Todd Hildom sent a message to Mark Fields that said:
Mr. Hackett,
I have been a proud third-generation, loyal Ford owner for about 40 years. My father, Richard Hildom was a Ford dealership owner as was my grandfather, Les Hildom. My first vehicle was a 1974 Ford Grand Torino Elite. My wife and I dated and got engaged in a Ford Mustang GT. I have always owned a Ford vehicle and recently purchased a $60k 2018 Ford F-150. We even have signs in our garage that say âFord park onlyâ and âFord Countryâ. I have encouraged my children to purchase Ford vehicles so in 2018 my son purchased a 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid (plug-in).
My son has been extremely happy with his vehicle until one evening after work (10:00 pm), he got into his vehicle and the driverâs door would not latch to close. He walked to a nearby store to purchase rope in order to hold it closed while he traveled home (10 miles using mostly freeways). He did an online search and found out that Ford issued a recall for his vehicle so the next day he took the vehicle into our local dealership for repair. We have always been very satisfied with the staff and workmanship of this dealership. My son needed a rental vehicle since the repair would likely take a day or two. When the repair was complete, my son received a repair bill of $500 plus the rental fee.
While my sonâs vehicle is the same year and model of the recalled door latches, his VIN# is not listed so he was charged to repair this known safety issue. We know this is the same part that was recalled. We have talked with Ford Customer Service a few times, asked the dealership staff to inquire and filed a claim with the BBB â all to no avail. To say that we are sad and disappointed with Fordâs indifferent response to our situation is a huge understatement. My wifeâs 2012 Ford Focus defective transmission issues left her and my son stranded on the freeway but Ford stepped-up and rightly fixed the problem. We are now looking to replace the Focus and were seriously considering the new 2020 Explorer Limited which she really likes. However, if we canât count on Ford to stand behind the safety of their products, we feel the need to find another manufacturer who will.
If there is anything you can do to facilitate payment of my sonâs repair bill, we would be most appreciative. Thank you for your time and attention in this matter.
Sincerely,
Todd A. Hildom
