Family Ford of Northampton, Inc.

I brought my truck in for service on the front end of my truck. I was allowed to drive away with a malfuntiioning front ball joint.I brought my 2006 Ford F-150 to this dealership's service department on 3/14/14. I informed the service department that I was experiencing uncommon noise in the front end of the vehicle to include a loud scraping when turning the vehicle. The dealership held the vehicle for the entire day before contacting me. I was told the issue was with the rear end of the vehicle and the repairs that had just been made my [redacted] of Charlottesville Virginia. I was charged 1/2 hour labor (approximately $44 to my debit card) to fix their diagnosed issue. I was also told that the front end was inspected and there was nothing wrong with it. The service ticket states that the front end was visually inspected and checked okay. [redacted] in service also stated that they tech "took the truck for a drive" and found nothing wrong. Upon driving the vehicle away from the dealership I noticed the same noise. I drove the vehicle home and parked it as the service dept was closed. The next day while backing my truck out of the driveway I noticed that the noise had gotten severly worse and the front end felt unsafe. I parked the truck and called the service dept to report that the issue was not fixed. I was told the bring the truck back on 3/17/14. I did return the truck to the dealer on 3/17. On this day they diagnosed approximately $1600 in repairs in the front end including replacing a ball joint, front brake pads, and replacing both calipers as one was now leaking and front caliper piston boots were torn. [redacted] from service stated that both [redacted] the [redacted] and their [redacted] strongly suggest that I don't drive the vehicle. I informed them that they had just let me drive the vehicle away on 3/14. They had no explination and the [redacted] apologized. I towed the truck from this location to[redacted] in [redacted] MA.The [redacted] at [redacted] was in disbelief that I was allowed to drive the truck from the dealership on 3/14. Upon inspecting the front end of the truck he stated that one ball bearing was so bad that caliper carrier was grinding onto the rotor.I was provided with a video of how loose the wheel was with the vehicle on a lift. The wheel shook back and forth freely. I was provided with a picture of the condition of the caliper as well. He also noted that upon inspecting the hub assembly that the cap had been removed and the lug nut had been removed as the threads were free of rust above the lug nut. He also noted that the lug nut was not tighened properly. I was provided with a photo of this. The mechanic also stated that while the front caliper piston boots were torn; both right side pistons pushed in and moved perfectly. He was unable to explain why they were torn. The [redacted] stated that the vehicle was in a very dangerous condition upon arriving at his shop.I can provide all receipts from repairs noted in this statement upon request.Desired SettlementI am requesting a refund for service costs charged to me on 3/14/14. I am also requesting partial compensation for additional repair required to my vehicle due to negligance in diagnosing significant repairs which caused further damage and allowing me to operate a vehicle which was hazardous to me and others on the roadway.Business Response 03/13/14 VEHICLE HAS LIFT KIT IN THAT MIGHT COMPROMISE BRAKING TECH FOUND CONCERN FROM REAR BKES WHEN ROADTESING VEHCILE AROUND LOT-REMOVED REAR WHEELSREAR FRICTION MATERIAL GOOD BUT HARDWARE NO GOOD CAUSING NEW REAR BKE PADS TO FREEZE IN CONTACT W/ REAR ROTOR INNER RIGHT SLIDE WAS OUT OF PLACE RUST ON HANGER PUSHING OUT LOCKING PAD AGAINST ROTOR AT TIME--R AND I REAR ROTRS CLEAN RUST FROM THEM AND LUBRICATE PADS AND SLIDES REASSEMBLE AND RD TEST VERIFYING THIS PARTICULAR CONCERN WAS GONE---VISULLAY INSPECTED FT PADS THRU WHEEL OPENINGS PADS LOOKED FAIRLY NEW ACCORDING TO TECH THERE WAS NO WHEEL REMOVAL ON THE FT AXLE-IS IT POSSIBLE PRVIOUS BKE WORK DONE ELSE WHERE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS??? ON RETURN VISIT AN INDEPTH INSPECTION TO THE FT AXLE WAS DONE-TECH 9925 FOUND LOOSE FT RF WHEEL BEARING IWE COMPROMISED BUT ALSO PREVIOUS WEAR AND TEAR RF CALIPIER PISTON BOOT TORN POSSIBEL FROM PREVIOUS BKE SERVICE AT ANOTHER RPR CENTER LF CALIPIERS PINS STICKYING NOT LUBED PROPERLY WHEN BKES LAST SERVICED AT OS/ RPR CENTER---LF FT CALIPIER STARTING TO SEEP AT PISTION NOT A CONCERN AT THIS TIME--RF FT ROTOR MAY NEED TO RPLCD ONLY DETERMINED AFTER MACHINING--CUST DECLINED TO HAVE ANY OF THE ABOVE WORK DONE AND THE FT WAS REASSSEMBLED FOR VEHCILE TO BE TOWED AWAY-CUST DECLINED AN ESTIMATE GIVEN FOR REPAIRSI BELIEVE THAT CUSTOMER MAY HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE FIRST REPAIR CHARGE WOULD BE REFUNDED IF THE WORK WAS DONE-AND ALSO IF THE SUGGESTED REAPIR WERE DONE AT OUR SERVICE CENTER THE POSSIIBLITY OF SOME DISCOUNT COULD HAVE BEEN APPLIED--SINCE WORK WAS DONE AT AN O/S SERVICE CENTER W/OUT OURAUTHORIZATION WE DO NOT UNDERWRITE/PAY FOR ANY PORTION OF THE WORK. WE ARE STILL WILLING TO REFUND THE INTIAL CHARGE OF APPROX $50.00Consumer Response (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)First; this is very hard to read and understand. Second; this doesn't explain why I was able to drive away from the dealership on the first day with the truck's front end in such an unsafe condition. Third; the breaks work in the rear end has NOTHING to do with the front end. I would like to submit my paperwork from Northampton Ford to the Revdex.com for further review and documentation. Final Business Response WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL REAPIR COSTS THAT MR FISHER INCURRED AFTER HE DECLINED TO HAVE SUGGESTED REPAIRS DONE AS SUGGESTED ON RO# 33072FROM 03/17/14-WHEN HE TOWED VEHICLE OUT?Final Consumer Response