Rockwood
Well-known member
- May 5, 2021
- 5,028
- 6,402
So, yeah. My 2020 Mustang GT developed a clunk in the LR suspension that got progressively worse. With me in the car, it would clunk in parking lots on offset bumps 1-2 times before parking. With the whole family, it was a constant clunk for any/all bumps.
Jul 17, took it in to Penske Ford La Mesa, mechanic rode with me in the parking lot, heard the clunk and acknowledged the problem (thankfully no "could not repeat diagnosis"). Get a call later that day that they couldn't diagnose, needed to keep it. No loaners available.
Jul 19, get a call that it's the shocks, should come in the 20th and done by COB, no loaners available.
Jul 21, call them in the morning, leave a message, no return call. Text at noon, no return call. STOP BY THE DEALER, was told that the shocks didn't fix it and they "think it's in the body" but no further explanation. No loaners available.
Jul 22, get a call that it's still not done, but loaner will be available in the morning.
Jul 23, get the loaner (which smells like someone upchucked Indian food in it), still no diagnosis. New tech will be working on it. Have a buddy who had the same clunk out of warranty, Go Pro'd the rear suspension and saw the upper control arms deflecting under load, replaced, clunk gone. Call Service Manager to let him know, no answer, left a message. Curious how long this would take, I leave the message be and see when he returns it.
Jul 26, no call back.
Jul 27, no call back.
Jul 28, I give up and call, leave yet another message, and finally get a call back. "#1 tech in CA is working on it", no diagnosis, and have to convince him to give me his email address so I can send him the video.
Jul 29, today, getting VERY frustrated that it's been in the shop for 2 weeks. Meanwhile, I'm paying for either a 97 Jeep or a smelly 2018 Ford Edge V6 and not the Mustang.
8/12/21
Call from Ford: replaced subframe bushings, clunking still there…
So, thoughts? Call Ford? Call Service Manager Manager? Burn the building with my car in it to the ground? Any leverage I have? Buttons to push?
**** UPDATES ****
7/29/21
Got a call from the Service Director at Penske. Very apologetic for the communications issues and will personally give me status updates every other day. All I could really ask for, as I understand that sometimes sheeyit happens.
Problem itself: apparently is when the shock is removed (already replaced), the sound goes away, so either a problem with spot welds on the body, or the shock adds juuuuust enough load to the knuckle to tweak a suspect bushing into knocking. Either way, it's not a simple swap a part and voila! done. Just turns out to be an overworked employee not communicating well. Communications are now perfect, so I'll be patient again.
8/3/21
Ford's ears must've been burning: got a call from their rep, who isn't getting a call back from the Service Advisor at Penske either.
Supposed to get a call back tomorrow (8/4/21) on this, laid the groundwork for some sort of credit as well.
8/17/21
There were some updates, but nothing crazy. At exactly 30 days, they've diagnosed the problem and it's not news I wanted. Basically, the upper shock mount on these cars sucks, which makes sense since there are a metric crapload of aftermarket options. There is no fix with OEM Ford parts, unfortunately.
9/3/21
1 day shy of 7 weeks later, I got her back. First, obligatory picture:
Good to have her back. After 6 weeks in a V6 Edge (yes, 6, since no loaner for a week), I forgot how awesome this car is.
Anyway, diagnosis:
Clunk to my ear appears resolved. Have not put the family in it (when the clunk was especially heinous), but seems good for now. The repair order is 3 pages of parts, notes, labor, etc. Replaced subframe bushings, shocks, mounts, bolts, this/that/other on the way here. Looks like 33 hours total billed.
Now for the fun with Ford. Customer care just called today and first offered an extended service plan (wowzer! What a deal!), then offered one month payment, and now 2 months' payment before she had no more authority. Nice, but there were other costs incurred during this time (registration, wear and tear from 60 miles of test driving that went from 21mpg average to 11mpg, empty gas tank when I got it back, insurance, etc). Holding out for more, which I think I'll get given how easily this car qualifies for Lemon replacement.
