Subject: 
(no subject)


Tue, 14 Mar 2006 01:33:02 EST
Date:    




Hello,    I guess I don't have the only $51,000 piece of  junk!   
     I bought a brand new 2005 F-350 crew cab,  long bed, turbo diesel,  
lariat edition.    I broke it in  correctly,   always warmed it up,   always 
cooled it  down,    changed the oil every 3000 mi.,   if not  sooner.   As my 
"dream truck",  I babied it from day one.   It has turned out to be a nightmare!   
    I put about 6000 mi. on it before buying a very  light,   7500 lb. 
fifth-wheel rv trailer.  (It is rated to  pull double that amt).  We sold our house, 
  quit our  jobs,    and planned to relocate 2800 mi. away).  We always  
wanted to drive across the country.   I figured this was an adequate  break-in 
period.  
    The first day out,  (early  saturday) the tow hall warning light came on 
and it started to  slip,   overwind and buck like an angry bull!   We  
immediately stopped, had to sleep in a rest area that night,   and  next day, limped 
into the next town where we were lucky to find a walmart  that let us stay 
there for superbowl weekend.   (their 24hr.,   365 day per year roadside 
assistance program is useless on a weekend if there is  no mechanics at the dealer)!   
 They should call it the Monday to  friday,   8-3:30,   excluding holidays 
and days after  major sporting events,   can't help you if you're towing  
anything line)!    They offered a tow to the nearest dealer  if I was willing to 
leave my brand new trailer and my family  behind!    On Monday we made it to the 
nearest  dealer,   who promptly discouraged me from using them by stating that 
 the only guy there that was qualified to work on my truck was off that  day. 
 (again the day after superbowl,    probably called out  drunk).  I was told 
that there was another ford dealer 3 exits down and we  had no choice but to 
drive there.   Parts were  ordered,    trans. shift solenoids were  replaced,   
 and we were on our way,   now 4 days  behind schedule.   
    We did ok for a few days and made it about one  third across Texas,    
where the same symptoms started  again.   (Popping out of gear,    slamming back 
 in,   revving up to 4000 rpms., bucking,    etc).   The  Trans temp. gauge 
must be for decorative  purposes only,   because it never once went past 
one-third of  operating temp!   For fear of doing damage to the truck, My  family 
again had to sleep on the side of the road,  in freezing  temps.  (yes,   Texas 
even gets down to 10 degrees sometimes  too!)   We again located the nearest 
dealer and dropped the truck  off.    They promptly called me back and stated 
that the trans,  was completely fried!   (approx. 1000 mi. after the first  
repair!).  Mercron sp fluid turned black,   burned the  sufaces clean off of the 
clutch packs,  needed a total rebuild.
    To make a long story shorter,   we spent  ten days in texas while they 
ordered parts that had to come from Dearborn,   Michigan. 
  Again,   we did not plan for this.   We think my  wife had a mis-carriage 
from the stress,   and I of  course,  I lost the job I was promised when we got 
where we were going  because we were now delayed two full weeks!  (can you 
blame  them)?
    I have now logged approx. 20 hrs, on the phone  with executive 
headquarters.    Now in Arizona,   a new  trans. is again needed!   THE TRUCK HAS A 
TOTAL  OF 11,000  MI. NOW!  
IT IS NO UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY THAT IT HAS RUINED WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE  
TRIP OF A LIFETIME,   AND TO A GREAT DEGREE,   OUR  LIVES!   I have begged for 
a buyback,   but that is not on  the flowchart they give to the droids they 
have answering their phones.   They  say there is nothing they cant fix!   
BULL!!!
    Incidentally,   what are the odds of  this:   This morning,   at the 
dealership in AZ,    I met two  other guys,   with the same diesel '05  truck,    
having the same trouble!    One guy was  on his 6th attempt at trans. repair,  
  citing the same  symptoms!   There is a design flaw,   bad  engineering,    
or a ton of defective parts out  there.   
    Can anyone give me some direction from  here?   I am running out of 
options.   My next action will  be to hire a lawyer and sue for damages (see my 
saga above).   If  there is anyone else out there with a similar story,    lets 
get  together.   THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!   
    How would Bill Ford feel if this happened to  him?   (by the way,   
despite his conviction in the  commercials,   he cannot be reached by an avg. joe 
such as  myself).      I ALSO APOLOGIZE FOR BEING SO LONG  WINDED,   BUT THIS 
SEEMED LIKE THE PLACE TO VOICE MY  STORY!     Ford does not care,     sickened, 
now in Arizona