I Love My 2019 Ford F-150 But It Doesn’t Love Me Back

DEAR SUZANNE
 
By Suzanne Henderson
LETTER 155 – December 2023 | Skeptical But Optimistic in Sonoma

 
Dear Suzanne,

When you want to get a vehicle, it usually seems better to get a brand-new one. This is because brand-new vehicles tend to have fewer issues than used ones, or so we think. Even if a new car develops problems, they tend to come later on down the line, not right after you purchase it. I guess my 2019 Ford F150 is the exception to the rule.

 
I purchased this truck brand new with about 19 miles on it at the time. It’s now up to 50,000 miles, but only 3,000 miles after I got the truck it was back at the dealership for repairs. This was disappointing because it had not even reached the first round of routine maintenance and servicing.

Transmission Struggling at 3000 Miles

The reason for the first visit was an issue with the transmission. I discovered that when driving at lower speeds, there was something like a hard shift that would happen. Whenever I tried switching gears at these low speeds, it would come with a significant and abrupt jolt. When I went online to check what could cause this, I saw things like “low transmission fluid” or “worn-out transmission components”. How could it be any of these when I only bought the truck a month ago?

Apart from this hard shift issue, I noticed a bubble forming on the dashboard. Although it was barely noticeable, I knew it was there and it bugged me. I reported these two issues to the dealership and they said they would check it out.

When they inspected the vehicle, you know what they said about the transmission? They brushed it aside and told me “It’s kinda typical for a new truck and it was not really a major issue”. They even went on to tell me that when I did have a major problem, I could bring the truck in for repairs. I guess their view is that since the issue hadn’t caused an accident, then it wasn’t serious enough.

Since the dealership had no plans to repair the truck, I took it and left. I had to deal with this issue until slowly, it faded out on its own. If we’re being honest, I’m not sure that’s a particularly good thing because something in the truck wore down enough to stop making the noise. At this point, I’m waiting for the second shoe to drop. My only hope is that it happens soon while I’m still under the original warranty.

Dashboard Bubble and Rear Camera Trouble

Aside from the issues with the transmission and dashboard, I’ve also had problems with the rear camera. I took it in multiple times before they were able to fix it. The problem was that the camera was glitching and would blank out for no reason.

When I took it in they claimed they couldn’t replicate the issue, but after multiple visits they finally figured out what the problem was. They said it was a connective issue where it wasn’t hooked up properly. They had to replace the connector and that was it.

Besides these issues, I really like this truck considering the new technological features that come with it. I wouldn’t mind keeping it, but only on the condition that these issues get resolved permanently. Is there a solution with lemon law that fits my needs?

 
Skeptical But Optimistic in Sonoma

You May be Able to Keep Your 2019 Ford F150 With Lemon Law

 
Dear Skeptical But Optimistic,

If there’s one thing Ford gets right with their vehicles, it’s the interior features. It’s no surprise that you wish to keep your truck, but with the issues you have experienced it may not be advisable to keep it. Like you said, there is another shoe waiting to drop even if it may not be soon. However, if you wish to keep it there may be a solution that fits, but you need to make use of the lemon law while you still can.

 
The lemon law only covers manufacturer warranty, nothing extended. So the moment you exceed your vehicle’s original warranty limit, there are several limitations that prevent you from pursuing a lemon law case. Considering you still have about 10,000 miles left before your warranty expires, then you are still covered under the lemon law, but you need to act fast.

Warranty Guidelines

This is because the warranty on your truck runs for 3 years or 36,000 miles for anything basic, but lasts for 60,000 miles or 5 years for anything related to the powertrain. The basic covers power steering, brakes, electrical systems and more whereas the powertrain warranty covers only the engine and transmission. This powertrain warranty is what covers the hard shift issue you are experiencing, so you’re safe for now.

However, it’s best to file a claim now rather than later, because if you start having worse issues later on, it may be too late to begin your case. If they were able to fix a problem the same day you took your truck in, that’s great, but you still had to return time and time again for different issues. It just shows that your vehicle is defective and if you’re not careful, these issues may come up later on.

Lemon Law Qualifications

To qualify for the lemon law, you must first have substantial proof that you own a lemon. You can do this by providing at least two repair orders from the dealership for the same issue or three repair orders for different issues. These repair orders must be from visits that occurred while under the manufacturer’s warranty.

In your case, as long as you have the repair orders dated when your warranty was active, you should be fine. Make sure to let your attorney know the situation and provide them with all documentation including the repair orders. Once you can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that your vehicle is a lemon, you become eligible for the lemon law. This gives you certain options you can pick from.

Settlement Options

Buyback

The first option is the buyback. This is where the automakers buy back the vehicle from you and pay back everything you ever paid for the vehicle. In general, this usually includes your down payment, monthly payments, and even taxes and interest are included. If you took out a loan on this vehicle, Ford has to pay that back on your behalf. On the bright side, your credit isn’t affected.

However, the manufacturers have the right to subtract from the settlement amount they owe you. This is termed the mileage offset, and is simply the automaker’s right to charge you for the miles you drove the truck without any issues. It is usually based on the mileage you were at when you first took your truck in for repairs.

The good thing about the lemon law is that the automakers don’t automatically get the deduction regardless of the mileage you were at when they first took your truck in for repairs. With lemon law, your attorney can request a waiver of this mileage offset considering the automakers sold you a defective vehicle.

Read more about the Ford Lemon Law buyback settlement option, how it works, eligibility criteria, affected models, common defects, and case examples.

Cash Settlement

On to the second option which is called the cash and keep. Here the manufacturer gives you money as compensation for the issues you were battling with your vehicle. With this, your warranty remains valid and the truck remains yours. In addition, if you want to sell the vehicle later on you can do so without having to tag it as a lemon.

Vehicle Replacement

The last option is the replacement offer. This means that Ford allows you to trade in your vehicle for another with the same mileage, same value, and same model as your truck. The reason this is not as popular as the others is you are at risk of getting another lemon as a replacement.

Pursuing lemon law in California has no cost out of pocket. This is because the state law is such that lemon law cases get taken on contingency. This means that the lawyers do not charge their clients for anything, win or lose. Instead, the manufacturers have to pay the legal fees on your behalf. As a result, the total original settlement amount won is completely yours.

I hope you’re able to find a solution that lets you keep your truck, but be smart about it. You wouldn’t be the first person to dump money into a lemon only to find it was a complete waste. If you still have any questions pertaining to your case, do not hesitate to reach out to your attorney. I wish you the best of luck!

 
Suzanne

 
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Featured image:

• 2019 Ford F-150 Lariat ©Kevauto (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED License)