Should I insist TSB's be rectified before purchasing?

[rlassiter]

I am visiting a USA dealer this weekend to find an EDGE SEL to bring back to Canada. I found 3 Service Technical Bulletins. Should I insist they do the repairs before buying or do I have to buy first or do I actually have to have the problem described first? This will be a dealer trade since they don't have one I like in their stock. I read threads here of other issues such as mismatched head rests, rattle in Vista roof. Is there a roof fix that they should apply even though I don't have a rattle but may get it in the future if modifications are not done?

[bbf2530]

I am visiting a USA dealer this weekend to find an EDGE SEL to bring back to Canada. I found 3 Service Technical Bulletins. Should I insist they do the repairs before buying or do I have to buy first or do I actually have to have the problem described first? This will be a dealer trade since they don't have one I like in their stock. I read threads here of other issues such as mismatched head rests, rattle in Vista roof. Is there a roof fix that they should apply even though I don't have a rattle but may get it in the future if modifications are not done?

 

Hi rlassiter. :D Technically (no pun intended), "most" TSB problems are supposed to be observed in the vehicle before the fix is implemented.

 

Also, your vehicle may have been produced after the TSB's were distributed, so the fixes may have already been implemented on the assembly line by the time it was produced, meaning your vehicle already has the update described in the TSB.

 

You can always ask the Dealer to check for and perform any TSB fixes that may be outstanding on your vehicle (keeping in mind that there may not be any) before you purchase. Never hurts to ask.

 

The worst that can happen is they say no. Or they can perform any needed. Or they can inform you that there are none outstanding on vehicles with your production date. Then you can decide what you would like to do next.

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

Edited April 4, 2008 by bbf2530

[akirby]

Just to confirm - TSBs are NOT recalls. They do not represent problems that every car exhibits or that have to be fixed on every car. They are simply instructions to help dealers find and fix problems more quickly. If your vehicle exhibits a problem described in the TSB then yes, insist that it's fixed under warranty. But if your Vista Roof doesn't rattle, there is nothing to be done.

[Jaak in TO]

To import into Canada he needs all TSB campains completed. All he needs is a letter from the Dealer on their letterhead stating that all TSB's have been completed on the vehicle with none outstanding.

 

Jaak (in Canada, have friend who Imports Porsches to his Independant dealership).

[akirby]

To import into Canada he needs all TSB campains completed. All he needs is a letter from the Dealer on their letterhead stating that all TSB's have been completed on the vehicle with none outstanding.

 

Jaak (in Canada, have friend who Imports Porsches to his Independant dealership).

 

Perhaps there is a terminology gap here. I could understand recalls and service campaigns (required actions) but TSBs simply describe a solution to a particular problem that a specific vehicle may or may not have. e.g. It wouldn't make sense to perform a TSB to fix a vista roof rattle if the vista roof doesn't rattle.

 

Unless this is one of those gov't mandates that don't really make logical sense.

[bbf2530]

Hi all. :D Akirby is correct. This is a terminology or definition problem. It is a common mistake for the two terms to be confused.

 

All "Recall Campaigns" must be completed for cars brought into Canada, not "TSB's". A "Recall" is a governmental agency (DOT, NHTSA, etc) mandated campaign whereby all owners of a recalled vehicle must be notified that their car has a recognized problem which must be corrected. An auto manufacturer must send out mailers to all owners and keep detailed records of follow up. It usually relates to a serious safety or emissions problem with a vehicle.

 

A "TSB" (Technical Service Bulletin) is merely an "in-house" memo from Ford to their Dealership Service Departments. It can deal with the most minute, unimportant subjects. It usually just tells Dealers that if a customer comes in with a particular complaint, just perform this particular repair without checking 9 other possibilities. They are usually simply used to save on "Diagnostic time" by pinpointing the problem and the fix, thereby saving money.

 

For example. as akirby correctly points out, what sense does it make to perform a TSB dealing with a "Panoramic Roof rattle" on a vehicle that does not have a rattle?

 

In another example, a "TSB" may detail something as simple as replacing a "#2 Phillips head screw" that holds a piece of trunk trim with an updated "#2 Torx head screw" if the customer complains about a loose piece of trunk trim. If a customer brings their car in for an oil change and does not complain about "loose trunk trim", the screw will not be replaced. No complaint, no fix performed.

 

A "Recall" would be performed automatically when you brought your car in for any other service. Whether you asked or knew about it. Federal Law mandates that all "Recalls" be performed automatically.

 

Simply put, TSB's do not have to be performed for a car to be imported to Canada. "Recalls" do.

 

Hope this information helps to clear up the confusion.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

Edited April 4, 2008 by bbf2530

[bri719]

so what are the 3 TSB's for??

 

I think I know of one... not sure

[bbf2530]

so what are the 3 TSB's for??

 

I think I know of one... not sure

 

Hi bri719. :D They are listed in the "Maintenance, TSB's & Recalls" sub-Forum. Just scroll further down the Ford Edge sub-Forums list and you will find it.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

Edited April 12, 2008 by bbf2530