Absolutely appalling service and a dangerous vehicle: A Ford Motus Kempton Park ordeal

I am writing to express my extreme dissatisfaction and concern regarding the service received from Ford Motus Kempton Park, specifically concerning a vehicle purchased that has proven to be nothing short of a nightmare. My experience, overseen by Manager Andre Oosthuizen and Sales Agent Marc Swart, has been characterized by chronic unaddressed defects, shocking communication breakdowns, and a complete disregard for my safety and my right to a roadworthy vehicle. Even after escalating to Ford South Africa, the problems have persisted, highlighting a severe lack of commitment to customer service and product quality.

Since collecting the vehicle on October 17th, a cascade of issues has unfolded. Within days, a rear outlet socket and another item were reported as found in the vehicle. While a battery fault on October 31st was repaired and refunded, and a defective right CV was repaired on December 6th for R2700, the critical problem of car registration remained unresolved. Despite providing proof of my GP address on December 13th, Marc repeatedly insisted registration couldn't be done due to my location in Mpumalanga, leading to my license disc expiring on December 31st. Beyond registration, a torn driver's seat was reported on December 9th but never addressed.

The situation escalated dramatically in January. On January 10th, after Marc claimed I owed fees at the traffic department, an alignment revealed all four tires were chemically worn and dangerous, necessitating a costly R11,205.02 replacement on January 17th. Despite this grave safety concern, Andre and Marc provided little assistance. When I sent the car for roadworthy on January 16th (at my own expense), only one minor repair was completed; the outlet socket remained broken, and Marc dismissed the torn seat. Crucially, during this trip, a service engine light and transmission fault appeared. Marc brushed this off as "nothing serious," despite its clear implications. Repeated attempts to get feedback from Marc on these defects and the license disc on January 23rd and 24th went unanswered.

Adding to the frustration, Ford South Africa indicated they can only intervene for vehicles under 72,000km, severely limiting their ability to assist. However, Manager Andre Oosthuizen did eventually refer the vehicle to another manager, Pouche, who correctly identified the service engine and transmission issues as stemming from the turbocharger. While the turbo repairs resolved that specific fault, a new suspension noise immediately emerged. This new issue was reported to Marc, who again failed to reply. When escalated to Andre, he suggested sending the car to Ford Witbank. Their assessment noted a loose bolt but required further strip and quote for R6,500. Shockingly, Andre then stated I would be responsible for this cost, alleging no fault was noted by their driver and suggesting I might have hit a pothole—a claim completely inconsistent with the new noise appearing directly after their previous repairs.

Ford Motus Kempton Park's customer service clearly lacks the value expected from a Ford dealership. Their inability, or unwillingness, to properly address long-standing issues, coupled with Ford SA's restrictive intervention policy, demonstrates a severe failure in after-sales support. I am utterly unhappy with their service and will not recommend them to anyone. This has been an incredibly stressful and costly ordeal, and I expect a prompt and comprehensive resolution to these serious concerns, including a full refund for this problematic vehicle or an exchange for a truly roadworthy alternative, with all my incurred costs covered.