Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Dash Replacement Blues .. 4 days in shop

No offence taken.

Only two inches? Mine was curled up to where it hit the windshield all the way across (which kept it from warping up more). You couldn't see the wipers (or the Virginia inspection stickers on the windshield) from inside the car, and couldn't push the warped up part down. The dealer said they would have to get the kit to work since they couldn't get a new dash--it took eight days at the dealership. They first used a heat gun to try to, as they put it, "melt" the dash down. Didn't work, so they took the dash out. God knows what they did to it, but the kit is in and it's holding. For now. Although with the hot weather here in the summer, I'm wondering if it will break free of the "kit" and pop up again (it's not clear to me what all those rivets are anchored to down below). I'm not nearly as concerned about the look of the kit (I have a grey dash, so it sort of matches) as I am about the long-term prognosis. I hope Ford tested the "kit" adequately under high-heat situations.

Well, got a postcard and a call from Ford. I went to Ford on Friday and Monday the part was in? Must be the "Kit". The postcard came thursday and says Kit on it. So they are going to try the kit. (Big Jim was right as usual)

I suspect they are going to "Foul" (substitute a different 4 letter word here) it up royally. But I can't get a new dash unless I go through the gauntlet of car in shop..repair...car back in shop, repair, car back in shop, repair.

Every time I have dealer work done, it goes the same way. Ny Mercury Villager had a bad connection on the AirBag wiring (under wtty). The replaced the computer twice, replaced all the sensors, and the fourth time, the they gave it to a competent mechanic who cleaned all the connections and it has been fine since.

Having dealer work done is only one step up from having a colonoscopy . Or maybe not...

:p :p

With a colonoscopy, at least you get good drugs....

I guess the deal with Ford is that since the Contour is an "orphan" no longer in production, they don't see a need to ramp up production of another bunch of dashes this close to the August 31 end of the recall period. So the kit is it, even if it takes the dealerships days to get it to work with the worst-case dashes.

New dash put in at Lamarouxe Ford,nice job,fits tight no rattles it's been six months.They tried to tell me that they wanted to use the kit,i showed the my *****es,and that it was still under warranty.They understood and put in the new dash.

I am currently awaiting a callback from local Ford dealer (the same ones who insisted Ford was
no longer fixing these dashboards)-it took a call to Ford Customer Service to be told I was entitled
to this fix and there was no reason the dealer should not do it - they called the dealer who played dumb and "didn't understand why it didn't come up in their system.... but they would be HAPPY to take care of it."

So now my question is after they blew me off for a couple of months saying there was nothing they could do (and I suspected chicanery after finding the TSB re warped dashboards due to expire Aug 31) I am wondering how long I should give them to "find the parts" - I call the Manager of Service Dept and inevitably the guy who doesn't speak much English returns my call instead of the Manager. Mind you I have nothing against immigrants, but the last time I had to deal with these folks I took my Windstar in for a recall notice on the brakeline. When I called to see if it was done of not our friend couldn't seem to "find" it. He kept looking for the Contour and I kept telling him no it was the Windstar. Eventually he figured it out and got back on the line and told me that "it as all set" and I told him I would send my son down to pick it up.

Curiously *two hours later* another rep called me to tell me that the vehicle was done when I told him that I had been told two hours ago that is was all set and my son was on his way, he said "it was still on the lift" but they would have it down ASAP.

Any wonder I am paranoid about what is to come?
How long should I give them to come up with the parts (the new dash) - if they put me off and keep telling me to call back every month (what they told me before) will they then turn around and say they can no longer fix it because it is part Aug 31???

What am I dealing with here?

My dash fell apart long ago (before the recall)and when I took it in they quickly ordered a new dash and had it installed within 2 weeks and gave me a loaner car to use while they had my car.Apparently they were interested in keeping me as a happy customer. I have bought many cars from this dealer(Bill Estes Ford in Brownsburg ,Indiana) and have a good relationship with them, I will buy my next car from them next year. If they ever treated me with less than the respect I deserve I would not return. My suggestion for anyone having problems getting their car fixed right at the dealer is to report the dealer to ford and then seek a better place to conduct business with.

davefrbburg

There was a dealer in town that I always felt loyal to, since my parents had purchased a couple cars from them. They serviced my Jeep GC for a while, since they're also a Jeep dealer, and I had to take it there three times for the same problem (had to be towed in each time). When I got my SVT, there was a laundry list of things to get done (brakes, tranny problem, tie rods). After replacing the front brakes because I said there was a minor squeal, my rear brakes squealed like you can't imagine. A couple weeks after the tranny work I couldn't shift into 1st. This, coupled with problems my brother had with taking his car there, caused me to start going to another dealer in town. This place is a lot friendlier and they seem to care about the business I give them. I felt a little guilty for switching, but my car is better serviced now.

Just an update..

Brought the carin to the dealer this morning. (parts were in 2 weeks ago). Get "The call" at 3:30 PM that the parts were "wrong" and they had to go to another dealer for parts. The parts are now on hand and the work is begun. That was the message on my machine. At 4:30, called the dealer and asked if the parts were really in and did they start work and will the car be ready tomorrow?

Parts are in (I don't believe it), the car was apart but they put it back together and will start work first thing AM and should be done tomorrow night (I believe them.....NOT).

I am hoping that the wrong part was the "Kit" as I know that wouldn't work on this dash. However, I don't think the right parts are in and I doubt I will get my car back tomorrow. They did offer a rental if I needed one, which is good, but still leads me to believe (because they wouldn't offer the rental unless they believed it wouldn't be ready) that I won't have the car back until next week.
Still, typical Ford dealer... My wife keeps asking me "why can't they just tell the truth ? why do they try to string you along so much?"

I don't have the answer.

More Fun...

Just visited the dealer to see if the repairs were coming along....

Was told by Svc, Mgr the the recall (TSB) has changed. The are taking the dash apart and modifying the mounting. First he said tomorrow, then he said it will take till Monday.

So my wife asked for a loaner...First no dice...then my wife explained why he should, he said no, then my wife said she wouldn't yell at him and he won't have to put up with her but "my husband will!"

We'll, I guess he felt sorry for me and relented and gave us a loaner. 2002 Focus.

I'll keep everyone up to date as the story developes. I hope the repair is done right.