Given the nature of this post, I found it necessary to start with the updates that I had posted at the end of the previous post – so here they are:
UPDATE 6.21.16: So we took the truck back in yesterday morning after an “eventful weekend”. We decided that the issue was small enough that we would be safe pulling Stan over the Million Dollar Highway to Durango (only three narrow, high mountain passes with steep drop-offs to certain death). Fortunately, it was not a big deal and despite the occasional traction control intervention from the not-yet-solved problem, the trip was awesome and the truck pulled like a champ. While unhitched and motoring around Durango, we did have a killer revisit of the problem on a scale we haven’t yet seen – jerking the truck left rather hard, brake pedal popping me in the foot, the whole bit. I admit that when we got up the next morning I was a little worried, so we headed into town before hitching up and it was like the problem had never happened in the first place. We towed Stan home over the passes, with not a single twitch. The possession diagnosis sounded pretty good at this point. Last night, we got a call back from our service advisor, who had sent the issue to the Ford Engineering Department, and heard back that they need to check the RCM (Restraint Control Module) for damage, and replace it either way. Now the fact that they responded so quickly means to me (and our service advisor) that this may be a known issue and that this is indeed the fix. How the RCM and the traction control are linked on the other hand is a bit beyond me at this point; but hopefully the work will be done today and we can pick up the truck tonight!
UPDATE 6.16.16: Picked up the truck this morning after an IVD reboot (dealing with traction control) and the problem persists – apparently the truck might be possessed after all! I’m sure that is not actually the case and the folks over at Western Slope Ford made heroic efforts to try to fix what they thought was wrong. Unfortunately the diagnosis was not dead on. Headed back in next week to get this sorted!
Okay, now that that is out of the way, here is the rest of the story. The “overnighted” RCM didn’t show, so I called back in on the 28th (6 days later) asking after the new (and hopefully) flaw-free RCM. It wasn’t there. According to the service advisor, it would be arriving no later than the 30th (two days later). As the part wasn’t yet there, the service advisor suggested that we wait to schedule an appointment until it actually arrived and that he would call me once they were ready to replace the part. Well, the 1st comes and goes, with no call. I waited (somewhat impatiently) until the following Wednesday (6th) and called to find that the missing RCM was there. Progress. Of course, the next available appointment wasn’t available until eight days later on the 14th.
While slightly frustrating, it wasn’t a big deal as the problem was seemingly in hibernation. On the 14th, I dropped the car off at 8:30am and everything seemed to be going normally until I get a call at 3pm, not an unrealistic time considering that they had to pull the dash (a 3-4 hour job) and take a test drive to ensure it was fixed. I was fully expecting that everything would be done and the problem was solved, but it wasn’t. Are you sensing a theme here? Instead, I received a call letting me know that the Parts Department did not actually have said missing RCM; but “no worries, they can get one by 8 the next morning”. How might you ask is this possible, considering an overnight ended up taking 24 days to arrive at the dealership? And why did it take until 3pm to pass this information along? I wish I had a good answer for you…
The next morning, I get a call and all is set to go- the part shipped, it had been replaced in the truck, and they were pleased to report a “negative” test drive. Finally, a mere 26 days after initially addressing this issue, an easily fixed one, we can close the book on this problem and concentrate on getting ready to hit the road. Usually I am not one to complain about customer service, but this was pretty rough. At least the part was “replaced”…not that I am skeptical or anything. Perhaps it is time to find a new stealership, ur… um I mean, dealership going forward.