Hi all!
I´ve mentioned this problem in the "general" section of this forum, but no one has ever heard of it. Now, at least I´ve found in this section, that I´m not alone.

My has been in the workshop for 1,5 months (I own it 2 months!!) and now, after they have replaced the steering column and the steering device itself and the noise went back after only 300km they confess that there is a general problem.

What makes me sick: I have done the needed steps to initiate the process of contract-cancellation (Austrian law: wait for some unsuccessful repair attempts, give them a deadline, if they can´t make it you have certain rights. For example cancelling the purchase, get a new one, get some money back) but Ford insists that this is no serious problem, so I should do nothing but wait (till they develop a solution). Well they have mounted a new steering and after 300km it has a play like after 300.000km! This should be no serious problem??? I payed 1,5 months for a car standing in the workshop! This should be no serious problem???
I´m really considering going to court with them. Tomorrow I´ll talk to a lawyer.

Have you similar laws in GB? Has anybody tryed what I tryed?
thx!
reach

Sorry to hear about you problem with your Reach.
I'm not too clued up about the law regarding matters like this, but because they had your car for sooooooooo long it would suggest that it is a serious problem. I think talking to your lawyer is the best thing to do.

Good luck.

Its well annoying isn't it!! I've had the same thing. I've been telling the dealership from day dot that this is a fault but they continiously bleated back to me .... "its a characteristic of the car" thats not saying much for the car if they were right. In the end they are wrong and i've wasted many miles on road tests and many months with not one pleasurable mile of driving.

Ford will only look into a repair if a certain amount of people complain (which is crazy)

They will also make a recall if a certain percentage of all customers with that vehicle complain.

The car is good, but made VERY VERY BAD by Fords STUPID processes and WORTHLESS warranty.

Mine rattles when going fast round corners over bumps but it has done since i got it, cant be arsed reporting it until service.

I don't know how bad every1 elses is but mine has got gradually worse and happens over any bumps now.

Some times its hard to hear over the dash creeking though.

Some noises you have to expect. After all it is a MASSIVE engine crammed into a tiny space. If you go onto the Clio Sport websites they will admit to pages and pages of noises, problems, bits falling off... is thankfully not like that but the odd noise you have to bare with... Not any that is causing a problem to controlling your car as that would be concidered dangerous.

Hopefully will try and solve this issue and order a fix to be made on all the s

Good Luck with sorting it and I hope no body else experiences these problems!!!

Sorry but if i'm spending loads of money on a car I don't want ANY faults with it. I could have bought a used car at used car prices and had less faults.

Ford owners seem content with having the odd noise... just turn the stereo up fixes it. Nah not me.... I've spent loadsa money, I except new cars do have there faults but when Ford take ages to find the cheapest possible repair so they save money at the inconvenience of the customer THAT pisses me right off.

Its not detramental to the running of the car.... but nor is a focus pissing in water through the pollen housing ( as they do) But I would not be happy with that either... would you?

If you can put up with a badly built car - buy a ford

If you want a car to serve the purpose it was bought for hassel free and NOT drive you mad with creeks, rattles, clunks etc - Dont buy a ford

I had an MG ZR brand new cost less and that was fine. So are you saying Ford are making the cars with overpriced inferior quality materials?

Bottom line = New car should be fault free, if it has a fault fix it quick to satisfy the customer.


If you bought an Ipod and there was a slight beeping noise constantly in the back ground would you be happy?

Why do you think there is a new soft touch dash on the 2006? As Ford are probably aware the old one creeks. do you pay anymore for it? No.

I bet the MG was nowhere near the as good a drive as the personally I'd rather have a car that drives superbly and put up with a few niggles. I agree that there shouldn't be any noises but perhaps there isn't a quick fix for the problems you are having. BTW what have Ford said about you're complaints, if you are really that disappointed with your car then perhaps you need to speak to Ford customer "services" (if you haven't already).

I can see where you are coming from, but IMO for the money they want I'd put up with it for the sake of having a great driving car, I can't really comment on your car as I haven't heard how loud these noises are.

We all have different expectations / views on things, which is good. This is just one that we'll have to agree to disagree on.

Let us know how you get on trying to get your fixed.

Trust me I have spoken to FCS many times.

