Customer Assistance

FORD EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN

You can get more protection for your new car or light truck by purchasing Ford Extended Service Plan (Ford ESP) coverage. Ford ESP is an optional service contract which is backed by Ford Motor Company or Ford Motor Service Company (in the U.S.) and Ford of Canada (in Canada). It provides the following:

  • Benefits during the warranty period depending on the plan you purchase (such as: reimbursement for rentals; coverage for certain maintenance and wear items).
  • Protection against covered repair costs after your Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty expires.

You may purchase Ford ESP from any participating Ford and Lincoln Mercury and Ford of Canada dealer. There are several plans available in various time, distance and deductible combinations which can be tailored to fit your own driving needs. Ford ESP also offers reimbursement benefits for towing and rental coverage.

When you buy Ford ESP, you receive Peace-of-Mind protection throughout the United States and Canada, provided by a network of more than 5,000 participating Ford or Lincoln Mercury and Ford of Canada dealers.

If you did not take advantage of the Ford Extended Service Plan at the time of purchasing your vehicle, you may still be eligible. Since this information is subject to change, please ask your dealer for complete details about Ford Extended Service Plan coverage options, or visit the Ford ESP website at www.ford-esp.com.

GETTING THE SERVICES YOU NEED

At home

Ford Motor Company and Ford of Canada have authorized dealerships to service your vehicle. It is preferred that you return to the authorized dealer where your vehicle was purchased when warranty repairs are needed. However, you may also take your vehicle to another Ford Motor Company or Ford of Canada dealership authorized for warranty repairs.

Certain warranty repairs require special training though, so not all dealers are authorized to perform all warranty repairs. That means that depending on the warranty repair needed, the vehicle may need to be taken to another dealer. If a particular dealership cannot assist you, then contact the Customer Relationship Center.

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 dealership.

2. If your inquiry or concern remains unresolved, contact the Sales Manager or Service Manager at the dealership.

3. If the inquiry or concern cannot be resolved at the dealership level, please contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center.

Away from home

If you own a Ford or Mercury vehicle and are away from home when your vehicle needs service, or if you need more help than the dealership could provide, after following the steps described above, contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center to find an authorized dealership to help you.

In the United States:

Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center 16800 Executive Plaza Drive P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121 1-800-392-3673 (FORD)
(TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952) www.ford.com

In Canada:
Customer Relationship Centre Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited P.O. Box 2000
Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E4 1-800-565-3673 (FORD)
www.ford.ca

If you own a Lincoln vehicle and are away from home when your vehicle needs service, or if you need more help than the dealership could provide, after following the steps described above, contact the Ford Customer Relationship Center to find an authorized dealership to help you.

In the United States: Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center 16800 Executive Plaza Drive P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121 1-800-521-4140
(TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952) www.ford.com

In Canada:
Customer Relationship Centre Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited P.O. Box 2000
Oakville, Ontario L6J 5E4 1-800-565-3673 (FORD)
www.ford.ca

In order to help you service your Ford or Lincoln Mercury vehicle, please have the following information available when contacting a Customer Relationship Center:

  • Your telephone number (home and business)
  • The name of the dealer and the city where the dealership is located
  • The year and make of your vehicle
  • The date of vehicle purchase
  • The current odometer reading
  • The vehicle identification number (VIN)

If you still have a complaint involving a warranty dispute, you may wish to contact the Dispute Settlement Board (U.S.).

In some states (in the U.S.) you must directly notify Ford in writing before pursuing remedies under your state's warranty laws. Ford is also allowed a final repair attempt in some states.

In the United States, a warranty dispute must be submitted to the Dispute Settlement Board before taking action under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, or to the extent allowed by state law, before pursuing replacement or repurchase remedies provided by certain state laws. This dispute handling procedure is not required prior to enforcing state created rights or other rights which are independent of the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act or state replacement or repurchase laws.

THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD (U.S. ONLY)

The Dispute Settlement Board is:

  • an independent, third-party arbitration program for warranty disputes.
  • available free to owners and lessees of qualifying Ford Motor Company vehicles.

The Dispute Settlement Board may not be available in all states. Ford Motor Company reserves the right to change eligibility limitations, modify procedures and/or to discontinue this service without notice and without incurring obligations per applicable state law.

What kinds of cases does the Board review?