Stay tuned. This has definitely soured my opinion of the manufacturer. Before this, they got the benefit of the doubt on a coin toss decision (I'm definitely not a brand loyalist, but certain brands hold more sway for me all else equal). Today... Meh.
10/8/21
So, I'm still dealing with the aftermath of this.
To date: Ford engineers were VERY invasive in trying to find this problem. First, the problem itself: since getting it back, I have not heard a single clunk from the rear suspension. My assumption is Penske Ford was putting the car in a situation that would make the noise no matter what was on the car since it was likely smashing the bumpstops. When I brought the car in, I would get constant clunks just driving through a parking lot. Now, nothing. Hell, yesterday I had 800lbs of myself and coworkers in the vehicle along with a hundred pounds in the trunk driving around Rosecrans area, nothing at all. So likely 6 weeks of investigation was spent chasing a ghost.
On to the investigation. During this time, Ford removed seam sealer on spot welds, crimped interior sheetmetal without re-painting, dented the sheetmetal in the door jamb, and a number of other things.
Penske Ford has been very communicative during this, I honestly have no ill will towards them.
Ford corporate, on the other hand. Ugh. I've requested repairs for these items at a bodyshop I trust. To date, Ford is offering me 2 months of payments for the 7 weeks it was in the shop (refuses to pay insurance or registration), and HALF of the repair costs. Yes. Half. Odd that I need to pay half of these damages, since I don't remember doing any of this.
So, I'm assuming that since I haven't received a call from Ford for 2 weeks, they're unwilling to resolve this. Anyone know any other course of action? Hire a good Lemon attorney? Only bummer is if I request a replacement, it'll be a 2021 chip shortage model that's been sitting in the parking lot for 6 months, then finished with rusty workers. Requesting my money back means I have to pay Covid tax on an alternative. This sucks.
10/13/21
And, Ford "upper management" decided to pull the credit for repairs after their engineer did a ringer on my car. No way I could sell this without anyone worth their salt noticing it, and trying to explain that it wasn't in an accident but this was Ford's "repair" would go over like a lead balloon.
So, arbitration I go.
I'll keep the first post of the thread updated so it's clear to any who read this on how it was resolved without having to read 3 pages of Speed UTV style thread. :biggrin:
Jul 17, took it in to Penske Ford La Mesa, mechanic rode with me in the parking lot, heard the clunk and acknowledged the problem (thankfully no "could not repeat diagnosis"). Get a call later that day that they couldn't diagnose, needed to keep it. No loaners available.
Jul 19, get a call that it's the shocks, should come in the 20th and done by COB, no loaners available.
Jul 21, call them in the morning, leave a message, no return call. Text at noon, no return call. STOP BY THE DEALER, was told that the shocks didn't fix it and they "think it's in the body" but no further explanation. No loaners available.
Jul 22, get a call that it's still not done, but loaner will be available in the morning.
Jul 23, get the loaner (which smells like someone upchucked Indian food in it), still no diagnosis. New tech will be working on it. Have a buddy who had the same clunk out of warranty, Go Pro'd the rear suspension and saw the upper control arms deflecting under load, replaced, clunk gone. Call Service Manager to let him know, no answer, left a message. Curious how long this would take, I leave the message be and see when he returns it.
Jul 26, no call back.
Jul 27, no call back.
Jul 28, I give up and call, leave yet another message, and finally get a call back. "#1 tech in CA is working on it", no diagnosis, and have to convince him to give me his email address so I can send him the video.
Jul 29, today, getting VERY frustrated that it's been in the shop for 2 weeks. Meanwhile, I'm paying for either a 97 Jeep or a smelly 2018 Ford Edge V6 and not the Mustang.
8/12/21
Call from Ford: replaced subframe bushings, clunking still there…
So, thoughts? Call Ford? Call Service Manager Manager? Burn the building with my car in it to the ground? Any leverage I have? Buttons to push?
**** UPDATES ****
7/29/21
Got a call from the Service Director at Penske. Very apologetic for the communications issues and will personally give me status updates every other day. All I could really ask for, as I understand that sometimes sheeyit happens.
