Will only charge at 120V

[brad]

So here's what happened:

1) Check my MyFordMobile app. Tells me my car has a "charge fault."
2) Go to car, all sections of charge ring are blinking.
3) Turn on car, yellow wrench light on.
4) Verified car will move.
5) Plug in my level 2 charger again. No charging lights. Car will not charge.
6) Plug in my 120V charger, charging OK.
7) Plug in my level 2 charger, not charging. I have been using this charger since last December.
8) Call local Ford dealer (Sunnyvale, CA). Cannot fit me into schedule for 3 weeks. Cannot authorize rental car until service manager "gets back in."
9) Call Ford dealer where I bought my car (San Leandro). Cannot fit me into schedule until next week. Cannot authorize rental car until service advisor "gets back in."

Seriously Ford? HORRENDOUS service.

Any ideas for what I can do? I commute 70 miles a day so I need the level 2 charging. I also NEED my car to drive in the HOV lave, as I have the unfortunate task of driving through 237 and 880 everyday! Local folks should know how bad it is.

 

[hybridbear]

So here's what happened:

1) Check my MyFordMobile app. Tells me my car has a "charge fault."
2) Go to car, all sections of charge ring are blinking.
3) Turn on car, yellow wrench light on.
4) Verified car will move.
5) Plug in my level 2 charger again. No charging lights. Car will not charge.
6) Plug in my 120V charger, charging OK.
7) Plug in my level 2 charger, not charging. I have been using this charger since last December.
8) Call local Ford dealer (Sunnyvale, CA). Cannot fit me into schedule for 3 weeks. Cannot authorize rental car until service manager "gets back in."
9) Call Ford dealer where I bought my car (San Leandro). Cannot fit me into schedule until next week. Cannot authorize rental car until service advisor "gets back in."

Seriously Ford? HORRENDOUS service.

Any ideas for what I can do? I commute 70 miles a day so I need the level 2 charging. I also NEED my car to drive in the HOV lave, as I have the unfortunate task of driving through 237 and 880 everyday! Local folks should know how bad it is.

I recommend that you reach out to Ford Service on Twitter or Facebook. They might be able to get your regional CSM involved to help make your process go more smoothly.

I completely understand your frustration & have felt them same way at times, but unfortunately the dealer isn't required to provide you with a loaner. Tesla seems to be the only company that really goes above and beyond for customer service when doing warranty work.

 

[brad]

Thanks, I will try that. By the way, I called another dealer (Frontier Ford) and they also have a week waitlist and cannot authorize a loaner. I was thinking about getting a 2015 F-150 but will not buy another Ford again.

 

[ElSupreme]

Try to go to a public Level 2 charger and see if that works.

At least you can find out if it is your EVSE or the FFE.

I would bet your EVSE is causing the problem.

 

[hybridbear]

Thanks, I will try that. By the way, I called another dealer (Frontier Ford) and they also have a week waitlist and cannot authorize a loaner. I was thinking about getting a 2015 F-150 but will not buy another Ford again.

I think you'll find that all companies are like this, except Tesla. Perhaps if you buy a Lincoln or Audi or Mercedes you'll get better service, but the mainstream brands seem to all act the same.

 

[jmueller065]

Seriously Ford? HORRENDOUS service.

A few observations:
1. Your beef is with the dealers and not Ford. As the dealers like to keep pointing out during the Tesla kerflap they are independent from the mothership and thus your "I will never buy another Ford" is punishing the wrong people.
2. I agree: Take it to a local public charge station and see if it charges there--if it does your issue is with your EVSE (and then you wouldn't have to involve a dealer at all)
3. It is very difficult these days to find a good dealer, but when you do...your golden.

 

[brad]

I forgot to mention that it is not the EVSE. I already tried with another EVSE.

With regards to Ford, it seems to be a corporate policy as far as what they deem covered for a loaner car, so it's not necessarily a dealer issue.

Admittedly, I have mainly owned German cars so I suppose I am "used to" a certain standard

 

[hybridbear]

I forgot to mention that it is not the EVSE. I already tried with another EVSE.

With regards to Ford, it seems to be a corporate policy as far as what they deem covered for a loaner car, so it's not necessarily a dealer issue.

Admittedly, I have mainly owned German cars so I suppose I am "used to" a certain standard

The Ford warranty booklet states that they are not required to provide you with a loaner. They also are not required to replenish the gasoline they use from your tank while it's at the dealer (assuming you have a gas car). Many dealers will provide loaners as good customer service, but it comes out of their pocket. Some dealers will only provide loaners for customers who bought the car at that dealer.

 

[jmueller065]

The Ford dealers in SE Michigan seem to have a deal with Enterprise: They give you a voucher worth $X/day if you want a bigger car you pay the difference (ironically we got a VW rental when we recently had to take the wife's Escape in for service).

(I say "seem" because I only have two datapoints: Our dealer and a dealer a coworker has been using for his FFE. More on that story here: http://jamiegeek.myevblog.com/2014/08/04/more-on-that-melting/ )

 

[hybridbear]

The dealer where we bought our white FFH has their own rental fleet which they use. The rental counter operates as a separate business entity which just rents an office from the dealership.

Two other Ford dealers where I had the black FFH serviced both provided loaners through Enterprise. They arranged the vehicle and Enterprise provided whatever they had in stock. I had a wide range of cars, from a Nissan Versa to a Chevy Silverado 1500.