Warranty nightmare

[Unklmyk]

I have a 2003 F-250 SD with 16,000 miles on it and it suddenly began making LOTS of noise. Before I could get it to the dealer it lost drive and had to be towed in. The dealer contated the Ford Tech Line and they had them pull the trans out and check the crankshaft endplay beacuase of "known problems". The endplay was between .150 and .200" (max is .020"). Ford immediately denied my warranty claim because of "the presence of aftermarket parts" which is in direct violation of the Magnuson-Moss Act which Ford says "does not apply to them". I have contaed Gale Banks, SEMA, the Colorado state attorney general office, the Better Business Bureau and several other forums looking for advice and assistence. Gale Banks and SEMA have been very helpful but Ford seems to be "unreachable" in this and the service manager at the dealer said that I am "pretty much screwed" because Forde never reverses a warranty decision like this. They want $8,000 to put a new shortblock in and want me to pay the whole thing.
Any advice or help would be very much appreciated.

[Banshee34]

That just BITES!!! I really hope this gets resolved in your favor!

[Unklmyk]

Me too! but right now anyway, 'ain't lookin too good.

[Rodslinger]

First let me welcome you to Powerstroke.org - SECOND check out this thread;

http://www.powerstrokeforum.com/foru...p?t=654&page=2

One of our other members, Ramsmoker, has been through something similar and I'm sure can help.

[Unklmyk]

Thank you, I'll check it out.

[stomper2]

You're not by chance the guy Ramsmoker was telling us about yesterday are you? At any rate, that sucks. Read the link Rodslinger posted, I put up a response about a buddy who went through about the same thing and ended up with Banks proving that their parts were not the cause and Ford paid the bill. To me, if its a known problem, they should have had a recall. Knowing that your rig has aftermarket parts on it gives them an easy cop out on eating the bill. Don't give up, Ramsmoker will give you some great advise! Good luck and keep us informed.

[Unklmyk]

Thank you. After the dealer called the Ford Tech Line and they said it was a known problem, that to me was a dead give-away but I just can't prove it. Banks has been helpful so far but I can't seem to get in touch with anyone at Ford or Navistar to prove my case. It just just burns me up that Ford says it's all my fault when they won't even open up the motor to see what the problem really is.

[Worm Drowner]

"Ford says 'does not apply to them'."

I can call a turd a tootsie roll, but that doesn't make it so.

FWIW:

Take a look at http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Dumm...e/id-2669.html

[Unklmyk]

Thanks for the support. I got it and printed it out to add to my pile of "ammo".

[cumminsmannow]

do you know how exactly a person would contact the sema people to get them working on your side when a problem like this arrises?? Thanks