aussiew Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 A few weeks ago my rear passenger doors and rear cargo door wouldn't unlock or open (even from the inside) - almost like they are jammed. The front doors will open and close, but must be locked and unlocked manually. The remote thingy will unlock the front driver's door, but won't lock it. So, I take it into a Ford dealer. They spent all day trying to diagnose the problem and the service advisor says he has never seen anything like this. So, at 4pm, he calls and says they had to trace through the electrical circuit and found that my assessory module had a short in it. They didn't know what caused the short, but they would have to replace the module ($380 for P & L) before they could trace the circuit any further. So I say, if I authorize this repair, you replace the module and you keep going with this "tracing the circuit", you could then find something else?? "Yes", he says, "but we don't know what has caused the module to short out". So, I picked up the car because I was uncomfortable with the answers I was getting - they didn't seem logical to me and I was afraid that after they put in the module, they would find something even more serious. They charged me $80 for the diagnosis. So, now I'm thinking of going to another Ford Dealer for a 2nd opinion. But I could end up spending the same amount getting "opinions" as the initial repair would have cost. It's getting to be a real hassle, not being able to open the back doors or the rear cargo door, and I'm stumped. Has anyone ever heard of this problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flomoe Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 Sorry to hear about your problems Aussie and I can't help you. All I do know is that ever since I started with an 80 Granada and several Fords after that I finally vowed NEVER to buy a Ford product again. I have been given the runaround by Ford so many times over the years that I just can't do it ever again. My case in point: had a poor quality (which several mechanics have verified) radiator in a Thunderbird that went, $500, which caused the head gasket to go, $1200, which shortly after caused a lower engine oil pressure problem to occur, new engine $1500+. Poor quality, poor service and very poor customer service. Take your chances and go to an outside mechanic not related to Ford and see what they say, it's probably a faulty switch of some sort and will cost $100. Just a guess but I've learned that unfortunately dealing with Ford. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiew Posted October 27, 2004 Author Share Posted October 27, 2004 Sorry you've had such bad luck Flomoe. Mine has been the opposite up till now. I 've had Fords for 20 years now and no serious problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 A few weeks ago my rear passenger doors and rear cargo door wouldn't unlock or open (even from the inside) - almost like they are jammed. The front doors will open and close, but must be locked and unlocked manually. The remote thingy will unlock the front driver's door, but won't lock it. So, I take it into a Ford dealer. They spent all day trying to diagnose the problem and the service advisor says he has never seen anything like this. So, at 4pm, he calls and says they had to trace through the electrical circuit and found that my assessory module had a short in it. They didn't know what caused the short, but they would have to replace the module ($380 for P & L) before they could trace the circuit any further. So I say, if I authorize this repair, you replace the module and you keep going with this "tracing the circuit", you could then find something else?? "Yes", he says, "but we don't know what has caused the module to short out". So, I picked up the car because I was uncomfortable with the answers I was getting - they didn't seem logical to me and I was afraid that after they put in the module, they would find something even more serious. They charged me $80 for the diagnosis. So, now I'm thinking of going to another Ford Dealer for a 2nd opinion. But I could end up spending the same amount getting "opinions" as the initial repair would have cost. It's getting to be a real hassle, not being able to open the back doors or the rear cargo door, and I'm stumped. Has anyone ever heard of this problem? 88328[/snapback] I would never take my car to the dealership for a diagnosis. They are notorious for what you're seeing right now. I doubt they can't bypass that module to continue the diagnostic. I would check around for a reputable local shop, personally. Those people rely on not screwing their customers over to stay in business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPR4444 Posted October 27, 2004 Share Posted October 27, 2004 <<All I do know is that ever since I started with an 80 Granada and several Fords after that I finally vowed NEVER to buy a Ford product again>>> Last year, I made a similar vow as Flomoe made. Long story short, I had a transmission problem that occurred at exactly 50,051 miles. That's right, 51 miles beyond the warranty. The local Ford dealer and the corporate headquarters wold do nothing for me to offset even part of the cost of the repair. I'll probably buy another 6, 7 maybe 10 cars in my life, but they won;t be Fords. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiew Posted October 28, 2004 Author Share Posted October 28, 2004 Bump Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeRay Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I'd go for a 2nd opinion... for one thing, mechanics prey on women because they think they're not that knowledgeable when it comes to mechanical issues so they feel they can say and do anything they want and you'll believe it. But... a longer term issue... and i hate to say it, but, American cars are junk. Every Jap car I've bought... Nissan, Honda, Toyota... just runs and runs and runs... 2 years a go I sold a Nissan Sentra that I bought brand new in 91... I sold it with 172K miles on it and I still see the thing running around town. I still have my 93 Mazda 626 ES (produced just as Ford took it over) that my daughter drives and that has 175K on it... unbelieveable. I've got a 2000 Altima with 68K on it... I've done nothing but put tires on it. If it were me, after I get this Focus thing resolved, I'd go looking for a different vehicle and steer clear of an American made one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 This is just a shot in the dark, but did the dealership check the alternator output? If it is providing too much voltage, several things won't function - interior lights, radio, rear wiper, power windows etc. - or they get damaged. Now, I don't want to give a dealer more "fuel" to burn your $$$, but it would be a good thing to have checked. IIRC, Ford, some time ago (maybe they still do), had an anti-theft scheme that made you use *only* their keys, or the car wouldn't start. Maybe something there? - dunno. