Roseman: We came through for Ford owners

What’s the best way to negotiate with an auto manufacturer about a vehicle that needs repairs?

Linda and Mickey Lucic contacted a lawyer and were getting ready to sue Ford Motor Co. of Canada. Their 2008 truck had an expensive problem that wasn’t covered under their warranty.

Ken Barber used the Internet to publicize the many times he went back to the dealer with his 2010 Ford Escape. He put up a website, LemonFordEscape.com.

Ford is Canada’s top-selling automaker for two years in a row. With a brand to protect, it’s keen to get good media coverage.

Both customers settled their complaints when they asked The Star for help.

The Lucics had an F250 Super Duty diesel truck, which had a fuel injector leak last November. Before the repair was done, they were assured the cost would be covered under Ford’s 160,000-kilometre diesel warranty.

The dealer, Wieland Ford Sales in Kitchener, Ont., took the truck apart and found damage as a result of diesel fuel mixing with the oil. It said the engine would have to be replaced

The Lucics waited four weeks for the head office to decide if the warranty covered a new engine. The answer was no.

“They said the previous owner probably didn’t maintain the truck properly and they were voiding warranty coverage,” Linda said.

They had bought the truck in 2010 for $39,000. They also purchased an extended warranty from the used car dealer.

After hiring a lawyer to write to Ford, they contacted me on Friday, Dec. 23. Though the holidays intervened, I got a speedy — and welcome — reply from Ford Canada soon afterward.

“This is not a common concern with F250 Super Duty trucks,” said spokesman Mark Van Tol. “In order to have this issue analyzed, Ford Canada needed to contact specific engineers in Dearborn, Michigan.

“Upon receiving their feedback on Jan. 4, it was determined that the warranty would cover the repairs.”

“Thanks to your help, we picked up our truck on Jan. 19,” Linda said. “They installed a new engine (upwards of $20,000, we were told by the technician) and ended up giving us a rental car for the last two weeks.”

She now has to pay a lawyer’s bill of $800 and negotiate with Ford about a warranty on the new engine. Their existing warranty expires in March.

Ken Barber contacted me a week ago on Twitter. His bio said, “I am a very patient and understanding person. My patience has run out with Ford Canada and Meadowvale Ford.”

He’d sent almost 200 tweets in a campaign that started in December, saying he was tired of constant repairs and wanted Ford to take back his car. He said he paid about $30,000 for the vehicle.

“Since the end of October, my Escape had been in for service 14 times,” he told me. “In fact, it’s back at the dealer right now for the same window leak they have attempted to fix a dozen times.”

He heard from Ford on Jan. 25, offering him a credit to get out of his problem-prone car and into a new one. He’s still negotiating on the amount.

“We have offered him an Owner’s Appreciation certificate (OAC), which can be used toward the down payment of a new vehicle,” Van Tol said.

“We are happy that Mr. Barber has chosen to use this certificate to purchase a new Ford and are pleased to have resolved this issue.”

Though active on Facebook, Barber hadn’t seen the need for Twitter before. With only 22 followers (I’m one of them), he still got his message across to Ford Canada and its U.S. head office.

“With the Auto Show going on in Detroit, I knew they wouldn’t want any negative exposure. Twitter has proven to be more effective than Facebook, which really surprised me,” he said.

Moral: If you have a car problem that you can’t fix, social media works — but don’t forget the mainstream media, as well.

Ellen Roseman writes about personal finance and consumer issues. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca.