NHTSA Complaint #10365787 — 2001 FORD WINDSTAR

FORD CO. IS CAUSING UNDUE HARDSHIP IN OUR ATTEMPT TO GET SAFETY RECALL COMPLETED. WE HAVE ONE CAR, SO MADE APPT. W/ LOCAL DEALER (1/2 HR AWAY) & GOT CONFIRMATION # FOR RECALL 10S13 ON A DAY BOTH OF US HAD OFF WORK. HAD TO GET SOMEONE TO FOLLOW (1 HR DRIVE) TO BRING US BACK. DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR APPT. AND TOLD US TO MAKE ANOTHER ONE IN 3 - 4 WKS. I E-MAILED FORD CO.DETAILING POOR SERVICE WE HAD AND THE DIFFICULTY THIS CREATED FOR US. RECV'D RESPONSE 2 DAYS LATER THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. ONE WEEK LATER, STILL NOT HEARD FROM FORD CO AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY, SO I CALLED AND EXPLAINED DILEMMA TO CUST SERV REP. SHE TRIED TO GET US AN APPT W/ A DEALER 40 MINS AWAY, BUT SHE WAS NOT ABLE. AFTER WAITING 20 MINS. I HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK, SO I CALLED FORD CO. THAT NIGHT AND THIS CUST. SERV REP TRIED TO GET US APPT. W/ DIFFERENT DEALER WHO WAS 1 HR. AWAY, BUT THEY COULD NOT LOOK AT IT. I WAS THEN DISCONNECTED, SO CALLED RIGHT BACK. ANOTHER REP SAID WE COULD GO TO A DEALER IN S.C. I DON'T THINK IT IS REASONABLE TO REQUIRE US TO TRAVEL LONG DISTANCES FOR THEIR BAD PRODUCT. AGAIN, WE HAVE ONE CAR, SO HAVE TO ASK SOMEONE TO FOLLOW US TO DEALER. WE WORK RETAIL (CHRISTMAS SEASON) SO CANNOT REQUEST SPECIAL TIME OFF. WE HAVE MADE FIVE ATTEMPTS AND GONE FAR BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY TO HAVE THIS RECALL DONE. FORD NEEDS TO DO THEIR PART AND PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. *TR