So Your Warranty Claim Has Been Denied: What You Should Do and How to Go About It.
The Mustang Owner Guide reveals Ford's suggested procedure for challenging a problem with a dealership. It details a three-step process.
"If you have questions or concerns, or are unsatisfied with the service you are receiving, follow these steps:
1. Contact your Sales Representative or Service Advisor at your selling/servicing authorized dealer.
2. If your inquiry or concern remains unresolved, contact the Sales Manager, Service Manager, or Customer Relations Manager.
3. If you require assistance or clarification on Ford Motor Company policies or procedures, please contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center at 1-800-392-3673 (FORD)."
The Guide goes on to say that if this three-step procedure doesn't lead to your being satisfied, the next step is to use the aforementioned Dispute Settlement Board.
Whether it's the DSB or a full-blown suit (be it a state court suit or the federal suit one might need to file following an unsatisfactory DSB outcome), you'll need some tools in your arsenal to help combat Ford Motor Company and anyone else involved. Perhaps most importantly, competent legal counsel is indispensable in a court of law, and can also be helpful during DSB procedures.
Once again, I'll have the learned Mr. Golick state his take on exactly what to do, starting from the point where your warranty claim has first been denied by a dealership. "Go to an independent shop and get a certified, experienced mechanic or expert to make a statement saying that the personalized items installed on the car did not contribute to the loss. Then, go back to the dealer and show them what this expert said; tell them you think they should reverse their decision on not honoring your warranty, and that you're aware of the Magnuson-Moss act and their responsibilities under it.
"But don't be confrontational. You want the dealer to be sympathetic in the vein that you're his customer, and your goodwill is going to help sell another car to a family member or friend. Again, if you get at odds with the dealer, you risk the possibility of them going in and putting your warranty as voided in the computer system. The key is you've got to be smart in knowing that it's not like you haven't touched the car; it has, after all, been personalized. You can't press the issue and try to outsmart someone and get him or her angry at you. So, if things get touchy, simply walk away and take the car to another dealership; this is the very best thing you can do before getting Ford or the law involved."
"If multiple dealers don't want to do the work, call Ford in Michigan via its toll-free number," Golick says. "Ask for assistance on your warranty claim. If Michigan is not responding quickly enough, the customer can call Ford's regional office directly. They'll usually tell you to go back to the same dealer, and will meet with you at the dealership and have you present your case. If the factory agrees with the dealer that the vehicle has been misused from its original design intent (abuse and/or modification), the customer then has no recourse other than to file a lawsuit."
If you get to this point where things simply aren't working out, don't be afraid to use the legal system. We've heard many a Mustang owner complain that the Magnuson-Moss act and state law are meaningless unless you're willing to go to court.
This might be true if one is dealing with a stubborn dealership that has no prior experience with such lawsuits, but if worst comes to worst, go to court (assuming you've already used the Dispute Settlement Board in the case of a Magnuson-Moss federal suit). The filing fee for a complaint and the attorney's fees to file surely aren't free, but the investment will pay off. It will force the dealer to get Ford involved, and since dealerships often must share in any legal fees Ford incurs, they'll have all the more incentive to settle. And best of all, the next time a warranty issue comes up, that dealership will be much more reluctant to wrongfully deny your-or any other customer's-claim.