The Post I Had Hoped To Never Have To Make

[GShelton]

Well, I am stranded in North Fort Myers. We arrived here on Saturday for a layover night to visit my mother. We setup the 5er at the campground and went out to grab some lunch.

As we left the restaurant I noticed the truck had an odd noise upon acceleration. Kind of like it was sucking too much air (a whoosh noise) that had never been there before.

About 5 minutes into the drive the temperature indicator showed on the panel. The temp gauge showed about 7/8th hot (not pegged.)

I pulled to the side of the road and got out to check it out. The side of the truck was covered in a white haze. (It looked like I had driven through a shell rock mud puddle.) The front driver side wheel well was wet. I popped the hood and could hear a hiss coming from behind and below the coolant bottle on the driver side of the engine compartment.

I called the 800 roadside service number. (I ended up with the RV division with is CoachNet, but she still took care of me.) They dispatched a wrecker and called me back to let me know.

(My mother called a friend who came to get her, my wife, and my 7 month old son.)

The wrecker came and took the truck away to the local dealership. They were closed at that time and also yesterday. So this morning they called to get the info. They called again about 1pm today and said that a coolant hose blew. The replacement is to arrive in the morning and they said they will have me on the road by mid-day.

I had to get a rental car and stay longer at the campground than originally planned. The people at the Ford roadside service said I can submit the bills to them for reimbursement. We shall see.

Overall, I am not unhappy with the truck. If it was just a blown hose it is not Ford's fault, rather the hose manufactures fault.

I will post back after I get the truck and let you all know how it went.

[corbensdad]

Like you said, that is not Ford's fault. Ford does not manufacture coolant hoses. Hope you get back on the road tomorrow.

Just a minor snafu, but I am sure the GM and Mopar folks will start the I told you so thing.

That sort of thing could happen to any brand vehicle, in fact I have a friend who lost a heater hose on a new Chevy Duramax the second day he had it. He was showing the motor to a neighbor and he happened to notice though that it had what looked like an aneurizm on the hose and got it replaced before it ruptured.

[Texrob1]

That sucks Gshelton! Keep your chin up,like Ckesdad said it could happen to any vehicle,Good luck.

[KINGTUT]

Did the hose "blow up" or did it come loose. Real odd for a new hose to come apart....sorry for your troubles, that is bummer on a trip. Why is everyone so concerned about "fault". My concern would be dependability and the fault can find it's own home. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

[poppie]

might want to change the oil also if it got realy hot,how many mile's do you have on this change??,i'ed worry more about the motor getting HOT than placing blame on ford or the hose mfg,new motor,new truck,that suck's,back in 2002 when i got mine a guy was at gainsville ford having a heated discussion with the service manager,his blew the bottom hose on the way home brand new,his locked up,they use a quick connect type clamp,when i saw that i replaced all mine with worm drive type clamp's.

[frobozz]

Please someone tell me Ford isn't still using that same clamp supplier who made all the lower radiator hose clamps that cracked and let coolant leak...

Duncan

[CaptSkup]

I wonder what hose let loose? With so many radiators, coolers hoses running all over the place. Thanksfully you were not in the middle of nowhere towing the big trailer and this happened. Doubt if duct tape would have helped like in the old days. Remember those days, wipe the hose dry, double/triple wrap the hose with duct tape, leave the radiator loose, fill the radiator with whatever liquid you had and milk the truck to the next exit.

[RVrs R US]

Glenn, that's a bummer but at least you and your family are safe and hopefully it's just a defective hose.

This'll probably be one of those items you'll be adding to your story repertoire to tell the grandkids such as "can remember your Mom, Great Grandma, Grandma and me traveling down I-75 back in 07 when I smelled this funny smell and......" [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif[/img]

Stay positive and keep us updated.

Dave

[jmoser]

[ QUOTE ]
Like you said, that is not Ford's fault. Ford does not manufacture coolant hoses.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, but those hoses are made to a Ford engineering spec and subject to Ford's mandatory QS9000 / ISO quality procedures and approvals. With the materials and production technology available today there is NO reason for a hose on a new vehicle to fail.

Not enough people realize that Ford and GM squeeze every red cent out of their suppliers - the hose manufacturer probably had to cut costs to the bone in order to stay out of Bankruptcy due to Ford's price pressure. [Now do you realize why International stopped shipping?]

Also not enough people realize how many of the components on 'American made' vehicles come from China and India, etc. Ford selects their suppliers and specs the parts - Ford IS ultimately responsible for that hose. If they had their own cost structure under control [outrageous pay and benefits, etc.] then they could afford to pay for quality components. And before you flame me understand that I have worked in major automotive suppliers now for 14 years.

$50K - $60 K trucks with weak hoses? Inexcusible and it IS Ford's problem.

