NHTSA Complaint #10043392 — 2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

I PURCHASED A 2003 CROWN VICTORIA NEW. THE ENGINE DEVOLOPED A PINGING NOISE WHICH WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE DEALER. THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER STATING IT WAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND THEY WERE ON THE PHONE WITH THE FORD HOTLINE TECH TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. THEY FELT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING "TOO LEAN" BUT THEY WEREN'T SURE. THEY NEEDED THE ADVISE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. AN HOUR LATER ANOTHER CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM THE DEALER STATING FORD TOLD THEM THEY HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PINGING PROBLEM IN CROWN VICTORIAS ON THE EAST COAST. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE GASOLINE ON THE EAST COAST AND THEREFORE, THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FIXED. I WAS TOLD I COULD TRY A HIGHER OCTANE GAS, ALLTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE OWNERS MANUAL. WHEN FIRST DISCUUSING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER, I TOLD HIM I HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH MY PREVIOUS CAR, A 1999 FORD WINDSTAR, AND HAD BEEN TOLD BY THE PREVIOUS DEALER TO USE A HIGHER OCTANE GASOLINE. THE RESPONSE FROM THIS DEALER IS "THAT WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM." FRUSTRATED, I CALLED FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE. AFTER EXPLAINING MY PROBLEM I WAS TOLD I HAD A GOOD QUESTION AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT ME ON HOLD WHILE THEY RESEARCHED THE ANSWER. THE ANSWER WAS "AS THIS IS CAUSED BY CONTAMINATED GAS, THE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I'M NOW COMPLETELY CONFUSED AS THE DEALER WANTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT CAN'T BECAUSE FORD HAS DETERMINED ITS THE EAST COAST GAS. THE TREATMENT OF THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS APPALLING. MY WAY OF THINKING IS IF ITS A GASOLINE PROBLEM, WOULDN'T ALL CROWN VIC'S PING. IN THE FINAL ANAYLSIS, THE CONSUMER(ME) IS STUCK AGAIN. THIS WHOLE EPISODE TO ME IS SO LUDICROUS, THAT MAYBE I WRITE A PLAY ABOUT THE INCIDENT BUT I DOUBT ANYONE WOULD BUY IT. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS COMPLAINT. IF NOTHING ELSE I HOPE IT ADDS A LITTLE CHUCKLE TO YOUR DAY. *LA