Hello everyone; I'd like to thank all the gear-heads out there for enhancing my knowledge about the FEH. I have been reading lots of posts in search of my problem, but can't find it. I never knew this Green-World was so big until I decided to buy one, WOW!

Well after our first 2 weeks the wife and I are very pleased with our 06 FEH (FWD). Rides nice, good gas mileage, new experience is pleasing; and it's our first Ford.

Well, today I finally got the front 2 windows/+glare strip tinted to match the back windows, looks great. On the way out of the parking lot, "DING!" Wrench icon appears on the console and my Info Center tells me to "Service Engine Soon!" WTH!?!?!?!

Called the shop who did the tint install, they have no clue. Understandeable. Flip a right turn and head to the dealership, pull in to the service dept, say hi to my salesman, and off to complain I go.

Desk-Jockey gets in the FEH and turns it on to see the lights I am describing to him, engine shuts-off. (Batteries are at 100% I think to myself) He turns it back off and says, "hmm it stalled, thats interesting." WTH!?!?! This guys is clueless! OK, no problem I say, maybe he's new. I tell him, "No it's a Hybrid, it is supposed to turn off, blah blah blah..."

I leave the FEH there for diagnosis and head back to work. 1 hour, 2 hours, now 3 hours go by. No call. 5:45pm just short of closing time, Ring, "Sir, we have no idea what's wrong. The computer is giving us a cold-read. The technician says it might be the brakes or something. We'll have to wait till tomorrow." WTH?!?!?!?!

New, 7x100K ESP, Same dealership/Same service dept.
1200 miles now (delivered with 250 from other dealership)
Normal driving, no special weather conditions
NO other maintenance that I know of

Any tips?

Q: Should I be expected to pay the probable $85 diagnosis fee? ...knowing that AutoZone would have done it for free?

Q: Should I allow them to install/repair parts without demanding a review of the purchase status and history from the previous dealership?

Disclaimer: I can be patient, but hold no punches when it comes to speaking my mind. I would really appreciate an honest opinion of how to handle this. At 35 yrs. old and having gone through 3 new cars in 14 yrs, this is my first new-car problem!

Your help is greatly appreciated. Please understand I will not be able to reply unitl tomorrow night after 9pm CST. I will make an attempt to read your replies from work at lunch tomorrow. Right now it is midnight and I can't sleep because my Brand-New FEH is 45 miles down the road in a service shop, BROKE!

KS-Kidd
06 FEH (FWD)
US Army Recruiter

 

This car has many "computers". Sometimes, just like your desktop, they need a "reboot". It could be nothing mechanical.

Did you turn the car off and on a few times with the same result? Or did it just happen once? Some computer "errors" take 3 key cycles or more to "clear".

You will find out soon that owners of Hybrids often know more than dealers.
The Hybrid is new, and each dealer only sells a few. Even fewer have been in for service.

No, you should not pay anything for service this soon ( this new ).
Are you in a major city? I would, if possible, take the car to a large city with a large dealer who has maybe seen a few more hybrids. Kansas? You're not far from me. In the middle of the country, there are fewer FEH, but they are starting to proliferate!

Keep us posted.
-John

 

Hi Keith

First thing I would look at is the mosture spay for the window coating contacting the lock switch. A problem with a ground, could cause a trouble light coming from the PCM since the locking system is connected to the alarm. After it dries, the trouble code which may never pin point this problem, may need to be reset. If the dealership resets the code (light) and there is no problems, that maybe the cause and that's the end of your problem. A gas cap not put on right, can cause this same service light. Also, the tinting person could have knocked a connection loose with his foot or something. If you had a scangauge, you could have done a scan for the code to help us out here. We may know more than the service dept., who knows.

Keep us informed!

GaryG

 

It could just be a fluke, but my sense is it's probably related to something done during the tinting process. Brakes, I agree, what-the? The dealership needs to shut up with their armchair diagnosis until they get a hybrid certified technician out to look at your vehicle.

Mine's at 2372 miles (with 72 miles on the odometer when we drove her off the lot). No problems except for a slightly tighter/quicker-to-lock seatbelt, which I'll have taken care of at 5,000 mile service (tire rotation).

 

You know, not to take the dealer's side but you didn't say if you went back to the dealer you bought it from. Not all Ford dealers are Hybrid certified. When the FEH first came out only certified dealers (service depts with trained techs) could sell the FEH.

The dealer is definitely trying to pull a fast one if they want to charge you to diagnose your vehicle under warranty.

As others have stated, it sounds like something the window tint shop did. I believe if the 12v battery is disconnected the computers have to re-program or re-learn which takes a few cycles.

Good luck.

 

Hi Bill

If he brought it in and told the service advisor that he thought the problem was due to the tinting issue, they may treat it as an accident. The warranty would not cover it now that they can claim it was caused my the tint installer. My thoughts are they will write it off as warranty and clear the warning light. It's hard to prove in any case.

GaryG

 

Coincidentally, I brought mine in last night to get the new NAV unit replaced since the part came in. I left my engine running since I wasn't sure if they were just going to wisk it away. The service guy was looking at my total miles and the ICE shut off. He tried cranking the engine thinking that it stalled!

I had to remind him that it's a Hybrid and he had that 'I knew that look!

Jeez

 

I mentioned towards the end of my original quote, Same Dealer/Same Service Dept., so yes it is ithe same one I bought it from. Not really sure if they are "Certified" to work on my FEH, I just hope they don't mess something else up.

Yeah, that arm-chair diagnosis really set me off. I almost left work again to go speak with the mechanic/technician myself. I am just glad it is nothing major. But then again, since everything is computers, I can relate to the trouble-shooting nightmare it must be...

Moving forward, I got a call this morning around 10am from the Desk-Jockey; The Transmission Shift Sensor is not communicating with the Transmission Master Computer: "Bad shift-lever sensor," they say.

It will be replaced for free according to the desk-jockey, parts should come in tomorrow morning and be done by Noon-ish. I guess I will be driving a free rental home tonight. Ohhhh the wife is gonna be mad when she hears about this. LOL

Thanks for all of the tips and side-thoughts in my narrowminded thought process. It helps to ask for help when you are frustrated and need a different idea to justify your anger. I'll let you know if anything else pops up.

Q: Are there any other special reports, computer print-outs, certifications I should ask for to insure the labor on my new FEH is covered by the proper mechanic?

Maybe I am a bit critical here, but you guys got me worried about their certifications now.

 

You can determine if your dealer is Ford Escape Hybrid certified (which I assume means they have at least one hybrid-certified mechanic!) by going to:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/dealerships/locate/

and in addition to your city, state -or- ZIPcode, select Escape Hybrid Certified Dealers in the dropdown menu.

 

Hi Keith –

I have had the ‘Engine’ light come on twice (Check Emissions). The first time when I took it in they ran a diagnostic and ended up replacing some canister and re-set the computer.

When it came on the second time I took it back in and another ‘Hybrid Certified Tech’ (Lucky to have a dealership that is into Hybrids and has two Hybrid Certified Techs) looked at everything he could think of that could be causing the light to come on. Finally discovered that there was a small vacuum leak in one of the lines. Since it so small his only suggestion was to bring it in when I had the time and he would basically pump the line – under pressure – with a smoke colorant to be able to locate the leak.

I don’t know if it has anything to do with my MPG but – hey they have gone UP since the light came on – I am not rushing in to get it fixed .
The only problem is having to hit the set button to get rid of the message so I can read the MTE .