Andrew Sholkie
Email
Q
I ORDERED a hard, lockable tonneau for my new Ford FG XR6 Turbo ute. When its lock failed I took it to a different dealer from the one I'd bought the vehicle from, but he would not fix it because it was not a genuine Ford product. All Ford dealers buy the covers from the one Queensland company. I argued the point with the dealer and Ford Customer Care that I bought the vehicle from Ford and ordered it with the cover, and nowhere on my invoice or order does it say the cover is not covered by Ford warranty. I paid for the cover through Ford and it made a profit from it. Ford Customer Care and the dealer said I must take it back to the original dealer to have it fixed. However, Ford Customer Care offered to do my 15,000km service free because of the inconvenience, which to me is admitting liability. I spoke to the Department of Fair Trading in NSW and it's willing to take up my complaint. I'd like to ask Ford president Marin Burela why Ford is happy to sell these items knowing they are not covered by Ford warranty, and it doesn't disclose that to the consumer until there is a warranty issue. If customer service is on his mind, I think he needs to have a good look at the practices Ford uses to sell vehicles. It's misleading for Ford salesmen to give you a brochure or try to hard-sell options knowing Ford will not honour those options under its warranty.
Graham Smith
Ask Smithy
A
IT WAS wrong you weren't told the tonneau wasn't covered by the factory warranty if that's the case, though I doubt Ford would sell a product on a new car that wasn't covered. I suggest you follow Ford's suggestion and see the dealer from whom you bought the car and have them both fix it and explain their poor communication.
