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Fuel Filler Flap Fallen Off - A Cautionary Tale Ford Wont Replace!


Ian01
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Hi to everyone, this my first post and thought I would share a recent experience.

Most of us know about the Fiesta MK7 sticking fuel filler cap, we have three MK7's in our household two Titanium's and a Style and they have all gone the same way. But here is another tale.

The coloured trim which attaches to the fuel filler flap hinge has parted company with my wife's 13 month old Titanium. Not a problem we thought, just return it under warranty and it would be replaced.

How wrong we was, the local dealership first stated that it was my wife's fault for losing it?? and then accused of abusing it and wanted £82, yes £82 for a small round piece of plastic!!

I contacted the dealership to to ask how was it my wife's fault for losing it as it had fell off the car, and secondly how could she have abused the filler flap, she only opens and closes it to put fuel in?

I was then informed that as it is classed a trim it only has a 12 month warranty on it and that was Ford's policy. I contacted Ford's customer services yesterday (08/06/2012) and was told exactly the same.

I protested stating that I did not expect that a 13 month old car, which was still under warranty and not cheap, should have bits falling off it at such a young age and I was going to have to replace at my expense. I stated it was either a design fault or an inherent problem with the manufacture of the part and when I was sold the car I had the usual guff of 3 years worry free motoring, any problems bring it back. I was not told "oh by the way if bits drop off it after 12 months your screwed.

They were not interested only apologised and followed the company mantra "It is Ford's policy"

Well it is now my policy to to speak to trading standards as I do not think that the part was of satisfactory quality or fit for purpose, as per the sale of goods act.

I will let you how I get on, for those who are interested, as I do not believe that after spending £16000 on a car I should be spending money to put parts back on it after 13 months.

Any thoughts or comments from other members?

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Im with you all the way. 12 months is the normal cover for trim, however you would think that common sense would prevail. Anybody with their own business and an IQ of more than 50 would go out of their way to put something that small right in order to maintain repeat business. After all you already have three Fords and in future you are now likely to go elsewhere.

Some dealers are just plain stupid enough to shoot themselves in the foot.

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You have a very valid point and even though trim is only covered for 12 months of the warranty the fact you're car has only just past this period surely a good will gesture was in order,good luck and I hope this turns out ok for you in the end...

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Good for you on naming and shaming; large companies are only interested in new sales, they are very short sighted and do not realise the power of the internet to dent their reputation.

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Ian,

I could have been writing your exact post except mine is with door seals, they were replaced within the 12 months and they then fell of again only after 2 weeks of messing around with the dealer and ford CRC did they agree to replace them for free, For me this was the final straw with the company that is Ford, I have owned 4 Fiestas and had nothing but problems, although most things have been minor I have had with my previous Fiesta the seat weld snapped off after 14 months, Ford said this was wear and tear (I'm not that fat!) only after a huge protest did they pay the £120 to have it replaced, I then after 3 or 4 smaller arguments about little things decided I would buy the new Fiesta and after a huge mess up from a main dealer in Bristol I visited another dealer and finally got the car, after 6 months the door seals feel off (common issue) had that replaced, another month later 2 buckled alloys (no chance of Ford offering money with that one!) and then another few months later the same door seal and the other one also fall off, alas another argument awaited me and as I said it only has just been fixed, Ford CRC are going to be ringing me back again tomorrow to confirm all is fixed and best of all they are still hanging a little bit!

I love my car to bits, its a great drive, good on fuel, relatively comfy etc but I cannot stand the arguments you have with the dealers when something goes wrong and with that in mind I not buy another Ford even if they were to offer me a substansle discount, it just is not worth it.

I know it seems crazy moaning about Ford on a Ford fan site but anyone who has seen my posts before will realise I love the cars just hate the cr*p that comes with them.

My advice is don't give up, moan like hell, as you said try trading standards, only after speaking to VOSA about my seat did Ford become more understanding and even when they do offer to replace it free say to them its all good and well but what about when it falls off again or the door seals fall off and you have to start another huge doo dah.

Best of luck.

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Iam too on your side Ian

Ford Dont give a flying pig about it.

customer relationship centre my !Removed!. more like customer abuse centre

Jamie

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I always thought that Trim was in reference to the Interior trim. (Warranty) A bumper could fall off. but if no evidence was found that the bumper had been damaged. could it be the screws not tightened enough at build time.

Not a Functioning Fuel Filler Flap.

Is the Accelerator Pedal Trim Or Functional

I therefore suggest ford get there legal wording right.

Trim that has a functional purpose in the operation of the car. Otherwise why do they fit a filler flap. I assume not enough glue was used at production

Jamie

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Try asking another dealer in your area.

Many warranty claims are down to whether the dealer can be bothered to process it and/or argue the case with FMC.

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Thank you for all your support and positive replies. James my thoughts exactly what is to be classed a trim?

I have now contacted trading standards and quite surprised at their reply.

