NHTSA Complaint #709355 — 1997 FORD F-150

THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THE DOOR AJAR CHIME CONTINUOUSLY CHIMES. WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, DON DAVIS FORD 1901 N. COLLINS ARLINGTON, TEXAS 76101 NUMBER 817-461-1000. WE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP OF THE TRUCKS PROBLEMS AND THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED TO TELL US THAT THE DOOR CHIME HAD BEEN FIXED BUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE FLUSHED ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS SUGGESTION. WE STATED THAT IF THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED. ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER BILLY WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TOWARDS HOME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IN THE TRUCK FAILED HE HAD TO PUSH THE TRUCK OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WALK TO GET HELP. WE TOOK THE TRUCK THIS TIME TO ANOTHER FORD DEALER, WESTWAY FORD 801 W AIRPORT FREEWAY IRVING, TEXAS 972-256-5551, THIS DEALERSHIP FOUND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TO BE BURNT. THE FLUID SMELLED BURNT BUT WAS STILL RED IN COLOR ALSO THEY FOUND METAL FRAGMENTS IN THE FLUID AND THE TRANSMISSION FILTER WAS NOT CHANGED OUT AT THE TIME THE "DELUX FLUSH" WAS PERFORMED BY THE PREVIOUS DEALERSHIP. HENCE: IF THE FLUSH WAS NECESSARY THEN WHY WOULD`NT THE FILTER CHANGE OUT BE? ACCORDING TO DON DAVIS FORD, FORD RECOMMENDS THE FLUSH BUT NOT THE FILTER TO BE CHANGED AND THEY WERE GOING BY THE MANUFACTURERS SUGGESTIONS. WE HAVE CONTACTED FORD BUT THEIR ONLY RESPONSE IS "IF YOU HAD PURCHASED THE TRUCK NEW THEN WE WOULD HAVE COVERED THE TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED" . GREAT HUH? AS FAR AS THE DOOR AJAR CHIME WE STILL HAVE THAT PROBLEM AND IT HAS BECOME A NUSANCE DUE TO THE FACT THAT NO FORD DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE REPAIR OR ADVISED US ON HOW TO DISCONNECT THE SILLY CHIME BUZZER. YOUR RESPONSE AND OR COMMENTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. SINCERELY, DEBBIE HOLSOMBACK