Taking new vehicle to dealership

[wallyuwl]

Have a two week old 2014 Ford Edge. Less than 500 miles, and the brakes have been pulsating since we got it. So it is a "from the factory" problem, not one that developed during ownership.

Taking it to the dealership on Tuesday to get looked at. It is a different dealership than the one we bought it at because we bought it 70 miles away (we gave this other dealer a chance to match price and they wouldn't come close).

I know it is almost surely bad rotors. I think they will try to machine the rotors and call it too. However, I don't want there to be less material to dissipate heat. I also want pads matched to the surface of the rotors.

I'm trying to figure out how to handle things when I drop the vehicle off. One thing I plan to do is say I want them to call me before they actually do anything. Other thoughts?

 

[hpb]

Let them diagnose the problem first, and go from there. I agree with not wanting the rotors machined on a new car, but the dealer will have to do whatever Ford deems appropriate. Good luck.

 

[mclasser]

Originally Posted By: hpb
Let them diagnose the problem first, and go from there. I agree with not wanting the rotors machined on a new car, but the dealer will have to do whatever Ford deems appropriate. Good luck.

+1 See what the dealer offers up as a remedy first before starting your own spiel. Then if you don't agree/have some suggestions, ask to speak to the service manager directly.

 

[901Memphis]

Have you tried getting into the brakes hard to remove the deposits? A few hard stops from 60-10 MPH should help. Rotors generally done warp but form uneven deposits that can cause pulsation.

 

[rjundi]

Leave it there and let them fix it.

It is not up to you to dictate repairs that someone else(Ford) is paying for.

Hope it resolves.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Have you tried getting into the brakes hard to remove the deposits? A few hard stops from 60-10 MPH should help. Rotors generally done warp but form uneven deposits that can cause pulsation.



This is worth a try before you take it in to the $tealership.

 

[mrsilv04]

Around here, with it being less than a month old... you'd be told "Oh, you couldn't buy it here... but now you expect US to work on it. So, why don't you just take it back to where you bought it?"

 

[Ethan1]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Around here, with it being brand-spanking new... you'd be told "Oh, you couldn't buy it here... but now you expect US to work on it. So, why don't you just take it back to where you bought it?"


This is true to a point. If OP goes in there and starts complaining right off the bat that he wants brand new pads and rotors before they even look at it, he'll get the good old "We recommend that you return to your selling dealer" - it's a service manager's favorite cop-out. We even have a shorthand for these people at the dealers: "vee-oh's" are Visiting Owners

 

[Garak]

Warranties are supposed to be nation-wide. People move all the time and even dealers shunt vehicles to other dealers in other provinces.

 

[ragtoplvr]

often when sitting on the lot the rotors rust unevenly

Called lot rot

resurface is the only way to fix

Rod

 

[Joe_Power]

The service department, and the sales department, are two different areas of the dealership. Go in, and talk to the service dept. manager. He won't give two [censored] where you bought it.

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
The service department, and the sales department, are two different areas of the dealership. Go in, and talk to the service dept. manager. He won't give two [censored] where you bought it.
Yup, they bill the manufacturer for warranty repairs anyways.

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

Originally Posted By: Garak
Warranties are supposed to be nation-wide. People move all the time and even dealers shunt vehicles to other dealers in other provinces.


Actually if ANY dealer refuses to honor the factory warranty on a product they sell, that store can lose its franchise. It's surprising to me that ANY service manager would state such a thing to a customer, it will likely get them fired if that customer calls it in to corporate.

 

[crazyoildude]

same thing happened to my mom when she bought her brand new grand marquis a while back they cut the rotors and the same thing happened i finally put new auto zone rotors on and it is still good

 

[cashmoney]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Originally Posted By: Garak
Warranties are supposed to be nation-wide. People move all the time and even dealers shunt vehicles to other dealers in other provinces.


Actually if ANY dealer refuses to honor the factory warranty on a product they sell, that store can lose its franchise. It's surprising to me that ANY service manager would state such a thing to a customer, it will likely get them fired if that customer calls it in to corporate.


100% correct.

The service manager does not give a rat's patoot where you bought that car. The service department at a car dealer is a totally different profit center than either new car sales or used car sales which are also totally separate profit centers. So new car sales, used cars, and dealer service look like one business but they are actually run and managed as separate business.

The only thing that matters to the service manager is that a car is under warranty so he can bill the manufacturer for any warranty work that is performed. Just to be very clear, the dealer does not ever pay for warranty work, they all bill the manufacture.

If you want to generate warm and fuzzy relationship with a service manager let them know you want to be a regular customer and you want to give them all your business in maintaining the car. Service departments want regular repeat customers. I think it would not be out of line to request new rotors instead of machine the rotors, if the car is only a few week old. Rotors can only be machined 1-2 times and then its time to buy new rotors. If the factory new rotors need to be cut this early I think it is reasonable to ask for new rotors instead.

 

[Chris142]

May be that some yahoo at the factory or dealer zipped the lugs on too tight. I would not worry one bit about re-using the pads on new or machined rotors

 

[gathermewool]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: Joe_Power
The service department, and the sales department, are two different areas of the dealership. Go in, and talk to the service dept. manager. He won't give two [censored] where you bought it.
Yup, they bill the manufacturer for warranty repairs anyways.


+1 What the heck are you others going on about? I've never, ever had a service department delve into the place of purchase. They don't car at all. With that said, they might give you a little more wiggle room if you've bought there once (and especially more than once) and complain to the sales manager, who may apply pressure to the service manager to keep a returning customer happy.

But, to say that a service department will tell you to pound sand , just because you didn't purchase the vehicle there doesn't hold water.

Also, I had pulsing brakes in my brand-new '06 Subaru way back when. They resurfaced he rotors and the rotors were still good to go when I traded cars with a buddy 36k miles later. The pulsing never came back and the brakes were in a great shape when we swapped cars with each other.

So, try to clean the surface with a few hard braking evolutions, and if that doesn't work take it in to the dealership and let them figure out how best to fix it.

 

[901Memphis]

I'd really want to try to remove the pad deposits first with firm stops. If you get the rotors resurfaced you lose some material. If they replaced the rotors they will be Motorcraft replacement grade which isn't the same as Motorcraft OES.

 

[crazyoildude]

Correction im not sure if they were auto zone or another brand but whatever they were they are still good. They are not motorcraft.

 

[wallyuwl]

I know dealers bill the manufacturer for warranty work. I do most maintenance myself, but for warranty work would return to this dealer as long as we live here. So that is an angle.

I don't plan on going in and demanding things right off the bat. But do want them to call me after they diagnose the problem before they do anything to fix it. With a vehicle less than two weeks old, and it being a problem from Day 1, I think new OEM rotors should be put on. I guess I'm not that worried about the pads matching, unless they make noise (which I doubt they would) when matched with possibly new rotors.