My only update is that Lacy(service rep.) said the fan kit might be in Wednesday and she would keep me posted. So far I've got a rental car and everything appears like I'm covered. I'll give a breakdown of all my services when I close out.

 

Computer says NO! Computer says YES!
Well I got my car back from All-Star Ford and my cooling fans were covered. I will try to print my receipt/invoice later, but in quick summation here is what I learned: the first dealer(Robinson Bros) diagnosed my car and said I had a bad MECS water pump($589), a bad HV cooling fan, and a computer code reset- for a total of $1700. After several days of debate about my cooling fans being covered, and three calls to Detroit(who also denied my coverage), I told them to replace my pump to avoid the $145 charge just to get my car back. They refused my suggestion to enter the "Battery Assembly" code, and said, "the computer says it's not covered, and you called Ford and they said so too".
So I gambled, armed with info I got from this blog, and took my car 9 miles down the hwy to All-Star Ford. All I told them was that my red triangle came on etc., and that I was concerned about overheating and if my battery was still covered or not. They called back and said yes it was, so I brought it in for a second diagnostic.
I didn't tell them about my first experience. I have documented the confusion the second dealer went through nailing down my car problems, but what they finally came up with is that I did have a faulty cooling fan and I needed a new kit. It took at least three test for the code to come up so I have to give them credit for their care and persistence. Not once did I have to argue whether the fans were covered or not, they were consistent because apparently their computer said "YES". And I'm pretty sure it was because they always ran it through with the HV Battery Assembly part#. They even called the technician hotline etc. to see if I was due a whole new battery. So clearly the whole $1100 job was covered under a different computer code! They never question my coverage.
To make the other dealer look terrible, the new pump they installed was BAD! So I got a new pump under a parts warranty. That's when I showed All-Star my Rob Bros. invoice. I kept the warranty battle quiet because everything was going my way now...
Summing up: with the $589 I paid for the pump, I was charged another $752 for a total of $1341. But with that $1341 I also got my fuel injectors cleaned, both coolant systems flushed, spark plugs, tire rotation and oil change/filter. As opposed to the $1700 the first place was going to charge me for just the pump and fans.
Two weeks later, I'm ready to drive cross-country now with relative content, but after all- it is a Ford!
I really think Ford headquarters is playing a game of deniability when it comes to whether this repair is covered or not.
Hope this helps! Thanks, Dave.

 

Dave, the injectors are self cleaning, so I hope the dealer didn't charge for it. Both coolants and spark plugs are good for 100,000 miles, but changing two MECS pumps most likely already changed the coolant twice.

Lets hope Ford will stop playing games now!

GaryG

 

I'm glad you got your vehicle back, but it sure looks like they built the cost of the fans into the pack of services you were sold at the end. I'm also stunned what the dealers are charging to do the MECS pump exchange. I paid $160 for the part and changed it myself in less than an hour. After you drop the splash shield the only PIA part is dealing with the hose clamps. It's a really straightforward job.

 

Here's my invoice. You can tell me if you think I paid too much? I told them I was driving cross-country......

 

another page,

 

I think you were gouged on the injector service and the spark plugs. Those 4 plugs are extremely easy to change, I did mine in well under an hour. The injector service was probably not needed if you're using a Top Tier Gasoline (or one that meets those standards). The oil change was a bit high and I don't think I've ever actually paid to have my tires rotated. I've only done drain and fills on my coolant systems, not flushes, so I don't know about that labor charge.

 

I would take the All Star paperwork that shows the battery cooling fan coverage over to Robinson Brothers and rub their nose in it. And ask them why All Star knows what they are doing and Robinson Brothers does not. I absolutely hate it when someone's answer to a question (e.g. Coverage of the fan) is just a repeat of what someone else has said. What a cop out and unwillingness to be helpful or think for a moment that it is possibly Ford that could be in the wrong. Regardless, glad you got it worked out. And about the injector cleaner, etc. work that you had done and the price, what's done is done and just know that that's fewer things now that you have to worry about going bad soon.

 

Blackjack, can you post (or PM me) a copy of the page that shows the info about the fans covered under warranty? I've been battling with two dealers and no luck. It's so frustrating that some dealers can do it and others can't. Of course, the only dealers I know of that covered it are worlds away from Arizona. Anyone know of a dealer in the southwest that's covered it? I'll take a road trip!

 

One more question... are you guys all the original owners of your vehicles? In the latest conversation with my dealer, they basically said that since I'm not the original owner and the TSB about replacing the fans came out before I bought the car, that's why the fans aren't covered for me. Sounds like hogwash to me.

Thanks,
Tanya