This is my first post, and I'm not a "car guy" although I love my 2008 FEH. So, I have a newbie question, but it's a big, expensive one. I hope that's OK.

Situation:
A local oil shop changed my oil incompetently. My FEH 2008 lost all its oil, and my engine is now garbage.

Ford wants to do a remanufactured engine. Cost with engine and labor is $8100. That's almost KBB value.

The oil shop is freaking out, and demanding I go instead with an engine from LKQ that their preferred local shop will install.

I don't know if this is a terrible idea or an OK idea. I will say, my FEH has been a lovely but finicky vehicle. I'm highly aware of the recall work it had done when the car stopped working while I was going 60 MPH on the freeway (that was kind of scary). It's a complicated system, and I'm concerned that a shop that does not work with FEH regularly, putting in an engine that may not have been through its paces... may be a bad idea.

So I am putting out feelers: what should I do? Does anyone have experience getting a new engine on their FEH? And not from Ford? And again, I know sometimes Ford gets their engines from other companies, but letting another shop do the work... bad idea?

Thank you!

 

There have been stories of people rebuilding their FEH's engines, but that was years ago when they were worth tens of thousands. You might want to double check that KBB and compare to actual listings and transaction prices for FEHs.
Pretty unlikely IMO that a non-Ford shop is going to be able to install a reman FEH motor (if there are any lying around in junkyards) and get it running, but who knows. Maybe you can make them do it on the condition that it passes an inspection by a qualified Ford hybrid mechanic/dealer of your choosing when they're done.

If you don't feel like gambling I would take the cut and run approach and settle for a check from the shop and move on. A lawyer would probably agree that it's not worth dumping a bunch of money and work in to an almost 8 year old car. If you fix it, you're still risking future headaches solving issues from the swap that the indie garage may be able to solve or you'll have to go back to a Ford dealer to fix. Good thing about Ford is they automatically warranty their work and all parts 12,000 miles IIRC. Sorry about the disaster but you can take some comfort that you're not the first person with an FEH this has happened to (wrong oil filter installed, engine destroyed).

 

Thank you, D-mac. All good advice, and echoing what I am hearing from my sources. The Valvoline shop that did the negligent work is really being hard, and I think it's very likely we'll need to sue them to either fix it right (at $8100) or cut me a check so I can use that as the down payment on another car. What a drag.

You're also right on the KBB... even in fair condition it's a $10K car.

I've made it clear to the Valvoline area manager (and I hope, to the franchise owner) that if the car gets fixed it needs to be @ Ford. They are playing games with me, hoping I cave to their B.S., but even the mechanic THEY recommended tells me I should probably go to Ford, and that he couldn't do the whole job himself, anyway (only Ford can do the tuning once the engine itself is in).

 

An attorney is probably going to cost you at least a couple hundred, but may be the best way to make this problem go away the fastest. You've got to also consider that since the one vehicle only powertrain your FEH has went out of production sometime early in 2008 (the '09-'12 and current Ford hybrids have a different design/components), quality parts and knowledgeable techs to rebuild/tune it may be in short/costly supply. Your FEH will still have pretty good parts value for salvage or there are probably people out there that think they can rebuild it for cheap and flip it or sell for export. Who knows, we may get posts here in a few months from someone in South America who bought your FEH and wonders why it runs bad .

 

Thank you. Made me laugh in a "oh no" was on the future owner....

I'm strongly considering small-claims court for this, since it's likely under $10,000 (unless you count my pain and suffering due to not having a car for 4 days so far?), which is the local limit. I hate this approach, but yeah it feels like- given how cruddy the Valvoline manager has been, and how unresponsive the reclusive owner of the franchise is- legal remedy is the only option.

The good news is, I have several experts now who back my misgivings up. I'm hoping if we go to court I can show the judge this stuff and get him/her to kick Valvoline's butt.

 

The 2008 FEH is not a normal Escape engine. Does their "LKQ" carry an Atikison cycle engine designed specifically for an FEH?

Stick to your guns and get the right engine.

 

Valvoline shop did exactly the same thing to me, didn't tighten the oil drain plug. Fortunately I only drove a mile home and it bled out in my garage so I saw the leak and didn't drive it. They comped me a few Mobil 1 oil changes to make amends and I always watch the kid torque the drain plug and write the torque number on the receipt.

Anyway back to your case. They need to make you whole again but that probably won't mean a new engine since yours was 50% (?) depreciated. I would ask for 50% of what Ford wants for the remanufactured engine installed, $4,000 and no less.

Small claims court is your best bet and I've found them pretty consumer friendly. Get the Nolo Press book if you go that route, http://smile.amazon.com/Everybodys-G...l+claims+court. But even in small claims the judge isn't likely to give you enough for a new engine since yours wasn't new at the time of the incident. Also I think small claims requires 3 estimates for repair work so you might want to get two more estimates for a high quality repair and go for the middle number.

Try to negotiate with Valvoline when you have your estimates. The demand letter before small claims filing will encourage them to settle.

Let us know how it goes.

 

An update on your situation would be interesting.

A few months ago there was a Craigslist ad for someone selling Escape Hybrid engines. I think they were 2008's. I wondered why anyone would be doing this, and did some research. The answer was that there was a project at the University of British Columbia to convert Escape Hybrids to EV's. Since they didn't need the engines, they were selling them. I gather the project didn't work out, but they must have built a few Escape EV's. If you're interested, I could try to get their info again.

 

How many miles on your FEH? Under 100K? if so you void the remaining powertrain warranty if you dont go to ford for this repair. Also if Ford repairs it to OEM spec then you get a warranty on that repair(negotiate that prior to work being started) Also if the lube shop already agreed to repair your vehicle get it in writting, and then let a lawyer handle it in court. The lube shop would lose especially if you have the ford dealer testify as to why they have to do the repair. Hybrids are built so different that most auto shops are woefully inadaquate at repairing them.