Problem itself: apparently is when the shock is removed (already replaced), the sound goes away, so either a problem with spot welds on the body, or the shock adds juuuuust enough load to the knuckle to tweak a suspect bushing into knocking. Either way, it's not a simple swap a part and voila! done. Just turns out to be an overworked employee not communicating well. Communications are now perfect, so I'll be patient again.
8/3/21
Ford's ears must've been burning: got a call from their rep, who isn't getting a call back from the Service Advisor at Penske either.
Supposed to get a call back tomorrow (8/4/21) on this, laid the groundwork for some sort of credit as well.
8/17/21
There were some updates, but nothing crazy. At exactly 30 days, they've diagnosed the problem and it's not news I wanted. Basically, the upper shock mount on these cars sucks, which makes sense since there are a metric crapload of aftermarket options. There is no fix with OEM Ford parts, unfortunately.
9/3/21
1 day shy of 7 weeks later, I got her back. First, obligatory picture:
Good to have her back. After 6 weeks in a V6 Edge (yes, 6, since no loaner for a week), I forgot how awesome this car is.
Anyway, diagnosis:
Clunk to my ear appears resolved. Have not put the family in it (when the clunk was especially heinous), but seems good for now. The repair order is 3 pages of parts, notes, labor, etc. Replaced subframe bushings, shocks, mounts, bolts, this/that/other on the way here. Looks like 33 hours total billed.
Now for the fun with Ford. Customer care just called today and first offered an extended service plan (wowzer! What a deal!), then offered one month payment, and now 2 months' payment before she had no more authority. Nice, but there were other costs incurred during this time (registration, wear and tear from 60 miles of test driving that went from 21mpg average to 11mpg, empty gas tank when I got it back, insurance, etc). Holding out for more, which I think I'll get given how easily this car qualifies for Lemon replacement.
Stay tuned. This has definitely soured my opinion of the manufacturer. Before this, they got the benefit of the doubt on a coin toss decision (I'm definitely not a brand loyalist, but certain brands hold more sway for me all else equal). Today... Meh.
10/8/21
So, I'm still dealing with the aftermath of this.
To date: Ford engineers were VERY invasive in trying to find this problem. First, the problem itself: since getting it back, I have not heard a single clunk from the rear suspension. My assumption is Penske Ford was putting the car in a situation that would make the noise no matter what was on the car since it was likely smashing the bumpstops. When I brought the car in, I would get constant clunks just driving through a parking lot. Now, nothing. Hell, yesterday I had 800lbs of myself and coworkers in the vehicle along with a hundred pounds in the trunk driving around Rosecrans area, nothing at all. So likely 6 weeks of investigation was spent chasing a ghost.
On to the investigation. During this time, Ford removed seam sealer on spot welds, crimped interior sheetmetal without re-painting, dented the sheetmetal in the door jamb, and a number of other things.
Penske Ford has been very communicative during this, I honestly have no ill will towards them.
Ford corporate, on the other hand. Ugh. I've requested repairs for these items at a bodyshop I trust. To date, Ford is offering me 2 months of payments for the 7 weeks it was in the shop (refuses to pay insurance or registration), and HALF of the repair costs. Yes. Half. Odd that I need to pay half of these damages, since I don't remember doing any of this.
So, I'm assuming that since I haven't received a call from Ford for 2 weeks, they're unwilling to resolve this. Anyone know any other course of action? Hire a good Lemon attorney? Only bummer is if I request a replacement, it'll be a 2021 chip shortage model that's been sitting in the parking lot for 6 months, then finished with rusty workers. Requesting my money back means I have to pay Covid tax on an alternative. This sucks.
10/13/21
And, Ford "upper management" decided to pull the credit for repairs after their engineer did a ringer on my car. No way I could sell this without anyone worth their salt noticing it, and trying to explain that it wasn't in an accident but this was Ford's "repair" would go over like a lead balloon.
So, arbitration I go.
I'll keep the first post of the thread updated so it's clear to any who read this on how it was resolved without having to read 3 pages of Speed UTV style thread. :biggrin:
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