of regulating car companies so that Ford are forced to offer proper recognition for your plight and, presumably for a car under warranty, be prepared to make that plight their own problem and not yours. There is sufficient anecdotal evidence on this and the fordmondeo.org site to suggest that there are problems with a significant number of cars. Is there some way of following up Kurnal's suggestion of a group protest perhaps via Watchdog if Ford doesn't listen?
Like Volvoman (in discussion) I am staggered that you can be treated so shabbily having invested, in good faith, in their product. I hope that the combined forces/suggestions of backroomers will enable something to be done to help. Sorry I won't be around for 2 weeks - off on Hol - but good luck!
Splodgeface
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Sorry to hear about your probs. It might be worth joining the "Which" legal service. For a small fee they will write letters on your behalf and provide advice. Personally I would have thought the Sale of Goods Act could be invoked here, as the car is clearly not fit for its purpose is it?
Baz
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The car hasn also had the same non-starting problems that so many people have had on this site!!
I have contacted Watchdog about it and I am waiting to what reply they give. There must be some kind of forum containing the people that are having the TDCI problems.
It seems as if it is a case of David vs Goliath!!!!
I won't let it deter me though.
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Did you notice my post above?
If you want to make it a more equal fight, you should be focusing on your leasing company, rather than Ford. Your contract is with them, and they are the ones who are obliged to provide something that is fit for purpose, of satisfactory quality, etc.
Ford are technically only the supplier to the leasing company.
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Is it leased or on HP. If its leased and a lemon make the leasing company take it back under the terms of the contract. If its on HP the Consumer Credit Act will protect you - start proceeding through the HP Company.
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The dealer who sold you the car is responsibe and you or the HP
company should write to them rejecting the vehicle. You should also return the car and the keys immediately.
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I would say that August was WAY too late to reject a car delivered in April. I recall in the distant past that a judge ruled that something like 2 weeks and/or 1000 was about the limit, otherwise you were deemed to have accepted the car and its problems. One of our Legal Eagles will probably have a more specific recollection of the case in question. The car involved was a Datsun Bluebird SFAIR
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Being a long way off legal expert status, I would have assumed that if you started the return process - i.e. gave the supplier a chance to remedy faults, as I believe you are obliged to do - within a short period after purchase, then, having exhausted that, are entitled to return the goods.
What a long sentence, hope it convey what I mean!
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I have just been on the Dti website with regards to the sale of goods act.
The sale and Supply of Goods and Services regulations were changed as of 31st March 2003. This DOES allow the consumer to give consumers a reversed burden of proof and a right to seek a repair, replacement or full refund.
A reversed burden of proof means that bin the first six months the consumer need not produce ANY evidence that a product has shown a fault was inherent at the time of sale.
An inherent fault can be described as " A fault that may not have been apparent immediately but was there at the time of sale and therefore NOT of satisfactory standard" or " an error in design so that the product is made incorrectly (I've had two engines the same)" or " An error in manufacturing where a faulty component was inserted".
According to Honest John's car by car breakdown it is a recognised fault with the TDCI engines and Ford are not making it publicly aware.
If a product is sold as 100% fat free, that is what you should get. Ford are selling cars through positive advertising knowing that there IS an inherent fault with the TDCI engine. IF SO they should stop and own up.
By the way, thanx for the replies about the legalities, according to the Dti it IS up to the leasing compnay. The only way Ford is responsible is if it was sold through a manufacturers' agent. In the six month period from buying the car, The Trader (i.e. the leasing comany) are in breach of contract for supplying a faulty good.
Another phone call Monday then!!!
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Don't just phone write a letter stating exactly what you want and keep a copy. Phone calls are easily forgotten about/denied they ever happened. I know a phone call may make you feel you have done something instantly but a letter shows you mean business. Quote the new regulations in the letter.
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A fax can be as good as a letter, plus, it arrives 'instantly' and is cheaper than a stamp. You also get a record of it being received, on your computer software.
Always assuming you have this available on your computer!
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I will be taking both courses of action Frosbite.
We'll see what happens now. I'll keep you all informed.
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When/if you speak to an organisation on the phone and they say "Hello, this is Joe's Ford in Bigtown, my name is Kevin, how may I help you?" make a note of the date/time and name and you may be able to get a record of the call from them, IF they have recorded it. It is also legal for you to tape record telephone calls, so long as you tell the person you are calling that you are doing so.
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