Fun with the service department ...
#1
Fun with the service department ...
So I took the Ranger over to the Ford dealer this morning. I had an appointment to have the center armrest warrantied - the armrest is severely cantilevered on its mounting pivot and the plastic base can crack if you make the mistake of leaning across it to get to the glovebox.
Ask me how I know....
Anyway, I tried to talk the service writer into giving me the part to install myself - even though I knew what the answer would be: "Sorry, Mr. Loser Customer, we have to do the complete warranty repair, parts and labor." So, I hung around and watched through the glass while they diddled around with my truck for an hour plus. (Did I mention that I HATE having anyone work on my vehicles?) For some inexplicable reason, R&Ring the center armrest also required opening the hood and pawing around in there for awhile. (?)
So, finally, the tech brought my truck around with its nice new armrest. The service writer was stalling, waiting for authorization to come back from Ford to order a replacement set of floor mats (different story). When that finally came through, he tried to sell me some brake diagnostic work. They had driven my truck over a brake/shock/alignment tester which claimed that I have a 75% imbalance between my left and right rear brakes.
After I politely declined his offer to pull the drums and take a look (for $30), he informs me that the tech had done a complimentary safety check and noted that my airbag light was flashing and would I like to schedule an appointment to have it fixed ....
WTF? My truck has NEVER had an airbag flash code and I wasn't ready to believe that it coincidentally developed one today.
So I walked out to the truck and read the flash code, 4-7, and recognized it as a seatbelt pretensioner circuit resistance code. Sure enough, the connector under the passenger seat was unplugged! The tech had pushed both seats forward to access the armrest bolts on the rear of the console and had unplugged the PS pretensioner connector accidentally or for some unknown reason. I also noticed that he had neglected to replace the armrest bolt access cover on that side. So, I popped the plastic cover in place, plugged the pretensioner connector back together and the airbag light was gone - mystery solved.
Anyway, I ended up spending about 2 hours total for a job that would have taken about 10 minutes on the driveway ... and I still had to finish it myself. Fun with dealers. I'm so used to it that I didn't even get upset. Sigh....
Ask me how I know....
Anyway, I tried to talk the service writer into giving me the part to install myself - even though I knew what the answer would be: "Sorry, Mr. Loser Customer, we have to do the complete warranty repair, parts and labor." So, I hung around and watched through the glass while they diddled around with my truck for an hour plus. (Did I mention that I HATE having anyone work on my vehicles?) For some inexplicable reason, R&Ring the center armrest also required opening the hood and pawing around in there for awhile. (?)
So, finally, the tech brought my truck around with its nice new armrest. The service writer was stalling, waiting for authorization to come back from Ford to order a replacement set of floor mats (different story). When that finally came through, he tried to sell me some brake diagnostic work. They had driven my truck over a brake/shock/alignment tester which claimed that I have a 75% imbalance between my left and right rear brakes.
After I politely declined his offer to pull the drums and take a look (for $30), he informs me that the tech had done a complimentary safety check and noted that my airbag light was flashing and would I like to schedule an appointment to have it fixed ....
WTF? My truck has NEVER had an airbag flash code and I wasn't ready to believe that it coincidentally developed one today.
So I walked out to the truck and read the flash code, 4-7, and recognized it as a seatbelt pretensioner circuit resistance code. Sure enough, the connector under the passenger seat was unplugged! The tech had pushed both seats forward to access the armrest bolts on the rear of the console and had unplugged the PS pretensioner connector accidentally or for some unknown reason. I also noticed that he had neglected to replace the armrest bolt access cover on that side. So, I popped the plastic cover in place, plugged the pretensioner connector back together and the airbag light was gone - mystery solved.
Anyway, I ended up spending about 2 hours total for a job that would have taken about 10 minutes on the driveway ... and I still had to finish it myself. Fun with dealers. I'm so used to it that I didn't even get upset. Sigh....
#2
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#13
Originally Posted by Wowak
I could only wish there was a recall.. mine is starting to wobble. Theres already a sizeable divot where I plant my elbow while driving. Is there anything I can do to strengthen the brackets that are prone to cracking, preemptively to stop a failure?
#15
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#18
Originally Posted by Wowak
60/40.
#19
Originally Posted by rangererv
4-7 means passanger...anyclue what 4-6 is??
i had that code blink a few months ago...it blinked for a good week then went away.
i had that code blink a few months ago...it blinked for a good week then went away.
#20
Originally Posted by rwenzing
4-6 is the driver's seatbelt pretensioner circuit. It usually comes on for a poor connection at the plug under the driver's seat. Sometimes just unplugging it and plugging it will give a temporary fix. Seatbelt and airbag stuff is warrantied for 5/50,000.
i bought mine used so i dont have warranty.
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#25
Those arm rests are crap. Mine has cracked twice. I have three in my garage loft, cause I know it will happen again. My 91 explorer is very similar and is completly missing. my Dad's 2000 explorer has an identicla one, also broken off. I went junkyard hopping for the '91 and every one I found was broken. I never put pressure on it, but what always cracks them is passengers getting in and feeling the need to lean on it. it is one of my pet peeves
~HJ
~HJ
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