SECTION 1 – DEALERSHIP ADMINISTRATION
1.1 DEALERSHIP WARRANTY RESPONSIBILITIES
1.1.4 Warranty Responsibility
In accordance with the provisions of the Dealer Sales and Service Agreement, the Company’s Warranty Statements, and this Warranty & Policy Manual, dealers are required to administer warranty and policy repair service (e.g., warranty, ESP/ESC, FSA-Customer Satisfaction Programs, and Field Service Actions) for all vehicles they are franchised to sell. Owners of Ford/Lincoln vehicles are recommended, but not required, to return to their selling dealer for warranty service.
All members of staff involved in any aspect of warranty should be familiar with the contents of the Service Guide given to customers at the point of sale. It is the Dealer’s responsibility to ensure each new vehicle sold is fitted with the Service Guide.
The Ford warranties are limited based on either time in service and / or distance travelled. The period of warranty cover for each of the Ford warranties applicable to each vehicle is detailed in the appropriate Service Guide delivered with the new vehicle.
The dealer must provide warranty service to owners with vehicles under warranty, regardless of whether they are the selling dealer. The warranty is in effect for the specified period unless it has been cancelled. Any defect in factory workmanship or materials will be corrected on a no-charge, deductible, or pro-rata basis.
Under the new vehicle warranty, the owner may not be charged for items such as diagnosis, shop material or supplies, road testing, etc. These items may, however, be reimbursable from Ford under warranty, if stipulated as reimbursable in other Company publications such as TSBs, Dealer Confidential Bulletins, Service Manager Letters, etc.
1.1.4.1 Quality of Service
Dealership staff should always apply superior customer handling techniques in conjunction with Company approved repair processes to ensure that the service provided is of a consistently high standard
1.1.4.2 Quality of Repair
Dealers must:
- Maintain an inventory of tools and equipment as specified or recommended by the Company for the completion of a quality repair
- Monitor workshop output and quality levels
- Ensure only Genuine or Company-approved parts are used in warranty repairs
- Accept responsibility for repeat repairs where the Dealer is responsible for the repeat failure
1.1.4.3 Quality of Personnel
All Dealers should employ suitably trained and motivated personnel who are capable of correctly carrying out all technical, supervisory and administrative aspects of warranty work.
The dealer is responsible for providing service training and equipment. This includes:- Holding regular in-dealership training sessions.
- Sending designated personnel to Company-sponsored training programs.
- Maintaining files of Company service publications.
- Obtain and require use of recommended Special Service Tools and equipment.
The dealer is responsible for submitting claims immediately after completion of repairs and for maintaining documents which support these claims.
The dealer must not have remuneration plans that pay service management (e.g., Service Advisor, Service Manager, Dispatcher / Workshop Controller), warranty claims administrators, or an outside vendor an incentive based directly on warranty sales. Remuneration plans that include incentives on a total basis, such as adjusted selling-gross or total shop sales, are acceptable if adequate safeguards are used to prevent improper warranty practices.
The dealer should authorize all necessary repairs to dealership vehicles (this responsibility can be delegated to Service Management).