[GShelton]

Well I am still waiting for the call from the dealership so I don't know totally what happened yet.

I don't blame Ford and I don't even really blame the hose manufacturer. I am truly most concerned with the way Ford handles all of this. So far, they have been top notch. We will just see when it comes to footing the bill for the lodging/rental car.

Dave,

It has already made for a good story. When my friends and neighbors called to find out why I had not returned home, it was at least a story to tell besides the "we decided to stay longer."

Just glad we did not have any place to be. LOL!


jmoser,

I can't feel sorry for the vendors. They bid the job. They should know what they are getting into. When I was in the computer industry, there was many times I bid low to get the job and it bit me. Other times, it would work out fine. It is the cost of doing business.


Any way, like I said, I will keep everyone posted. It has been a nice time having a few extra days to hang out with my mom. She enjoys getting to see the baby.

[Black05]

jmoser -- You are correct in one sense -- it is Ford's problem and they will replace the defective part under warranty. You are incorrect, though, in that the manufacturer of the part(hose)did not make the part to Ford's specifications. That is not Ford's fault, but rather a manufacturing quality control issue.

[Diesel Jay]

[ QUOTE ]
I can't feel sorry for the vendors. They bid the job. They should know what they are getting into. When I was in the computer industry, there was many times I bid low to get the job and it bit me. Other times, it would work out fine. It is the cost of doing business.

[/ QUOTE ]
You're assuming that Ford will honor the original bid price, though, which they don't do. What Ford does is gets a supplier to bid X amount, and things are fine. Then, Ford comes back and demands that all supplies drop their price by 10%, or whatever Ford feels like. Ford knows they can find an alternate supplier, but the guy supplying them is probably married to Ford due to the volume produced. So, he has to drop the price to keep the business, but that means he may be upside down on his costs. So, he has to cut costs somewhere down the line, which often impacts quality or quality control.

It's kind of like saying you'll pay $5 for a hose that the hose producer pays $8 to mfg'er. Originally, he bid $10 to Ford, but now Ford doesn't feel like paying $10. What else can he do but either lose the business or find a cheaper way to produce the hose? Telling Ford that the hose actually costs $8 to produce is the equivalent of talking to a wall. In that aspect of things, the major mfg'ers hold are the cards, and the suppliers are beholden to them for the business. It's naive to think a supplier could hold Ford to their original bid as Ford will simply drop them and let their lawyers wrangle with all the suits in Ford's legal department. That, too, costs money though, so again, Ford wins.

Ultimately, the customer loses, as this thread proves.

- Jay

[CaptSkup]

I have absolutely no faith in ISO standards. I worked for a company that was being certified for ISO acceptance. All it turned out to be was a marketing tool and a lot of paperwork, I never saw where the product itself was change one bit. If you think Ford is the only company that squeezes it's suppliers, it isn't. Just look what Walmart does everyday. Pick up a Black and Decker power tool, search the label for country of manufacturer, odds on it is good old mainland China. B&D closed down it's Eastern Shore of Maryland production plant because it's labor cost were too high and transfer production to China. B&D also owns DeWalt, guess where they are now made. I am not holding Ford's neck to the knife for a blown hose, it could happen to any brand. Let's just see how Ford treats the customer. Ford has been very good to me regarding warranty repairs.

[KingB]

I don't doubt what you're saying, but ain't that what contracts are for? I mean, shouldn't there be a legal, written agreement between suppliers and the OEM on all these issues? How could Ford or any OEM come back to the supplier and demand consideration beyond the scope of the contract?

Are you referring to renewal time, or are you saying that Ford actually demands a restructuring of the agreement in mid-stream?

And to the original poster here - hang in there, neighbor. I know how stressful it is to have trouble with a brand-new vehicle. I'm sure it's but a blip on the ol' maintenance radar. I had a new truck back in '95 that blew the clutch, pressure plate, and throwout bearing at 500 miles (found out it was a warped bell housing casting)! That was great fun, sitting on I-65 in the middle of Nashvegas that day I'll tell you...

[GShelton]

Well I just got word that the part did not show up today. Now it is supposed to be expressed from somewhere in Oklahoma and be here by morning. (I won't hold my breath at this point.)

Another night stuck here.

The dealership, Sam Galloway Ford, started to show some concern for my situation this afternoon. They offered to get me a car so I could go home for a few days. I had to explain to them that if I could not take my 5th wheel with me, I had no home to go to. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] They did not have a solution for that.

If the truck is not fixed tomorrow, I am going to raise some roof with Ford. (Not the local dealer, rather Ford the company as the dealer seems to be doing all they can.) There is no reason to not have parts available for these trucks.

I missed poppie's post about the oil change when I read through earlier, but for record sake, it has been scheduled along with the Flame Thrower recall. I have 3200 miles on the truck and wanted to get the oil changed anyway.