Car defective after service : Garage say not their problem.

Fantomas9mm

Dropped my car in to be serviced to a fairly big garage... It’s a 2014 Ford Mondeo.

When i got it back the radio was disabled and asking for a code. I rang back the garage and they said bring it back in.

Seemingly they need to remove the radio to get the code and they said it’s a big job. They had the car for 7 hours. 

When i got it back the second time the air vents/blowers were not working properly. As in there are 3 sets of vents where you can blow air, the windshield, down by your feet and by the steering wheel.

Only air will come out on the windshield now and i can”t seem to adjust the temp. It seems no warmer or colder if i turn on the AC or if i turn up the heat to max. Wasnt like that before i brought it back in to get the radio fixed.

Rang em back and they said it’s a coincidence and that removing the radio has nothing to do with the air vents and air con. They said they can take a look for approx 180 quid. Essentially they said it’s not their problem. 

Naturally i am less than impressed but i know very little about cars. Am i correct in thinking it’s too big of a coincidence that they remove the radio and the next day my air vents and AC are acting up ? I didnt test them immediately when i got the car back but noticed it the next day.

 

They also tried to charge me for fixing the radio and i said it was working when i brought it in, they said they would “let me off with it” and waived the charge.

The way it’s been left is the guy in the service dept is “going to speak to his manager” to see what they can do for me..

 

Any advice ?

Thanks in advance.

User1998

Did you get your battery replaced? If so its your responsibility to know your radio code and get it working again, not the garages

Fantomas9mm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705533#Comment_122705533

Battery not replaced but I imagine it was disconnected at some point during the service.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705548#Comment_122705548

They might have had the car for 7 hours but removing a radio only takes a few minutes, really its your responsibility to know the security code. I assume thats what happened there anyway. And what work was carried on the car initially? I really don’t see how your air conditioning has anything to do with the radio but might be connected to the initial job

Fantomas9mm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705560#Comment_122705560

The timing belt was replaced alright. That was the most significant thing. I definitely had the blowers working fine after the initial service but it was only after getting the radio fixed that i noticed the issue.

I could be wrong in my assumption they caused it, i dont know enough technically to say they did or didn't do it.

kirving

You should have had the radio code before the timing belt change - but the garage also should have warned you.

That aside, can you share a picture of the dashboard?

It would be of zero surprise to me of they didn't correctly connect a cable back when re-installing the radio.

Rustyman101

Probably disconnected the battery during t belt change, easy say you should know the code lots don't, 7 hours to remove the radio is crazy, I would suspect they pulled out some of the dash fascia and possibly disconnected the vents cowling. Code would not be on the radio kinda defeats having a code if you rob the radio and the code is supplied.

Probably looking for serial number to get code from main dealer.

Have you checked all the fuses they hardly blew fuses fiddling with the radio.

I'd be backing asking exactly what and how the radio was removed.

7 hours sounds like they went through the bulkhead....maybe don't say this on first approach! Bulkhead is the metal bodywork between engine bay and passenger compartment.

Best of luck but I would go back and request an answer, if your not technically competent bring someone who is.

Fantomas9mm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705625#Comment_122705625

This looks identical to mine…

Rows Grower

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705593#Comment_122705593

Replacing the timing belt is a big job and would not be part of a normal service, it takes considerable amount of time, skill and experience compared to letting the old oil leak out, replacing the oil filter and pouring in new oil.

There's probably a Mondeo owners forum where you'll find a world of information. I had 2 of them back in the day mighty cars.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705656#Comment_122705656

Theres absolutely no way they did 7 hours labour free of charge. I suspect the car was sitting in the yard all day as it wasn’t a priority. OP what is the make & model?

Edit: I see the image now. That radio takes 5 minutes to remove surely?

Fantomas9mm

Yeah it was during the service that they said the timing belt needs to be replaced so i went for it.

when i reported the initial radio issue they kept saying it’s not such an easy job to replace it and yeah they had to get the serial number to get a code. They are actually a main ford dealers themselves.

User1998

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705685#Comment_122705685

Looks like an old enough car. You shouldn’t have brought that to a main dealer.

Fantomas9mm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122705719#Comment_122705719

Why ?

mickdw

You gave.them an opportunity to look into the issue. They refused. Tell them you will have it inspected at another dealer and if the defect is found to be due to a mistake when reassembling, the full repair bill at retail rates will be at their door.

jhud

If you go down the road of getting another garage to look and want this garage to pay bill if it's them that made it this way make all communication of the issues you experienced after service and second visit on email to them get a reply so you have record so you have proof. Verbal communications is not proof

kdevitt

I'd say its absolutely their fault - but thats not necessarily easy enough to prove. Don't know Fords at all - but on any cars where I've been working around the vent area / radio theres usually some form of ducting for the inner vents. Some will have an arm which opens and closes certain vents - something like that being disconnectect or broken would tie in with yours only having air coming out of one set of vents.

If they're a big enough garage, I'd start with a call to the service manager and work upwards if needs be.

argentum

Happened to my ford once after a service , turns out a small fan in the heating vents to control the airflow had to be replaced and everything was fine again

Andrewf20

Some fords have the radio code in the glovebox on a sticker. Our 09 C max does. Our 07 Mondeo has it written down in the owners manual in the glove box also.

Fantomas9mm

Thanks all.

Also weirdly , the air that does come out of the vent by the windscreen doesnt seem get too hot or too cold.

Like i set the air to 27 degrees and on level 7 for like 20 mins this morning and it was only barely warm. It was warm but not what i would expect.

Normally if you put in on level 3 at 22 degrees for 2 mins you’ would notice it being considerably warmer. Not the case now, same with the cold. It is marginally colder when i turn on the AC but not like before.

They still haven’t called me back :(

Fantomas9mm

They never returned my call, i left it a week and landed on there yesterday not happy. They sent out a mechanic to remove the radio and have a look and yes there was a loose connection. All fixed now. No charge but also no apology from them.

i’ll get over it.

mickdw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122733211#Comment_122733211

Piss poor performance from a main dealer.

That said, from recent experience with ford, they are about 20 years behind the German brands in terms of showroom standards, customer service and general cop on.

Fantomas9mm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122734193#Comment_122734193

Agreed, went to a regional Main Ford Dealer and there were leaves in the ground in the showroom that looked like they had been there weeks and boxes of rubbish left out in the customer service area.

You go into a Merc showroom and you could eat your dinner off the floor.

mickdw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122734211#Comment_122734211

Ya. They would need to be dragged through a modern retailer to see the expected standard. A half decent independent garage has a better offering. It's not like the Ford stuff is cheap now either.