NHTSA Complaint #10088329 — 2001 FORD F-250 SD

I WAS DRIVING MY FORD 2001 F-250 UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED VERY HARD SHAKING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE AND STARTED MAKING A GRINDING NOISE THEN IT BEGAN TO SHIFT ERRATICALLY. THIS VEHICLE DID GO OUT OF WARRANTY ON APRIL OF 2004 BUT IT ONLY HAS 32,600 MILES ON IT(AS OF 8-10-04) THE TWO FORD DEALERSHIPS IN OUR AREA PALM SPRINGS FORD AND FIESTA FORD BOTH TOLD US IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD CHARGE US TO FIX THE TRUCK. PALM SPRINGS FORD COULDN'T START FOR TWO WEEKS AND FIESTA FORD WANTED AT LEAST $2400 TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. WE WERE RECOMMENDED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP THAT COULD FIX IT IMMEDIATELY FOR $1795 AND HE WOULD GUARANTEE HIS WORK FOR 36000 MILES. WE HAD THE WORK DONE AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE FORD SERVICE CENTER TO SEE IF WE COULD GET REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION SINCE IT WAS ONLY 4 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND STILL UNDER 36,000 MILES. WE WERE TURNED DOWN FOR ANY HELP FROM FIESTA FORD AND THEIR FORD FACTORY REP. WE CALLED THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER AND WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND THEY REFUSED TO GIVE US ANY NAMES OR ADDRESSES OF OTHER PEOPLE TO CONTACT. *JB