2012 Titanium Front Strut Low Speed Noise (Clunk/Rattle)

[FordCustomerService]

Originally Posted by jrn146

...I don't have time to keep going to the dealer so they can keep replacing the same parts that aren't fixing the problem...

Originally Posted by Shade-010

+1 this... Still no fix here...

jrn146 & Shade-010,

I promise it’s important to me that this is resolved, so don’t hesitate to drop me a line for help.

Cory

[jrn146]

Originally Posted by Zillon

At least some of you have at least gotten parts replaced.

Believe me, it was only this forum and me basically pleading with the service manager that got them to do the TSB. At that time it seemed to be fixing at lease some cars. When it didn't help the manager said Ford told him he couldn't do anything else unless Ford came up with something.

[Strix]

Originally Posted by Zillon

At least some of you have at least gotten parts replaced.

I did! And they were either defective or installed incorrectly. Maybe both.

Getting them (correctly) replaced a second time proved to be an impossible task for me. One that I eventually gave up. My CSM would just tell me that a Ford dealer first has to diagnose the problem, and the dealer would just say they couldn't duplicate the problem, or that it was normal, or (paradoxically!) both.

I simply could not get her to have the TSB that started my problems done again at another dealership. This is the sort of thing that can happen when your CSM is loyal to 'their' dealership instead of their customers. Again I say that Ford needs to change this.

I have worked in IT support for a very, very long time. I can tell you firsthand that when a tech is assigned to support a particular application or piece of hardware, it changes their outlook. They start seeing users with problems as something to be defended against, instead of people in need of assistance.

Customer service representatives should be _representing customers_ with the goal of delivering service. They shouldn't be defending "their domain" against people with legitimate issues.... but that's what they did to me. I was completely stonewalled from the moment I said "I think your dealership screwed my car up." Little did I know that for the person I was speaking to, it really was 'their' dealership.

[Zillon]

I found that the strut bearings and mounts are very sensitive to being installed properly, so I would attribute their premature failure to incorrect installation. A hamfisted tech with an inclination to use the air tools at all costs to save time isn't out of the question.

The torque specs for the fasteners are hyper-critical, otherwise you'll experience the clunking, and even creaking and/or squeaking if everything is torqued past spec.

The ultimate issue here, is finding people who give a rat's ass.

[empowah]

Originally Posted by jrn146

Cory, unless you and Ford have a fix for us please don't waste our time. I'm sure you have pretty much all of our Vin's and contact info. I don't have time to keep going to the dealer so they can keep replacing the same parts that aren't fixing the problem. For the record, when the TSB was done on mine it was done to both sides. It made no difference at all in my car.

This. There's no point in working with the dealer if Ford themselves do not have a fix. My dealer rode with me in the car and heard the noise -- but there's nothing they can do.

[Strix]

Originally Posted by empowah

This. There's no point in working with the dealer if Ford themselves do not have a fix. My dealer rode with me in the car and heard the noise -- but there's nothing they can do.

Yep. It seems like Ford customer service enjoys wasting your time by having you take you car to a dealership to demonstrate a problem, leave it there for an entire day for service, and then pick it up later to be told both that they couldn't reproduce the problem and that it's normal.

I didn't want to be to work on time anyways. And I can always do tomorrow what I didn't get done today because I had to leave early to pick up my (not fixed) car and have my intelligence insulted.

[Strix]

Originally Posted by Zillon

I found that the strut bearings and mounts are very sensitive to being installed properly, so I would attribute their premature failure to incorrect installation.

Yeah... I'd mention that to dealership staff, but they've never listened to a single thing I've said before. I mentioned repeatedly that I suspected my clutch was contaminated with oil, but it didn't get fixed until I took it in for the third or fourth time, and told them I don't want the car back until it drives like the rental I had been given.

NOTE TO FORD DEALERS: if you are going to tell people that the obvious problems with their car are 'normal', you probably should avoid renting them the same model car. When the rental doesn't have the same problem, it undermines your "it's normal" argument considerably.

The ultimate issue here, is finding people who give a rat's ass.

Aye. That is indeed the issue.

[Dysan911]

Dropped mine off today. I didn't even make an appt. I took the family out lastnight and my wife says. What is that noise? It was horrendous!. Clunk Clak, Clunk clunk. Ugh!. My usual service guy was off today but another service rep was always helpful and asked if I would mind having a tech ride with me. So James comes out and very pleasant to deal with. Luckily it barely made the noise enough for him to hear. Funny how its like that. Anyhow, he said he could def hear it and asked if I could leave it with him for the day. I told him about 6mos ago my regular service rep had the TSB completed on it that involved replacing struts, bearings, plates, etc. but this was performed only on the right side.

I guess we'll see what they tell me later today.

[PratoN]

Originally Posted by Strix

NOTE TO FORD DEALERS: if you are going to tell people that the obvious problems with their car are 'normal', you probably should avoid renting them the same model car. When the rental doesn't have the same problem, it undermines your "it's normal" argument considerably.

Hahaha

[Twenty]

I still need to get mine in to work for another round of rattle hunting, whenever I can.