Windshield replacement

[JoelK]

Re: Windshield replacement

My 03 had the windshield replaced 2 years ago. It was a real pain. First windshield they installed had deffective glass (sitting in the passenger seat you saw a 1 foot long "wrinkle" " at eye level. The shop didn't notice. My wife sure did when we went to drive away. The shop ordered a replacement. It came in with the wiring harness broken off, so they ordered a third windshield. It had a broken wiring connector so they removed it and soldered in the one that came in on the 2'nd windshield. So I have windshield #3 on the car with the wiring harness from windshield #2. Thy had the car tied up for a week.

[00mustng]

Re: Windshield replacement

....I'm curious as to how they are going to do a transmission fluid change, Ned. It is a sealed unit....and as for as I know, there is no manufacturer service requirement at 70000mi. cheers

[V8 Cat]

Re: Windshield replacement

....I'm curious as to how they are going to do a transmission fluid change, Ned. It is a sealed unit....and as for as I know, there is no manufacturer service requirement at 70000mi. cheers

That transmission fluid change is best left up to professionals. I don't remember every step, but you are right it is a sealed unit - no dip stick. There is a drain/refill hole, and I believe the fluid has to be pumped-out or maybe the pan taken off. When it is refilled, the car has to be absolutely level and the transmission at a certain temp. The only way you know it is full is when the fluid starts to exit the drain. This is the way I remember it. Anyway it looked like a servce that should not be attempted by just anyone. I think the change interval was 100,000 miles.

[Welker]

Re: Windshield replacement

The unit is sealed but the fluid still needs draining and replacement. I don't have my book as it is in the car right now but the people at the Ford dealer said it did show a need for the service at 70,000 miles. So far as "sealed" goes, the '04's had a recall early on for an additive to the transmission fluid that Ford tried to get away with not using but the shifting became a crash bang affair and they had to add whatever it was they left out at the plant....so, sealed or not, it is accessible....and so far as the professionals go, the last place I would take the car for any kind of non warranty work would be the Ford service people. Check the thread, new computer installation for details.

[V8 Cat]

Re: Windshield replacement

........and so far as the professionals go, the last place I would take the car for any kind of non warranty work would be the Ford service people. Check the thread, new computer installation for details.

I don't think you can judge all Ford dealership service departments by the computer installation debacle. The service Dept of Cherokee Ford/Lincoln in Alpharetta, GA is very good and John Herrin, the Asst. Service Manager, is a true professional. I have been dealing with him for over 20 years (he has been at a couple of other Ford/Lincoln Mercury dealerships in this area over that period of time as they have changed ownships) with a lot of my Ford company cars as well as the Tbird.There is not any other "professional" in this area I would leave that complicated service up to.

[Welker]

Re: Windshield replacement

Claud, if you get a chance, print out my letter to my dealer and ask your guy how he would have responded to it. I would hope he would be somewhat more honest than mine. I used to to trust my dealer until he had to show his true colors. I know these guys didn't build these cars but at least they could hold themselves responsible for their employees.

[V8 Cat]

Re: Windshield replacement

Ned,
I know why you would not ever want to go back to your dealer again. You had like the worst experience I can remember of a TBN member. Must be something about AZ because there is another TBN member with not the greatest service experience there, and I'm not sure you have any other options (another qualified Ford dealer) in your geographic area. One of the biggest problems with Ford is their dealer network. You cannot depend on any consistancy. I think part of the problem is ownership changes. I have just been lucky that through these changes, I have had one service advisor to deal with, but he really can't make company policy. That said, he can make things easier by doing the job right the first time, being professional and having a high degree of technical knowledge. When I bought the Tbird in 2005 the ownership was Team Ford and that later became Cherokee Ford/Lincoln.The sales experience at Team Ford was the worst I have gone through in the last 20 years, but the service was good and has stayed that way through the changes. If I just went by my experience with the sale and delivery of the Tbird by Team Ford, I would never own another Ford/Lincoln product in my lifetime.

[Welker]

Re: Windshield replacement

Claude, you're right about the service representative being the guy you trust and I think that was a big part of my problem. My guy was reasonably good in seeing that the car was serviced properly and things that went wrong got righted in a timely fashion. He had to take a leave due to his mother's illness and it all went sour after that. I stopped going to the dealer for service earlier when they cracked my windshield from the top left to the bottom right and then said they didn't do it....and the main denier was my service rep who they later fired and a friend told me the place had improved....he has two Lincolns and just told me yesterday that he will never go back due to problems he had....said he would buy a Subaru before he ever went back to Ford. It's a shame but indicative of just about every aspect of what we have come to know as "service". Just bought a new Acura...made in Japan. I've never had a problem with Acura or the dealership. Ford should be ashamed of itself for not policing its dealerships better. The new MKS looks pretty good but it would be a mistake to buy it.

[Welker]

Re: Windshield replacement

I meant MKX....the MKS looks like a hog.

[V8 Cat]

Re: Windshield replacement

Ned,
I feel really fortunate to have that guy at Cherokee Ford. The service at my Jaguar dealership and Lexus dealership is outstanding (the Lexus dealer still gives me a loaner car, and my Lexus SC300 is 17 years old). That said I don't feel like I'm really taking a step down at the Ford dealership for service - maybe not all the fru-fru, but as far as the job being done right the first time, they are right up there with the best. I will say the prices of service and repairs on these Tbirds are not much different from those of Jaguar & Lexus either.

[Welker]

Re: windshield replacement

...about the transmission fluid referred to in the windshield replacement thread. I checked the manual and it DOES NOT have a scheduled maintenance BUT it refers to a 90k mile change on certain transmissions, 4F50N or 4F27E, but nothing for any other. I can't find what these numbers mean to any year Thunderbird but wonder why they are in the book if they don't apply.....it was Ford that told me the fluid should be drained and replaced. I've checked all the bulletins and find nothing so it may be that the unit is sealed and immortal. I had the fluid drained and changed at 100k miles anyway.