Front control arm failure

[jeronimojones]

I purchased a Ford Fusion V-6, SE in March, 2007. On March 17, 2010, I took the car to the dealer to check out a rumbling noise and vibration in the front end. The dealer did a visual inspection and a test drive and concluded the front control arms have gone bad and need replacing. The vehicle had just over 34,000 original miles on it. Firstly, the mainenance advisor assured me it was not a safety concern. The replacement cost would be $1200 in parts and $600 in labor and that Ford would not due the repair under the warranty. Many phone calls and emails to Ford and the dealer did not change the decision. They were steadfast in their position that replacement of a component having an expected service life of 200,000 miles that failed at 34,000 miles is not covered by the warranty because the expiration date of the warranty was March 1. They had inspected the vehicle in February as part of the routine maintanence and reported nothing wrong with the control arms, however they did tell me the brakes would need replacing soon along with the tires; both services they could do right now if I wanted. I went to Dearborn to talk face to face with Ford and they would not talk to me. The vehicle cannot be accepted as a trade in due to its mechanical problems. If I would have known earlier about the problem, I could have had the vehicle declared a lemon under the lemon law and would be free of the problem. I'm stuck with a Ford lemon.

[Waldo]

Huh? how can all the control arms go bad at once, there are 4 of them. And even if they did they're only about $100 each and take 2 hours tops to replace.

 

There's something very fishy about this post or the dealer's diagnosis. And who "goes to Dearborn" to talk to Ford? There are at least 20 different office buildings, how would you even know which one to go to?

 

Also you can't declare your vehicle a lemon just because one part fails once.

Edited May 4, 2010 by Waldo

[xmech2k]

Yeah, I'm always suspiscious (Spelling?) about one-posters who come onto a forum with a rant of an extraordinary story. Could be real though, so you want to be nice and play along. Maybe a Toyota employee, though. :hysterical:

 

Anyways, if what he says is true, I wonder if there is more to the story, like modifications were done to the suspension, or he lives 5 miles down a rugged dirt road and goes 65 mph on it twice sa day or something.

[drolds1]

I smelled something fishy here as well. It's the lack of specifics. What constitutes control arms "going bad?" Are they cracked, bent, or what?

 

Also, the dealer said that these control arms that had supposedly failed were not a safety concern? How is a major front-end component failure not a safety concern?

 

That story about going to Dearborn is the topper though.

[Venegas22]

Before i bought my 07 i bought a 06 and right when i took the 06 home on the highway the car was pulling to the right and this car was spanking brand new of the lot. Took it back and got me a 07. They try to talk me into keeping it but i was like i'm not no fool! 07 has been good to me

[Venegas22]

The problem was the Control Arms!!!!!

[fusionff]

C'mon, the OP was from May 3rd. Still with only 1 post. I'm calling BS on this thread!!!

Edited August 2, 2010 by fusionff