My friend found that the oil filter that he had obtained and the one installed in the car had different mounting collars.
BHPian PratikPatel recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
I am really don’t know what to say about this particular Ford service centre Mumbai. I got my car serviced from them about 8 months back, asking them to do the regular 70,000 kms which included all filters, engine oil and anything that requires precautionary and scheduled change of parts. The car was returned to me after couple of days. 3 days later the car just refused to start while I was out for some work. It would just die with no electrics. Since it was a Sunday there was no one answering the phone calls made. I finally called my firm’s transport department and the transport manager sent couple of people with a service battery. They changed the battery and lo behold it started.
The current battery was only a year old. Upon checking the battery, it was found that it was drained because the car has not been used regularly due my work from home routine. The battery was fully charged and it’s been doing good since then. The question that arises is that what did the service centre do with the car for 2 days? Why didn’t they check the battery and charge it? And this not the end of the story.
I have been toying with idea of trying AMS Signature series oil in the car. As I had some work in Pune, I asked my friend who has his workshop there if he could take care of it for me while I finish my work. He asked for my VIN number and went to the Ford spares wear-house located nearby to obtain the oil filter for my car. After obtaining the oil filter and the oil he informed that he would change the oil whenever I come to Pune.
I reached Pune and left the car with him and went about my work. With an hour he calls me back and asks me to check the pics he has sent me on WhatsApp. He then tells me that the Mumbai Ford service centre has installed the wrong oil filter. As a standard practice before installing any part he compares the parts. He found that the oil filter that he had obtained and the one installed in the car had different mounting collars. Initially he thought that he had obtained a wrong oil filter. Therefore, he went back to the Ford wear-house with both the parts in hand. There the parts catalog was once again checked for the correct part number for my car’s VIN. They took out a fresh oil filter from their stock and checked it. The oil filter that the wear-house had given him was the correct one and the one installed by the service center was for another car (I suspect it’s for 1.4l TDCi).
Add to these woes, I had asked them to do wheel balancing and tyre rotation. Before I had given the car for service, it suffered a big puncture on the rear left wheel. Since I had brought the car my friend’s place, he said he would the balancing and rotation also. Lo behold, the rear left tyre is still the same.
I really was left in a state of bewilderment about what had the service center had done with my car.
Keyword: Why I had a disappointing experience with Ford service for my Fiesta