Happy ending after poor service

This letter was received from a reader on August 27: I bought a new Ford Fiesta last year from Aurania Motors in Silverton, Pretoria. Two months later, I started to hear a knocking noise from the steering rack.

I took the car back and was told it was steering failure. On receiving back the car, I was told the rack had been replaced, but a month later the noise started again. This time I took the car to Steyns Auto in Pretoria, and was also told it was the steering rack. Later I was again told the rack had been replaced.

But the problem kept on re-appearing. The rack has been replaced four times now (at least, that's what I was told), once by Aurania Motors and three times by Steyns Auto.

I again took the car back to Steyns Auto and was told the rack had been fitted incorrectly and it was quickly re-adjusted. But the noise is still there. Please Help. - Jackie

On September 7 the letter, together with the car's VIN and Jackie's contact details, were submitted to Ford SA for a response.

The same afternoon Jackie received a phone call from Ford to get more details. The next day we received an e-mail from Rella Bernardes, Ford SA general manager for communications and corporate affairs, in which she informed us arrangements had been made to have one of Ford's engineers inspect the vehicle and get the problem fixed. On September 9, the car was inspected by a Ford engineer at Steyns Auto's premises. Jackie asked for a report of his findings and of the repairs done on that occasion. It stated: "Replace steering wheel link between steering wheel and steering rack".

It seems there was never anything wrong with the rack(s) and the noise has not been heard again.

This story illustrates several aspects of what is right and what is wrong in the SA motor industry.

What is right is Ford's attitude.

What is wrong is the level of skill and commitment shown by two dealers. The story of a steering rack being replaced four times is ludicrous: were they telling the truth or not? Poor dealer service is a problem endemic to our motor industry.

The best owners can do is to be vigilant at workshops and sceptical of stories intended to fob them off.