Ford Built Tough?

[Alpha Cube]

To all Flood damaged Ford vehicles now back on the road, after many months of waiting, please post your experience and why is it to be considered built tough...

Here's mine:

Unit- 2008 Ford Focus 1.8 MT Sedan

I live in the eastern part of Metro where the flood caused by Ondoy was considered the most devastating in my lifetime. I have to bring my unit as far as down south because the eastern portion (Libis, Greenhills, and even Global City) of Ford dealers are already fully booked because of the damage caused by Ondoy. Anyways, luckily for me, there were still slots available when i brought it to the dealer sometime October of 2009. Unfortunately for me, the vehicle doesn't have an AOG clause in my Insurance so I have to bear personally all the expenses it will incur (and was bracing for it!).

During the time of the repair, I have asked specifically to the SA that I can fore go for now the bells & whistles features previously enjoyed, before it was damage by the flood to contain the cost. I told him that what is important for me is that, it runs it has A/C and the safety features should be intact (brakes and lights).

During the waiting period to get a slot, I was so anxious that there maybe certain parts that maybe corroded having been in the garage for sometime, still soaking with floodwater. I called the person who sold me the unit what to do and the advice was to remedy it temporarily by flushing the engine oil and replacing it with a new one to make sure that any water that came into the engine will be flushed-out (luckily, upon checking the engine was sealed tight and all I can see was pure oil despite the fact it was submerged, but flushed it anyway to make sure). Also, knowing that most damage incurred by the latest models is the ECU (computer box) and electronics part. Fortunately, was able to pull out the ECU (after the flood) and to my surprise, Focus ECU is waterproof being encased in an aluminum block with rubber seals around it (though this not guarantee that it works until it is tested). Nevertheless, I pulled it out and let it dry under the sun for one-week while awaiting for the unit to be tow. After three weeks of waiting it was finally towed to the dealer.

After almost 2 months of repair (and waiting) It finally went out of the dealer and to my surprise there are minimal parts that needs replacement (Maybe the reason for this was, I was able to remove the battery cable in the car before it was totally submerged by water up to the roof level and also, not risking to start the unit after).

Below are the features that doesn't work for now or needs replacement, while the rest are all a OK.

1. Power mirrors
2. Power door locks
3. Park light when switch
4. Head lights (lights work but the chrome finish was corroded)
5. Tail lights (lights work but with mud residue inside the assembly)
6. Radio (AM/FM works, but CD is not)

Now I truly consider this brand BUILT TOUGH...

[lonerunner]

may nakausap din ako tiga ford months after Ondoy and sabi nya yung mga SUV daw nila di masyado affected sa Ondoy nuon.. mostly small repairs lang daw.

di ko lang alam kung gaanon ka honest yung kausap ko.. syempre bias sya kasi he is from Ford, but sna he is telling the truth.

peace!

[projector]

may nakausap din ako tiga ford months after Ondoy and sabi nya yung mga SUV daw nila di masyado affected sa Ondoy nuon.. mostly small repairs lang daw.

di ko lang alam kung gaanon ka honest yung kausap ko.. syempre bias sya kasi he is from Ford, but sna he is telling the truth.

peace!

hndi totoo yan may nakasabay ako sa ford casa global city na ondoy inabot malapit sa upuan. napaandar p nya ung kotse papunta casa para ipa detail. umandar so buo ang computer box ok ang radio ok din aircon. kaso nung binalikan nya after 2 months nasira ung computer box sira aircon sira radio.

ford casa makes ur car toughfon ( itatapon mo na sa dami ng sira at sa mahal imaintain. )

[renzo_d10]

^ Pinatakbo niya after mabaha ? That's wrong. Baka kaya nasira yung computer box niya.

[niky]

^ Pinatakbo niya after mabaha ? That's wrong. Baka kaya nasira yung computer box niya.

+1.

