Evidently It's Not Just Toyota

We all read threads and multiple posts about all the problems (especially transmissions) in the '16 Tacoma. Well it looks like the largest producer of P/U trucks has their issues as well:

Business In Gear
Ford recalls 285K Explorers, F-150s, and more with transmission, suspension problems

Ford issued five recalls today, with most affected vehicles being Ford-model trucks and SUVs. Combined, the recalls affect roughly 285,000 vehicles in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.


By Richard Read, The Car Connection April 27, 2016

 

I don't think anyone argues that vehicles, especially first year ones, have issues. The problem is that Toyota seems to think it is ok to say problems are "normal" or "characteristic."

At least ford issued a recall for their problem.

 

Toyota just doesn't want to admit the issues and won't issue a recall

 

Toyota reminds me of my ex, didn't wonna break up even after i cheated on her.

 

Just because other companies suck, doesn't mean it's okay for ours to suck too.

 

Any machine is going to have problems and that will never change.

 

Any and every vehicle can and will have issues

 

Maybe all the manufacturer 's are using shemales instead of tannys now.

 

The article I saw about the Ford recalls said it covers nothing newer than 2015 model year. The Tacoma is a 2016. No company in their right mind would say there is a problem before they have a fix rolled out. While I'm not saying Toyota will admit there is a problem, keep in mind that Ford is only now admitting there is a problem after they had time to develop, test, and implement the fix. If we use Ford as an example, it takes 1+ year to go through that process.

 

I would have to agree, just look back on the Prius recalls a few years back, took them a while to admit their was a problem even though the lawsuits mounted.

 

I have only been a Toyota owner for 5 months, and a Ford owner for 9 years, but I do think Ford is a better company and addresses issues/deals with customers better.

I'm not a loyalist to anything, I'll buy what ever product suits my needs. I don't get blind loyalty to companies because they are foreign or domestic. I like the company that does what they do well.

I don't mind working with a Ford dealer, I hate Toyota dealers with a passion. They treat you like crap and act like they are only for rich people and fan boys. They honestly expect you to be a blind brand loyalist.

Love my Taco, dislike the Toyota culture. The brand is not the shit with no fails to their name.

 

I agree with much of what you're saying except with the fact that all Toyota Dealers have a certain attitude. I've dealt with arrogant pricks at GM dealerships, Honda, and Toyota. I've also dealt with some really great sales folks at Toyota, Honda and GM dealerships. My old man started as a used car dealer and worked his way up to GM then owner of a Ford franchise over the course of about 3 decades. He had all walks of life working for him as well as how he himself was perceived. I believe my dad has always been a good stand up guy, but I'm biased. Some people probably thought he was a jerk when things didn't go their way. Business is Business. People are people. There are more crazy and fucked up customers than there are dealers. I can promise you that.

 

Right on smitty99...I would have to agree whole heartedly...

Lots of coffee at the 8:30 , sometimes its better to agree and nod than to shake shit up and get the hell out of the meeting..

 

All of them that I have dealt with. So just speaking from my personal experience. I think it may have a lot to do with the type of vehicles they sell too. Fords are more customizable, Toyota has set trim levels. I get a more take it or leave it attitude from Toyota. I found it off putting.

 

You have obviously never had to take a Ford vehicle in for warranty service. Telling you they can't replicate the problem is the very first step on their checklist. Then if you demonstrate the issue for them, they tell you that is normal and nothing to worry about. If you persist and insist that it is not normal, then they will blame it on your driving habits and claim it is normal wear and tear and not a warranty item.

I fought with them for over a year over the brakes on my Ranger, and despite finally fixing the problem by installing 3rd party aftermarket calipers on the front brakes, and having issued a recall for the exact same brake issue on earlier model years and F150s using the same brakes, they never issued a recall for my model year.

So no, Ford is not different. They deny and deny and deny just like any other manufacturer and you can bet they didn't issue the recall willingly.

 

I think that take it or leave it attitude also stems from the fact that some of them have this 'holier than thou' demeanor because of how popular the Tacoma is. They don't have to bend to your liking, someone else will be along shortly. At least I got that feeling when I was looking for a Tacoma a few months ago, and I went to several dealerships around southern california.

But there are good ones out there, the dealership I eventually bought my truck from was a pretty negative experience overall save for the sales manager who has actually been very accommodating to me even after the sale was final and I had a few issues to work out. The saleslady that worked with me on the actual sale though couldn't care less about me or my concerns. I really do loathe the car buying experience, some people are good at the game but it just stresses me out.

 

I agree. Especially about the 2016. *eye roll*

 

It's the dealer not ford themselves. Unless they send an engineer out for a problem and the engineer himself says its normal, you can't fully blame ford. Same goes for Toyota dealerships and every other manufacture. People seem to forget that dealerships are independent. One might find and fix the problem while another will beat around the bush. This kinda stuff happens everywhere. If you don't like one place or aren't satisfied then exercise your right to go somewhere else.

 

I would agree with you if I hadn't elevated the concern to the Regional Service Manager for Ford and been directed by him to "his best service group". I explained to them that the problem only happened with the brakes after the truck had been driven for a while at higher speeds (50+) and the wheels and brakes were heated up. They kept my truck for 3 days, and then called and told me nobody could replicate the problem. I spoke to their service manager when I picked the truck up, and was told that the service manager himself, his best technician, and two other technicians had each driven the truck for long test drives, and nobody could make it happen. I went out to get into the truck and looked at the odometer. On those 4 separate long test drives where they had tried their best to duplicate my problem...they had put a grand total of 9 miles on the odometer. I called and raised hell with the regional guy again and registered a complaint with their national customer support group. I then got sent to a 3rd dealership, and the exact same script started again...same responses, same claims. It wasn't until I dropped in one day and told the service manager to get in the truck with me a go for a ride that I got some traction. When he stepped on the brakes at 45 mph and went across 2 lanes of traffic before he could straighten out the wheel, he finally admitted that what was happening wasn't normal and wasn't "just my driving style".

I agree with you that a lot of dealerships are just crappy and their service people suck...regardless of which brand they are representing. I mainly posted because the poster I was responding to was assuming that Ford's recall meant they were somehow different than Toyota. The recall applied to previous year's models, and was likely the result of hundreds or thousands of complaints over the course of several years. Exactly the kind of record people are being encouraged to create by contacting Toyota's national support line for their 2016 issues. None of these companies do a recall out of the goodness of their hearts or because it is the "right thing to do". They do them because there is evidence of a serious and systemic problem, and usually because the alternative is for the NTSB to force them to order the recall if they refuse to do it voluntarily.

 

What issues are there to warrant a recall on?