Unresolved warranty repair concerns or vehicle performance concerns as on Ford and Lincoln Mercury cars and Ford and Lincoln Mercury light trucks which are within the terms of any applicable written new vehicle warranty are eligible for review, except those involving:

  • a non-Ford product
  • a non-Ford dealership
  • sales disputes between customer and dealer except those associated with warranty repairs or concerns with the vehicle's performance as designed
  • a request for reimbursement of consequential expenses unless a service or product concern is being reviewed
  • items not covered by the New Vehicle Limited Warranty (including maintenance and wear items)
  • alleged personal injury/property damage claims
  • cases currently in litigation
  • vehicles not used primarily for family, personal or household purposes (except in states where the Dispute Settlement Board is required to review commercial vehicles)
  • vehicles with non-U.S. warranties

Concerns are ineligible for review if the New Vehicle Limited Warranty has expired at receipt of your application and, in certain states eligibility is dependent upon the customer's possession of the vehicle.

Eligibility may differ according to state law. For example, see the unique brochures for California, West Virginia, Georgia and Wisconsin purchasers/lessees.

Board membership

The Board consists of:

  • Three consumer representatives
  • A Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealership representative

Consumer candidates for Board membership are recruited and trained by an independent consulting firm. The dealership Board member is chosen from Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealership management, recognized for their business leadership qualities.

What the Board needs

To have your case reviewed you must complete the application in the DSB brochure and mail it to the address provided on the application form. Some states will require you to use certified mail, with return receipt requested.

Your application is reviewed and, if it is determined to be eligible, you will receive an acknowledgment indicating:

  • The file number assigned to your application.
  • The toll-free phone number of the DSB's independent administrator.

Your dealership and a Ford Motor Company representative will then be asked to submit statements.

To properly review your case, the Board needs the following information:

  • Legible copies of all documents and maintenance or repair orders relevant to the case.
  • The year, make, model, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) listed on your vehicle ownership license.
  • The date of repair(s) and mileage at the time of occurrence(s).
  • The current mileage.
  • The name of the dealer(s) who sold or serviced the vehicle.
  • A brief description of your unresolved concern.
  • A brief summary of the action taken by the dealer(s) and Ford Motor Company.
  • The names (if known) of all the people you contacted at the dealership(s).
  • A description of the action you expect to resolve your concern.

You will receive a letter of explanation if your application does not qualify for Board review.

Oral presentations

If you would like to make an oral presentation, indicate YES to question 6 on the application. While it is your right to make an oral presentation before the Board, this is not a requirement and the Board will decide the case whether or not an oral presentation is made. An oral presentation may be requested by the Board as well.

Making a decision

Board members review all available information related to each complaint, including oral presentations, and arrive at a fair and impartial decision. Board review may be terminated at any time by either party.

Every effort is made to decide the case within 40 days of the date that all requested information is received by the Board. Since the Board generally meets once a month, it may take longer for the Board to consider some cases.

After a case is reviewed, the Board mails you a decision letter and a form on which to accept or reject the Board's decision. The decisions of the Board are binding on Ford (and, in some cases, on the dealer) but not on consumers who are free to pursue other remedies available to them under state or federal law.

To request a DSB Brochure/Application

For a brochure/application, speak to your dealer or write/call to the Board at the following address/phone number:

Dispute Settlement Board P.O. Box 5120
Southfield, MI 48086-5120 1-800-428-3718

You may also contact the North American Customer Relationship Center at 1-800-392-3673 (Ford), TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-232-5952 or by writing to the Center at the following address:

Ford Motor Company
Customer Relationship Center 16800 Executive Plaza Drive P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, Michigan 48121

UTILIZING THE MEDIATION/ARBITRATION PROGRAM (CANADA ONLY)

In those cases where you continue to feel that the efforts by Ford and the dealer to resolve a factory-related vehicle service concern have been unsatisfactory, Ford of Canada participates in an impartial third party mediation/arbitration program administered by the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan (CAMVAP).

The CAMVAP program is a straight-forward and relatively speedy alternative to resolve a disagreement when all other efforts to produce a settlement have failed. This procedure is without cost to you and is designed to eliminate the need for lengthy and expensive legal proceedings.

In the CAMVAP program, impartial third-party arbitrators conduct hearings at mutually convenient times and places in an informal environment. These impartial arbitrators review the positions of the parties, make decisions and, when appropriate, render awards to resolve disputes. CAMVAP decisions are fast, fair, and final; the arbitrator's award is binding both to you and Ford of Canada.

