Dealer Issues

[Bruce Campbell 2]

Ok…in advance sorry for the length but I need some advice on dealing with the Dealer.



I have an 05 Trac – at 21,500 miles I took it in with a pulsing noise which I would hear at 35 – 45 mph, kind of like a wheel bearing may be gone. The Dealer rotates the tires or greases the bearing (don’t really know) and it goes away. At 29,000 miles I take it in for a lube and rotate and the noise is back. I am told it is the tires “feathering”. I tell them to rotate them back so I don’t have the vibration or noise, and the problem is still there.



I told the dealer that it wasn’t there when I came in. The Dealer tell me the tires are only covered for 18,000mile by Ford but he was able to get Ford to compensate at 40% so I’ll only have to pay $398.00 for new tires. He also states that Ford has known about an alignment issue with Sport Tracs, that is why they will work with me. My response was if they knew about the issue and you didn’t adjust my tires when I first complained I don’t see this as my responsibility.



Also the brakes screeeeeeech obnoxiously, and have for a while. When I told them about this I was told that that is just the way some brakes are.



Lastly I have a issue with the speedometer having a vibration and noise in the dash (different than the wheel noises) at lower speeds 35 – 45 and when under load (going up small inclines). This has been since around 15,00 miles and they have yet to address that.



Thank you in advance.

 

[2]

With an 05 you probably have the stock Goodyear RT/s tires. They are garbage, get rid of them and it will cure your problems. They also have very poor wet weather traction. If you go with the same tires again you will have the same problem.



Not sure about the other problems, someone else will chime in. Do yourself a favor and buy better tires.

 

[Yardsale]

Covering the tires for 40% seems like the tire manufacture nominal warranty - the warranty is typically a pro-rate of how much tread has been used (the amount of tire you used trouble free).



I don’t know if this is what they are doing, but if it is, they aren’t really “working with you”.



The front brakes on my '01 squealed for many thousands of miles. Several times the dealer merely resurfaced the rotors, but did nothing to correct the source of the problem. Eventually, I filed a Magnuson-Moss suit and Ford settled. After this, I am now convinced that if the dealer had either bedded the new pads or instructed me to do this, there would have been no law suit.



As for the speedometer, have the service manager test drive the car with you. Then, while it is doing it's thing, ask the manager if they see and hear it. Then ask them what they are going to do about it. If they say "it's normal", have them show you a representative sample of speedometers that behave in the same way.

 

[Bill Barber]

Speedos totally electronic, dought the noise is from it.

 

[2]

Some of the older ST's had that vibration noise coming from the throttle cable. Is your foot on the gas pedal when it does this? If it isn't (you are using cruise) gently put your foot against the gas pedal when it makes the noise and see if it goes away.

 

[Dave S 2]

The vibration / buzz issue with the spedo cable is pretty common. Pop the hood and find where the spedo cable comes through the firewall on the driver side. Follow it's routing and if it is thouching ANYTHING else, which it will be, isolate it with either spiralwrap or other means. The vibration will go away.

 

[Bruce Campbell 2]

I agree the original tires are trash, and will buy better ones when these wear out as $400 isn't in my budget right now. I just thought it odd they would state that Ford knew of a "Feathering " or alignment issue and it was "ok" that no one did anything about it.



Brakes - I have told them that as a new car, I don't think it should sound like some fixer-upper I decided to buy cheap pads for.



Lastly I failed to mention the vibration with the speedo is while in cruise control and they have noticed it also....my bad



Thank you for the responses.

 

[2]

I agree the original tires are trash, and will buy better ones when these wear out as $400 isn't in my budget right now. I just thought it odd they would state that Ford knew of a "Feathering " or alignment issue and it was "ok" that no one did anything about it.

For some reason it just does it with those Goodyear RT/s tires, I switched to Toyo Open Country A/T tires and the problem went away. I know that others on this site like Caymen had similar results when they went with a different tire. If you are intent on keeping the RT/s tires just keep rotating them and live with the noise.

 

[EddieS'04]

If you havent yet. Upgrade your shocks before or when you get new tires. Preferably before and that will help the the tire wear.

 

[KentheREALone Z]

Good-for-a-year

 

[FlipTrac_511]

LOL Ken.

 

[Bruce Campbell 2]

LOL...Is there any tips to getting the Dealer to belly up and replace the tires and fix the issue?

 

[2]

LOL...Is there any tips to getting the Dealer to belly up and replace the tires and fix the issue?

No, I think the offer they gave you is all your will get. If you go with it you will just have the same problem again. See if they will put your refund portion of money towards another type of tire.