Basically company policy does not over rule the law of this land, company policy is a red herring. They state Under the sale of goods act 1979 that goods should be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose intended and and last a reasonable amount of time.

The analogy they used if you asked "is it reasonable for a £2000 plasma telly to break after a 9 months, they'd probably say no, but it probably is for a 50p torch"

It is not reasonable for a £16000 car to have bits dropping off it after a short period of time, and it would be reasonable for the fuel filler flap lasts the life time of the car under normal operational circumstances, and you have not used it to tow a car with or used it to sit on:)

They also state that the onus is on Ford to prove that it was not down to poor design, faulty manufacture or that there is an inherent fault with the part and not me to prove otherwise.

As it is Fords policy I will be writing to Ford with all of the above and wait there reaction.

I will keep you updated and thanks for your comments.

Its such a friendly place to be, next post I hope will be more positive and I hope I can help other members or just get into the spirit of things instead of moaning. I will post a picture of my sons MK7, which is a standard 1.2 Style, which has had a really nice professional ly fitted body kit and alloy wheels fitted.

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  • 2 months later...

Just to say I have had the same problem with my Fiesta Titanium purchased new in March 2012. After a bit of running around between Arnold Clark's servicing, parts and body shop depots in Newcastle the warranty manager did get confirmation Ford would replace it under warranty. At first I was told it was not covered and I would need to get a backing plate as well because prior to May 2012 models Ford didn't supply the flap on its own and it is only primed! Waiting for the work to be done.

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It must be So frustrating for those affected by issues like this, I have had my share already with my Fiesta, never had any issues with my 54 plate Skoda Octavia, or with the Volvo I still have.

I too had to battle with Ford dealer but won in the end, are Ford so short sighted that they think they can ride ruff shod over customers and expect brand loyalty next time we change our cars?

I hope Ford see fit to acknowledge these recurring issues with door seals and filler cap doors otherwise people will probably move to other competitors vehicles.

Hope you get sorted.

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  • 3 years later...

Same happened with 13 month old Fiesta.

Initially told. "someone probably stole it" because "they are so expensive to replace"!! No evidence at all. I thought it had dropped off.

After 4 weeks replacement was available to be fitted.

Wrong shade had been sprayed but the dealership refused to accept my comments. Only when I suggested I took a cap off one of their vehicles and they could have mine did they relent. They would contact me when it was ready.

3 MONTHS later I contacted them - yes it was ready. Told they dealt with quite a lot of replacement caps!

I asked about it staying on and they gave a verbal guarantee.

3 weeks later it simply dropped off when I went to fill up for the 3rd time with the new cap in place.

Back to the dealer who claimed I had mishandled the cap!! Mistake.

Eventually, I was it told it was properly fitted but to 'monitor' the situation.

Was there a guarantee it would stay on? No

Was there a possibility that another replacement would be paid for by the dealership? No

Was the fitting guaranteed for12 months? No

Could I fix it on with a compound of some description? No, that would invalidate the guarantee on the petrol cap mechanism.

The last Ford I will ever buy.

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Same happened with 13 month old Fiesta.

Initially told. "someone probably stole it" because "they are so expensive to replace"!! No evidence at all. I thought it had dropped off.

After 4 weeks replacement was available to be fitted.

Wrong shade had been sprayed but the dealership refused to accept my comments. Only when I suggested I took a cap off one of their vehicles and they could have mine did they relent. They would contact me when it was ready.

3 MONTHS later I contacted them - yes it was ready. Told they dealt with quite a lot of replacement caps!

I asked about it staying on and they gave a verbal guarantee.

3 weeks later it simply dropped off when I went to fill up for the 3rd time with the new cap in place.

Back to the dealer who claimed I had mishandled the cap!! Mistake.

Eventually, I was it told it was properly fitted but to 'monitor' the situation.

Was there a guarantee it would stay on? No

Was there a possibility that another replacement would be paid for by the dealership? No

Was the fitting guaranteed for12 months? No

Could I fix it on with a compound of some description? No, that would invalidate the guarantee on the petrol cap mechanism.

The last Ford I will ever buy.

I wouldn't let a petrol Cap put you off a whole company.. go to another dealership and try them

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This made me wonder and I just went down and had a look at my fuel cap - what part are you actually taking about, the colour coded door that shuts over the fuel pipe etc? I don't have a petrol cap inside this as the car has the easy fuel system thing.

I was just curious about the exact part that you guys had missing.

BTW good on you for standing up for yourself - car dealers are a nightmare, once they have your cash they don't care!

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Is the actual petrol cap locking or does the flap have a lock on it? I have a mk6 rather than a mk7, I guess they would class the flap as trim if it were to simply cover a locking fuel cap, if its got a lock on it then its part of the fuel system and not trim. I agree with the comments about the dealers though, not needed to go to any of them yet but I would expect that I would get a part like this replaced for the first couple of years. I guess it also shows the decline in quality on modern cars I guess!

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