Extremely Poor Service & Possible Factory Defect Ignored

Extremely Poor Service & Possible Factory Defect Ignored

I own a 2020 Ford Ranger 2.0 A/T XLT with 90,000 km, fully serviced at Ford dealerships and well maintained.

On 31 July 2025, my vehicle was towed to CMH for a suspected gearbox issue. I was told it would be assessed that day — yet despite multiple follow-ups and promises of feedback (first Friday, then Saturday), no one contacted me. When I visited on Saturday, I found my vehicle still parked exactly where the tow truck had left it — untouched since Thursday.

Upon inspection, the gearbox was found to have little to no oil, with no signs of a leak. They added 2 litres of oil at a cost of R3,272 to “test” the issue, but the fault persisted. Their solution? Replace the gearbox for R103,000 — or start dismantling it at my expense (R11,000 to remove, R13,000 to open, plus escalating costs thereafter).

The workshop foreman confirmed there was no sign of negligence or damage on my part and that the gearbox had never been opened. Yet, the Service Manager claims it would be “very difficult” to prove a factory defect, even if the lack of oil caused the damage — purely because the warranty has expired.

This is unacceptable. A five-year-old, Fully-Serviced at agents vehicle should not suffer catastrophic gearbox failure without cause. The lack of communication, failure to act promptly, and refusal to take accountability are deeply disappointing.