bartlee
Active member
- First Name
- Bart
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2022
- Threads
- 4
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 62
- Location
- California
- Vehicles
- 2022 F-150 Lightning Lariat
- Occupation
- Designer
- Thread starter
- #1
Hey @Ford Motor Company, can anyone help me with this? It's case number CAS-50579186-Y3J9J4 if that helps. For everyone else, please only read if you want to hear a long boring story about b-pillar covers and phone calls.
I've been a very happy Lightning owner for almost two years now. I finally got around to using the Ford points I earned when I bought the truck to help pay for some black platinum b-pillar covers. I received the order very quickly and finally found some time to install them a few days later. I lined up and applied the first two pieces on the driver's side. Once applied, I removed the protective film on the pieces and discovered I had received the wrong parts - bright stainless finish rather than black. What's really weird is the part numbers labeled on the pieces (VFL 3Z-9920554-D) match what I ordered, but they are clearly the bright stainless steel version (VFL 3Z-9920554-H). Anyone installing these would apply them before removing the protective film on the front.
So, I called Ford Parts to let them know. They said someone would get back to me in about ten days. Finally did receive a call back from April about 12 days later. She said if I sent back the order, they could refund/replace the order. I explained that two of the pieces were already applied, and would not be usable once I pull them off. She said she would have to get back to me. Several days later, I heard back from April and she asked me to send pictures of the parts to verify the issue. I did (see below), and waited several more days to get a response. She called back and said that I received the correct parts and there's nothing they can do. I asked her to look at the pictures again, they are clearly not the black platinum version. Waited several more days for a reply.
During that time, I took the stainless steel pieces off because they looked silly on a truck with all black trim elsewhere. As I assumed, I bent them into almost a complete circle removing them and tossed the scraps into the trash. And of course, the next time I heard back from April (this is now over over a month after I originally called to tell them they sent me the wrong parts), she asked me to send the unapplied pieces and the pieces I removed and she would "try" to issue me a refund. I explained that I no longer had the two pieces I had applied but would be happy to send back the other two pieces. I'm assuming the mislabeling happened at Putco anyway. Several days later, received a call telling me there's nothing they can do. I asked to hear back from a supervisor. Actually, I said, "please have the person who told you to tell me there's nothing you can do to call me. I would like to speak to them." April was courteous throughout this process, but clearly unable to make any decisions on her own.
Heard back today from Andrew, her supervisor. Smug attitude right from the get go. I rehashed the same story above and he simply repeated that there's nothing he can do. I said, "It's not that you can't do anything, it's that you won't do anything. I've been a happy customer for almost two years. You are going to ruin that over a $200 part? Obviously I did not receive what I ordered. It blows my mind that you are not willing to do anything to rectify this." Andrew just chuckled and said sorry, there's nothing he can do. I asked if that was his decision and he said no, it "comes from Operations." I asked if someone in Operations can call me so I can vent at them. No, they don't do phone calls. Asked Andrew to send me an email recapping that they are unwilling to replace or refund my order and he said sure. Still waiting for that email. Not holding my breath.
So, I'm out $100 and 22,000 Ford points, I have two passenger side bright stainless b-pillar covers if anyone wants them, and I've wasted a few hours of my life on this stupid little issue. Never felt more like a Karen, but this is the worst customer service experience I've ever had in my life, by a good margin.
Okay, rant over. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
I've been a very happy Lightning owner for almost two years now. I finally got around to using the Ford points I earned when I bought the truck to help pay for some black platinum b-pillar covers. I received the order very quickly and finally found some time to install them a few days later. I lined up and applied the first two pieces on the driver's side. Once applied, I removed the protective film on the pieces and discovered I had received the wrong parts - bright stainless finish rather than black. What's really weird is the part numbers labeled on the pieces (VFL 3Z-9920554-D) match what I ordered, but they are clearly the bright stainless steel version (VFL 3Z-9920554-H). Anyone installing these would apply them before removing the protective film on the front.
So, I called Ford Parts to let them know. They said someone would get back to me in about ten days. Finally did receive a call back from April about 12 days later. She said if I sent back the order, they could refund/replace the order. I explained that two of the pieces were already applied, and would not be usable once I pull them off. She said she would have to get back to me. Several days later, I heard back from April and she asked me to send pictures of the parts to verify the issue. I did (see below), and waited several more days to get a response. She called back and said that I received the correct parts and there's nothing they can do. I asked her to look at the pictures again, they are clearly not the black platinum version. Waited several more days for a reply.
During that time, I took the stainless steel pieces off because they looked silly on a truck with all black trim elsewhere. As I assumed, I bent them into almost a complete circle removing them and tossed the scraps into the trash. And of course, the next time I heard back from April (this is now over over a month after I originally called to tell them they sent me the wrong parts), she asked me to send the unapplied pieces and the pieces I removed and she would "try" to issue me a refund. I explained that I no longer had the two pieces I had applied but would be happy to send back the other two pieces. I'm assuming the mislabeling happened at Putco anyway. Several days later, received a call telling me there's nothing they can do. I asked to hear back from a supervisor. Actually, I said, "please have the person who told you to tell me there's nothing you can do to call me. I would like to speak to them." April was courteous throughout this process, but clearly unable to make any decisions on her own.
Heard back today from Andrew, her supervisor. Smug attitude right from the get go. I rehashed the same story above and he simply repeated that there's nothing he can do. I said, "It's not that you can't do anything, it's that you won't do anything. I've been a happy customer for almost two years. You are going to ruin that over a $200 part? Obviously I did not receive what I ordered. It blows my mind that you are not willing to do anything to rectify this." Andrew just chuckled and said sorry, there's nothing he can do. I asked if that was his decision and he said no, it "comes from Operations." I asked if someone in Operations can call me so I can vent at them. No, they don't do phone calls. Asked Andrew to send me an email recapping that they are unwilling to replace or refund my order and he said sure. Still waiting for that email. Not holding my breath.
So, I'm out $100 and 22,000 Ford points, I have two passenger side bright stainless b-pillar covers if anyone wants them, and I've wasted a few hours of my life on this stupid little issue. Never felt more like a Karen, but this is the worst customer service experience I've ever had in my life, by a good margin.
Okay, rant over. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