While it's possible to start some cars after a flood, it's best to dismantle everything and dry out all the components. Running electric current through compromised wiring can cause hot spots which will eventually short out and cause damage to the electronics.

Which is most likely what happened. That the customer was able to start the car and bring it to the casa shows that the car survived the flood. That he actually started it before having it checked over completely is the reason it finally died.

-

While some parts for the Focus are still on the expensive side (and note, similar Honda Civic parts are also pretty expensive.), parts for most other Ford products are reasonably priced, and not much different from parts for other cars in the same class. Despite needing to buy from Banawe from time to time, I have no complaints with maintaining my Ford Lynx RS. In fact, electronic parts are much cheaper and easier to find than for the Mazda626 I had previously, which served as the basis for the RS platform and the 2.0 engine.

-

Toughfon? Tell that to the guy selling his flooded Fortuner for just 500k. I think it's still for sale. Whatever the brand, once a car is flooded, it's worthless. At least with the Ranger and Everest, you can still use your worthless piece of junk without paying over a hundred thousand pesos for new electronics.

[projector]

san b nakalagaay computer box ng expedition? sabi nya hndi naman daw umabot sa computer box kac hanggang upuan lng.

[projector]

^ Pinatakbo niya after mabaha ? That's wrong. Baka kaya nasira yung computer box niya.

[vinj]

Good to hear that.

I've seen an Everest that was banged up with flood marks up to its roofline driving to the dealer on its own power after Ondoy. There was also an Everest that was marooned on a river for a few days before they could fish it out and it too was driven back on its own power after draining the water.

[niky]

Rav5's four Fords got flooded in Ondoy (he's not around here much, anymore... mostly on fordclubph... and he does some work on the side for Top Gear Ph...). His Ranger and Everest worked right after the flood. The only issue is with the transmission controller (AT kasi) and the dashboard. The Ranger has no issues. Manual transmission kasi.

Don't have an update on his Focus and Escape.

Ford Everests and Rangers can survive total inundation in flood because they're some of the only vehicles on the market with completely waterproofed ECUs. This is the reason why Ford felt confident enough to place the ECU inside the engine bay, even though the two were built as off-roaders and it would definitely get wet in there.

[bodz]

Would like to share mine as well.

I also own a 2008 Ford Focus 1.8. I'm the second owner and bought it second hand last July 2009. The deal was good so I took it. The seller disclosed to me that it was flooded the first time in Makati during a flash flood there a few months before I bought it but it was repaired and restored by the casa since it was under insurance. Just a few months after, it got flooded again due to Ondoy. A week after I towed it to the casa and luckily the insurance company acknowledge the unit. (Hurray for the insurance company). They temporarily released the unit to me last December (temporary only since the radio, power door, keyless entry was still not working). After 5 days, it won't start due to the wiring in the fuse box being loose so they towed it again back to the casa.

They were able to fix the problem with the loose connection a week after bringing it back last December but they were waiting for the parts for the power doors (actuators) so they did not release it yet but I needed the car so I asked them to temporarily released it again yesterday. So far, the car is performing great just like before. The keyless entry and alarm doesn't work yet though and I'm still observing my unit but so far the unit is running smoothly. It was flooded twice in one year yet it still runs. For how long, I don't know. Hopefully for years to come. I think I can say that Ford is built tough.

I still have repairs planned for the unit though. I saw some rust formation on the pedals and under the dashboard. Will be bringing to Ziebart and have it checked. Maybe they can do something about it.

[Chikselog]

*sir niky
Wow that's amazing. Hindi rin daw po ba napasok ng tubig yung mismong makina? Ang tibay nun ah. The fact na ma-start lang ang makina you already know that it's really tough

[niky]

*sir niky
Wow that's amazing. Hindi rin daw po ba napasok ng tubig yung mismong makina? Ang tibay nun ah. The fact na ma-start lang ang makina you already know that it's really tough

If it's not run when it's underwater, it's safe. But prudence demands you drain the oil and change all the fluids, just to be sure.