CAMVAP services are available in all territories and provinces. For more information, without charge or obligation, call your CAMVAP Provincial Administrator directly at 1-800-207-0685.

GETTING ASSISTANCE OUTSIDE THE U.S. AND CANADA

Before exporting your vehicle to a foreign country, contact the appropriate foreign embassy or consulate. These officials can inform you of local vehicle registration regulations and where to find unleaded fuel.

If you cannot find unleaded fuel or can only get fuel with an anti-knock index lower than is recommended for your vehicle, contact a district or owner relations/customer relationship office.

The use of leaded fuel in your vehicle without proper conversion may damage the effectiveness of your emission control system and may cause engine knocking or serious engine damage. Ford Motor Company/Ford of Canada is not responsible for any damage caused by use of improper fuel.

In the United States, using leaded fuel may also result in difficulty importing your vehicle back into the U.S.

If your vehicle must be serviced while you are traveling or living in Central or South America, the Caribbean, or the Middle East, contact the nearest Ford dealership. If the dealership cannot help you, write or call:

FORD MOTOR COMPANY
WORLDWIDE DIRECT MARKET OPERATIONS 1555 Fairlane Drive
Fairlane Business Park #3 Allen Park, Michigan 48101 U.S.A.

Telephone: (313) 594-4857 FAX: (313) 390-0804

If you are in another foreign country, contact the nearest Ford dealership. If the dealership employees cannot help you, they can direct you to the nearest Ford affiliate office.

If you buy your vehicle in North America and then relocate outside of the U.S. or Canada, register your vehicle identification number (VIN) and new address with Ford Motor Company Worldwide Direct Market Operations.

ORDERING ADDITIONAL OWNER'S LITERATURE

To order the publications in this portfolio, contact Helm, Incorporated at:

HELM, INCORPORATED
P.O. Box 07150
Detroit, Michigan 48207

Or call:
For a free publication catalog, order toll free: 1-800-782-4356 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST Helm, Incorporated can also be reached by their website: www.helminc.com.

(Items in this catalog may be purchased by credit card, checkor money order.)

Obtaining a French owner's guide

French Owner's Guides can be obtained fromyour dealer or by writing to Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, Service Publications, P.O. Box 1580, Station B, Mississauga, Ontario L4Y 4G3.

IN CALIFORNIA (U.S. ONLY)

California Civil Code Section 1793.2(d) requires that, if a manufacturer or its representative is unable to repair a motor vehicle to conform to the vehicle's applicable express warranty after a reasonable number of attempts, the manufacturer shall be required to either replace the vehicle with one substantially identical or repurchase the vehicle and reimburse the buyer in an amount equal to the actual price paid or payable by the consumer (less a reasonable allowance for consumer use). The consumer has the right to choose whether to receive a refund or replacement vehicle.

California Civil Code Section 1793.22(b) presumes that the manufacturer has had a reasonable number of attempts to conform the vehicle to its applicable express warranties if, within the first 18 months of ownership of a new vehicle or the first 29,000 km(18,000 miles), whichever occurs first:

1. Two or more repair attempts are made on the same nonconformity likely to cause death or serious bodily injury OR 2. Four or more repair attempts are made on the same nonconformity (a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value or safety of the vehicle) OR 3. The vehicle is out of service for repair of nonconformities for a total of more than 30 calendar days (not necessarily all at one time)

In the case of 1 or 2 above, the consumer must also notify the manufacturer of the need for the repair of the nonconformity at the following address:

Ford Motor Company
16800 Executive Plaza Drive Mail Drop 3NE-B
Dearborn, MI 48126

REPORTING SAFETY DEFECTS (U.S. ONLY)

If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in addition to notifying Ford Motor Company.

If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it finds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer, or Ford Motor Company.

To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in the Washington D.C. area) or write to:

NHTSA
U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590

You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the Hotline.

    See also:

    Air cleaner - removal and refitting
    K-Jetronic system Removal 1 Remove the air cleaner element as described in Chapter 1. 2 Detach the fuel filter from the side of the cleaner casing (leave the fuel lines attached to the filter) a ...

    Changing the tires
    If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road ...

    Hydraulic system - bleeding (conventional braking system)
    Note: On cars equipped with the Anti-lock Braking System, refer to Section 23. Warning: Hydraulic fluid is poisonous; wash off immediately and thoroughly in the case of skin contact, and seek imm ...