NHTSA Complaint #10690827 — 2012 FORD F-350 SUPER DUTY

PURCHASED TRUCK NEW IN JUNE 2012. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I COULD SMELL ANTI FREEZE WHEN I'D TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. COULDN'T IDENTIFY A NOTICEABLE LEAK UPON VISUAL INSPECTION. FLUID LEVEL SEEMED TO STAY FULL. DECIDED I BETTER GET IT TO A DEALER TO CHECK OUT. I HAPPENED TO GET A CALL FROM MY LOCAL DEALER REGARDING A FACTORY RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. MENTIONED TO THEM THE ISSUE WITH THE ANTI FREEZE DURING THAT CALL. I SCHEDULED AND APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE AND A COOLANT CHECK (ALONG WITH SOME OTHER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WORK). THEY COULDN'T GET MY TRUCK IN THEIR SHOP FOR OVER 2 WEEKS FROM THE DATE OF THE CALL DUE TO THEIR SHOP BEING BUSY SO WE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR 2/23/15 @ 8 AM. I DROPPED OFF MY VEHICLE AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE COOLING SYSTEM, PERFORM SOME OTHER MAINTENANCE (I.E. FUEL FILTER REPLACEMENT) AND DO THE RECALL WORK. I GOT A CALL ABOUT 2 HOURS LATER INFORMING ME MY PRIMARY RADIATOR WAS LEAKING WHICH THEY FOUND PERFORMING A $50.00 "PRESSURE TEST". THE SERVICE ADVISER INFORMED ME THE RADIATOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS WORK OUT OF POCKET DUE TO THE VEHICLE BEING OUT OF THE 3 YEAR/36,000 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. MY TRUCK HAD 36,265 MILES ON IT AT THAT TIME! OBVIOUSLY IF I'D HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED WITHIN THAT 2 WEEK WINDOW WHERE THEY COULDN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED I WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. THEY TOLD ME "TOUGH LUCK". I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY CONTACTED THE DEALER AND DROPPED THE PRICE TO $650 OUT OF POCKET TO ME. THAT STILL DOESN'T SATISFY ME THAT THEY KNOWINGLY HAVE MANY ISSUES WITH THE RADIATORS IN THESE VEHICLES AND WON'T STAND UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING WITH WARRANTY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IN THE AREA I LIVE IN (MONTANA). WE DRIVE HUNDREDS OF MILES BETWEEN CITIES AND I FEEL FORD PLACED ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION NOT INFORMING ME OF THIS FACTORY DEFECT.