I now seem to be getting a bit of progress from their one and only helpful employee.

Just gotta wait...even longer to see whats going to be done.

P.s the MG for the money was a very good drive :P

Well at least they are trying to rectify the problem(s), I know it's frustrating that they can't just fix it straight away, but at least they're trying (which is an achievement for )

Oh its not just 1 fault either.

So far i've had 15 faults only half have been repaired

1 of them is a safety issue - air bags

And there is not a time period set for fixes on the ones out standing so i'm stuck with it broken

Jesus, I did sense it wasn't just the steering rattle, but wasn't expecting that. In that case I do completely agree with you that it's not acceptable a few rattles is one thing but 15 faults is terrible. Hope it all gets sorted for you mate.

I think MichaelST1 is the same kind like me. We can indeed differentiate between a problem related to the pricing of the car and a technical issue. I don´t expect it being silent like a BMW, but this type of noise is a serious problem.
btw: I also had the Airbag issue - was apparently also a problem of this series, but could be fixed quite qickly.

What annoys me most: during the repair "attempts" my car was completely dismanteled. The dashboard was taken out, the door covers were off etc.
I have worked with cars long enough to know that it´s not easy to re-mount all this rattle-free. But there is no way to officially claim this since (understandaby) the law says that a workshop IS in the position to repair all this in a perfect manner. They are not, but you can´t proof it.
Now I have, besides the steering rattle, of course many other noise sources behind the dashboard. Nothing that´s not more or less decent to the price, but with every single rattle I doubt if it is due to the repair, or if every other ST does the same. With other words: I can never be happy with THIS particular car. I don´t have the feeling of having purchased a new car any more. Another ST would cure this. I´d wait as long as Ford has a clear repair instruction, then I think the quality of work would be much better, because they´d know what they are looking for rather than to search for ANYthing.
There are so many smaller problems left (scratches in the "interior kit", a scratch in the radio and so on. It´s sooo annoying to always have to dirve there to get some repair-relicts solved...
I think I´ll definitely go to court if they refuse to grant me my given rights.

hear hear i am going to trading standards tomorrow
just been told my cars altenator has fgone but ford have not got any
and there is no lead time
also the engind sticks of antifreeze but ford say they wont wash it as it will cause more problems to the engine
FORD YOU CAN STICK UR ST

Sorry to hear that ChrisJolly... this seems to be a big problem with the s.

Im sure are trying to rectify these problems...

I think you have to look back on everything... you all have had the first 's and just like the Focus the cars have little niggles... it will be put right eventually but you just need to keep badgering the FCS.

It is not just that have these problems, every car in every company have these problems... I know its annoying but after all it is just a piece of mechanical metal... like a computer... sometimes it goes wrong, no matter how much you pay for it!!!

Believe me... a BMW might be angelic but when something goes wrong... $$$

i understand things go wrong but parts not available on a car tharts in production sorry i cant accept that
i had a ford before a brand new xr31 16v cabrio i vowed it was my last ford
i must be mad

It sounds like the dealership is the one at fault here because shelby had the same thing and her car was fixed within days. The dealership should be able to get their hands on an alternator for your ST Chris. I'd contact FMC and ask them to poke the dealership in to action. Its what I did with my 6006 radio and I got my new one within 3 weeks and all my CDs back the following week.

hmmm
i am on the brink of rejecting the car
ill tell you all how i go on tomorrow

Here you go Chris.. This link is to Shelby's experience with the exact same thing. Perhaps you should print it off and show it to them and point out her car was fixed within days. Might also back you up if they try and wriggle out of it saying its not a common thing.

http://www.fordfiestast.co.uk/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=21353&an=0&page=0#21353

I gave up the fight!
Talked to a lawyer who would be very happy to take this to the court and is very sure that I could win every rejecting-solution I want including the court-costs, but he said, without a legal protection it is too risky. You just need to have badluck with the surveyor and you´ll loose everything.

My moto is "love it, change it, or leave it".
Nr. 2 is too risky and annoying, Nr. 3 is too expensive, so I´ll go for Nr.1.


So: I love my ST! It has a great engine, an even better undercarriage and it looks great!
Will buy some 17" OZ Superturismo WRC (in white) to spice up my decision :-)

Oh dear.