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 With sophisticated electrical/computer problems, the dealer IS the best place. First, they have the equipment, second, they have manufacturer bulletins of various symptoms and repairs that allow technicians to diagnose problems quicker and more accurately. Corner garages cannot compete with this. Try another dealer, and although you paid $80, consider he did spend time on your car whether he repaired it or not. Here's another help. Try this web-site, it is the best. Go to "ask your questions", and post yours. It will be answered in a day or 2. http://www.carshowtomt.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 there are other sites on line to try [google] find out where other people take there cars locally some good body shops can help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiew Posted October 28, 2004 Author Share Posted October 28, 2004 After further research, I've found that the accessory module is not a "plug and go" part. It contains a microprossesser which has to be programmed with special tooling from Ford. Not something that an independent mechanic could do. My main reason for posting on here was to find out if anyone out there had heard of this problem before. I'm concerned because I haven't come across any mention of this problem in any Ford message boards, service bulletins etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIZ Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 It probably is the module, but I wouldn't pay $380 bucks for one. Go to a junkyard and see if you can get one for $50. Have someone you know put it in. The hardest part it putting it in will be finding where it is located. Probably only a few screws holding it in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 With sophisticated electrical/computer problems, the dealer IS the best place. First, they have the equipment, second, they have manufacturer bulletins of various symptoms and repairs that allow technicians to diagnose problems quicker and more accurately. Corner garages cannot compete with this. Try another dealer, and although you paid $80, consider he did spend time on your car whether he repaired it or not. Here's another help. Try this web-site, it is the best. Go to "ask your questions", and post yours. It will be answered in a day or 2. http://www.carshowtomt.com/ 89537[/snapback] Quite so. Some vehicles today have upwards of 20 microprocessors, and sometimes 2 data busses. The US market, through legislation and lawsuit, demands a very complex construction - recall the small number of children hurt due to passenger seat air bag deployments (unfortunately, no belted child seats were used in most all cases, and small children belong in the rear in the first place) and the mandated passenger bag depressurization. The newest one is the mandate for real-time tire pressure monitoring, coming out of the Explorer/Bridgestone (who owns Firestone) tire problem - that also revealed that folks do not check their tire pressures as often as they should. For good reasons, several large world-wide auto manufacturers do no compete in the US market because of tort and the feeling among some purchasers that they have no responsibility in maintaining their vehicles. It reflects in pricing - everyone pays for the actions of a relative few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIZ Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 After further research, I've found that the accessory module is not a "plug and go" part. It contains a microprossesser which has to be programmed with special tooling from Ford. Not something that an independent mechanic could do.My main reason for posting on here was to find out if anyone out there had heard of this problem before. I'm concerned because I haven't come across any mention of this problem in any Ford message boards, service bulletins etc. 89562[/snapback] Call the Ford company. Tell them you are a lifelong Ford owner. Tell them your problem. I've never worked on Fords, but GM computers (I guess some call them accessory modules) are somewhat plug and go. You have the new module and you have the old module. There is a computer "chip" in each. Take the chip from the faulty one and put it in the new one. The "chips" don't normally go bad, but the computers do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyMannn Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Piz, I'm not sure about some of your recommendations. My son is a certified Ford Tech at a dealership. Some times after doing computer related work on a vehicle, they have to down load software direct from Ford so as to re-set the system. It may not be plug n go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PIZ Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Piz, I'm not sure about some of your recommendations. My son is a certified Ford Tech at a dealership. Some times after doing computer related work on a vehicle, they have to down load software direct from Ford so as to re-set the system. It may not be plug n go 89700[/snapback] Like I said, I've never worked on Fords. I assumed they were similar to GM, but I guess not. You (or your son) sound more qualified than any to answer her question. When you are talking an electrical problem it could be anything. Probalby the dealership would have some kind of warranty with the work they do, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndZoneCrew Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I would sleep with your mechanic........................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet baboo Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I got car problems88328[/snapback] this is a focus? the reliability of these cars is almost as bad as VW jettas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiew Posted October 28, 2004 Author Share Posted October 28, 2004 I would sleep with your mechanic........................ Would you? OK, I'll PM you his phone number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndZoneCrew Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Would you? OK, I'll PM you his phone number. 89891[/snapback] sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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