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If you read all of this, thank you! Long rant engaged. ..............early this week my Sunroof stopped working and was stuck in the open position partially. Well this was on Monday, I called my local dealer and they told me that they wouldn't be able to take the truck until Friday which was I bit annoying. So I was going to be stuck with my sunroof open all week. Plus the Ford service guy told me that it sounds like a something broke on the track and if so the whole unit would have to be replaced which would cost 1200 bucks! He goes on to tell me that even Ford extended warranty doesn't cover that but I had a outside extended warranty and after speaking to them that day they said all they cover on sunroof is the motor! More on this later........
On Wednesday we had a chance of rain so I messed around with it a was able manually slide the glass roof forward but it wasn't sealed ( I could push up on it from the inside and it would pop open ) but at least at this point no rain could get in.
So finally on Friday I dropped the truck off first thing in the morning, 730 am, and then went to work. Before (on the phone) I dropped it off, I asked the service advisor if they can try to seal the glass after they diagnos the problem so at least it is closed until i get it fixed and he said they would try. I get done with work and go back to the dealer at 230 pm. They hadn't even looked at my truck! Finally an hour later the service advisor tells me that the track has to be replaced and he is going to call my extended warranty company just to see if they will cover any of it. I walk away and a few minutes later I walk by and I see him talking with another employee and over heard him say all they cover is the motor. A few more minutes pass and he finally comes and speaks to me.
He tells me I have "good news and bad news" and explains that the MOTOR and track need to be replaced and that the good news is my warranty company will cover the motor. Since they will replace the motor it will cover most of the labor for the entire job, 5 hours of the 7 hours it will take. The bad news is that the track will cost 1100 bucks plus the additional 2 labor not covered which is a grand total of 1500 bucks!!! Oh and by the way we can't put your glass back on. Wait what? He tells me they had to remove the glass roof in order to diagnos the issue. In the process the track slided all the way back and will not come forward which is what the glass roof attaches to! I went out to look at it and sure enough it was so. With that they put plastic over the opening and tape it down with body tape.
At this point I am pretty pissed!!! Plus it was late and I was ready to go home so I told them I would get back with them and he sent me on my way. Which looking back on it I should have stayed...........half way home that plastic and tape started coming off which was super loud flapping around on the highway. I pulled off the road and called them back and l laid into the guy. Basically (in a not so happy tone if you get my drift) I told the service advisor I gave him my truck with the sunroof attached and closed just not working and now I have no roof at all. Basically I got my truck back worse then it was when I dropped it off. I went on to say that it also forces me to fix this sooner then later which is BS. I told him I want my truck back they way I dropped it off, with the glass roof at least back on the truck so I can drive it as this is my DD and will give me time to figure out how to deal with the repair. He tells me he will talk to his manager and see if they can try to put the glass back on and will call me tomorrow, which as I type this is today.
As soon as I got home I called Ford Customer Service and explained to them my situation and added a few other facts that I realized. They have started a case file for me to see if they can take care of me.
Here is few things I want to point out:
First why doesn't Ford extended or other extended warranty not cover this? My extended warranty company explained to me it falls under trim which they do not cover. This is BS, it isn't a trim piece. It is has moving parts and isn't a trim item. Along with this, if Ford doesn't cover this, it means they know that it is a faulty design from the get go. I only have 47K on my truck and don't use the sunroof all that often. So I shouldn't even be dealing with this.
Second, this a 900 dollar upgrade but it cost 1100 dollars just for the track? That doesn't include the glass and motor? And that 1100 isn't with labor? I am confused by this because they originally told me before I even brought the truck on that if the track need to be replaced it would cost 1200 to fix (labor included).
Third, my service advisor told me the track need to be replaced (nothing more) but after he spoke to my extended warranty company all of a sudden the motor is bad which is the only item they cover on sunroofs? Remember I over heard the service advisor tell another employee all they cover is the motor? I just find that weird and fishy. I am not too worried because extended warranty will pay for it but I have a feeling...........
Last, they put me in a position to have to fix my sunroof now rather then later. If they knew that the track would get stuck or had an idea it could, why didn't they tell me first before removing the glass top. They know I cannot drive my DD with no glass so what did they expect me to do? They knew what they were doing.
I spoke to a good friend who happens to be in the body and paint industry and has dealt with sunroof's. I told him all this and you can hear the motor moving the track it just gets to a point where it stops and slides back. He thinks he can fix it but he won't be able to look at it till Sunday. He thinks the motor is fine too.
Right now I am waiting for the Dealer to call me about putting my glass top back on. If they call me and tell me they will reattach my glass top I will just wait to see what Ford Customer Relations will do to make the full repairs. If they tell me they cannot reattach it, I will have my buddy look at it tomorrow. If he does fix I am going to raise hell with my local Ford deal and Ford Customer relations. If he learns that the motor is truly shot even if he can fix the track I am just going to work with Ford Customer relations and hope they help me out.
I am just at this point frustrated plus I don't like how this dealer is handling this. I find a few things aren't add up
Sounds like those that buy ESP need to read all of the fine print in the extended warranty coverage. This is one of the reasons I don't like sunroofs and never open mine.
The exclusions on ESP/warranties are very specific and detailed. There can causation language in there as well. I was looking at one for my former BMW 550iGT and for $5k the exclusions were on everything that I had read that goes wrong with the cars. Fuel systems, exhaust etc. Hence my former BMW.
The exclusions doesn't state anything about sunroofs. Plus they said it falls under trim pieces? Explain to me how this falls under trim? It is a mechanical moving hardware issue.
The exclusions doesn't state anything about sunroofs. Plus they said it falls under trim pieces? Explain to me how this falls under trim? It is a mechanical moving hardware issue.
This purely a guess at this point but I would bet it's considered trim because of it being an optional trim lever.
Which level Ford ESP do you have?
The sunroof track and motor are both covered under the Ford PremiumCARE ESP. Had the track on my Fiesta replaced at 76k, $100 deductible is all I paid.
Only the glass and seals are not covered on the PremiumCARE plan. Nothing on the sunroof is covered on the PowertrainCARE, BaseCARE or ExtraCARE plans.
Yes the Ford ESP premium care covers it, another example of why I tell people DO NOT buy aftermarket extended warranties.
I have the premium care on my truck and my wife's truck, many were the times people would come to my dealer expecting something to be covered only to find the Op's dilemma. Grown men in tears. If I'm not mistaken it also covers the seals and glass.
It is possible that they told the warranty company the motor was bad in order to get the bulk of the labor covered. On the other hand, it is strange that they tell you one price to replace it, then come back with another to just replace the track. It does sound like they are trying to double-dip the warranty company; take a $1200 dollar repair and turn it into $2500.
09-19-2015, 08:05 AM
Ford Dealer and extended Warranty suck!
