We recieved a Waranty recall for our 2012 ford focus TCM unit. At issue is if it drops out of gear, or losses power or will not start sometimes, the check light may or may not be on.
Our car seems to have these issues... We think.
We went to the ford dealer and they told us they needed to run a diagnostic for $330 to determine if our tcm needed to be replaced. But if something else turned up on the diagnostic or they decided that it did not need replaced then we are on the hook for the $330.
I am unable to find any details regarding the tcm units in question. And our car has 120,000 miles on it so probably will show other issues maybe. Don't know if the dealer won't list those things to be fixed before they can diagnose the TCM ..... ummmm. I Ran my little cheap unit to check for codes and don't see anything.
We really can not afford to gamble $330 to determine if ours really needs replaced. Like a catch 22.
The question is, is there any way to check that would let me know before taking to the dealer again? More cheaply than $330?
Customer Satisfaction Program 14M02 is what the letter states, we have an automatic transmission. Ford is extending the waranty coverage on our Focus to cover this repacement for free(lol).
The document clearly states:
It also states that Ford will reimburse dealers 0.3 hours for the diagnostic time IF the TCM replacement IS NOT REQUIRED:
And if you look at the Diagnostic Procedure all the dealer is going to do is to take YOUR description of the drivability issues you're having and then they'll hook up their scanner to look for certain trouble codes and if they find them they'll consult their workshop manual to see if it recommends replacing the TCM.
The amount of time to hook up a scanner and retrieve the codes and then consult the workshop manual is less than 0.3 hours which is reimbursed to the dealer by Ford.
You should contact Ford Customer Service and demand that they instruct the dealer to perform the Diagnostic Procedure at no cost to you like the document clearly says.
The document is extremely confusing and contradictory. Further down (Dealer Q&A, attachment IV page 1) they state:
.
"Q6. If a vehicle exhibits these symptoms but diagnosis indicates that it is not caused by the
transmission control module, is the repair covered?
A. No. There can be many causes for the symptoms that are described. If diagnosis indicates
that the transmission control module is not the causal component, diagnosis and repairs are
not covered under this program."
.
the page header is titled "Supplement #4"
.
It would make sense that the labour allowance supercedes everything else, so hopefully that's the case
One way , or another, this is the process that needs to happen on your vehicle. That's the only way Ford will fix it.
Your cheap unit can't do it.
You could take it to a tranny shop for diagnosis, and maybe it'll be cheaper, but you'll never get your money back.
I think you're going to have to bite the bullet. $330 aint that bad as far as vehicle maintenance goes.
they told us... not need replaced then we are on the hook for the $330.
it's very possible that they either did not bother to read the most "recent" information (recent in quotes because it's actually 4 years old), or they know about it, and they're trying to pull a fast one on you and hoping you'll never bother looking into it yourself (most likely). Which means they charge you $330, and then get a payment from Ford for $330, meaning they scam two parties for $660 for running a scan and reading a chart.
You should go back and tell them that no you won't pay, because they are being reimbursed by Ford per supplement #4. Bring the document with you in case they give you trouble. Or go to a different dealership altogether and boycott this one.