It’s a frustrating situation many car owners dread: car trouble leading to dealership visits that feel more like highway robbery than helpful service. One Ford owner recently shared a harrowing experience that highlights the potential pitfalls of relying solely on dealerships, especially when issues might involve systems like OBD2 programming in models like the 2014 Ford Focus.
The ordeal began with a simple tow to a dealership, hoping for expert diagnosis and repair. Instead, it spiraled into weeks of misdiagnosis, unnecessary part replacements, and exorbitant charges for work that was either poorly done or completely irrelevant to the actual problem. The initial dealership visit quickly turned sour when a new battery was installed and forced upon the customer, despite the owner’s reasonable suspicion that the original battery was damaged by the dealership’s own negligence. Allowing a lead battery to drain to a mere 2V, as they reportedly did, is a known way to ruin its cells – a basic piece of knowledge any competent technician, let alone a “best electrician,” should possess. Yet, instead of taking responsibility, the dealership insisted on payment for the new battery, threatening to reinstall the ruined one if payment wasn’t made.
Adding insult to injury, the dealership demanded payment for two hours of labor to remove a remote start system they incorrectly diagnosed as the source of the problem. Despite the owner demonstrating that the system’s wiring was minimal and easily accessible, and despite the service advisor initially agreeing that it seemed like less than an hour’s work, they stuck to their inflated two-hour estimate. The owner’s attempts to argue against this charge, citing the misdiagnosis and the excessive time their car was held (over two weeks!), were met with resistance. After an hour of debate, the “concession” offered was a reduced labor rate of $75 per hour – still for a misdiagnosed and unnecessary service. To further inflate the bill, mysterious “heat shrink terminals” appeared, priced at an outrageous $11 each, with vague explanations about wiring repairs related to the remote start removal.
The supposed “proper” removal of the remote start system turned out to be a crude hack job. Wires were simply cut, leaving exposed ends dangling – a five-minute task at best, certainly not warranting two hours of labor. This did nothing more than unplugging the remote starter module would have achieved, a far cleaner and reversible approach that the owner rightly preferred. The result? Three weeks wasted, $330 paid for unwanted and unnecessary work, a perfectly good remote start system ripped out for no reason, and a working battery replaced – all without even a hint of addressing the original car problem. And to add salt to the wound, the dealership then suggested another $750 for further diagnostics, with no guarantee of actually finding the real issue.
This experience raises serious questions about dealership competency and customer service, especially when dealing with potentially complex issues that might involve a vehicle’s computer systems and OBD2 programming. While the specifics of the original car problem remain unclear, the dealership’s approach highlights a common frustration: a lack of transparency, misdiagnosis, and a focus on racking up charges rather than genuinely solving the customer’s problem.
For owners of vehicles like the 2014 Ford Focus, understanding the OBD2 system and its capabilities can be empowering. The OBD2 port is essentially a gateway to your car’s computer, allowing access to diagnostic information and, in some cases, the ability to reprogram certain modules. While complex programming is best left to professionals, basic OBD2 scanners can provide valuable insights into trouble codes and potential issues, potentially saving you from unnecessary dealership visits and misdiagnoses.
In the case described, it’s conceivable that the original issue could have been related to a system controlled or monitored by the OBD2 system. Perhaps a fault code could have pointed to a more accurate diagnosis, or maybe even a software glitch requiring module reprogramming was at play. However, the dealership seemed to bypass any systematic diagnostic approach, jumping directly to physical part replacements and unnecessary labor, ultimately failing to address the root cause.
This unfortunate experience serves as a cautionary tale. While dealerships can be valuable resources, especially for warranty work or specialized repairs, it’s crucial for car owners to be informed and proactive. Understanding your vehicle’s systems, including the OBD2 system, and exploring DIY diagnostic options can help you navigate car troubles more effectively and avoid potentially costly and frustrating dealership nightmares. If you suspect your 2014 Ford Focus might have an issue related to its computer systems or programming, consider seeking a second opinion from an independent mechanic specializing in Ford vehicles or exploring OBD2 diagnostics yourself before committing to expensive and potentially unnecessary dealership services.
