emcdonnell Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 Just completed a trip from South Florida to Dallas (~3000 miles roundtrip all in). C-Max performed like a champ and made the long distance travel a pleasure. Unfortunately, on the first day of the trip the lever on the passenger side rear seat went "boink" and would no longer release the seat back for folding down. That made loading luggage and stuff a bit more challenging on the trip. I tried to see if there was anything I could do to fix the problem, but I couldn't see an easy fix. I'm guessing a cable came loose somewhere inside the seat. It's going into the shop on Monday and I am hoping it will be fixed that day and won't require an additional visit at a later date. Talking to my service rep, it sounds like my dealer is having trouble staffing up the service department with mechanics that can work on the c-max. I guess the electrical systems take some specialized training, but I would think the other stuff (like seat release cables) would be the same in all their cars and only require generic mechanical knowledge. But maybe even the seats in a c-max require specialized training. Beats me. I've had more recalls and service issues on this car than any car I've ever owned, but my wife and I still love it. Ford customer service (dealer and beyond) has been great through all of this. Now if manufacturing and engineering could just get their act together. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hybridbear Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 I wouldn't think a special tech is needed to fix the seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordService Posted August 7, 2014 Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 Just completed a trip from South Florida to Dallas (~3000 miles roundtrip all in). C-Max performed like a champ and made the long distance travel a pleasure. Unfortunately, on the first day of the trip the lever on the passenger side rear seat went "boink" and would no longer release the seat back for folding down. That made loading luggage and stuff a bit more challenging on the trip. I tried to see if there was anything I could do to fix the problem, but I couldn't see an easy fix. I'm guessing a cable came loose somewhere inside the seat. It's going into the shop on Monday and I am hoping it will be fixed that day and won't require an additional visit at a later date... Let me know how things go on Monday, Ed. I'll be here if you need me to step in and help. :) Crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted August 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2014 Hi Crystal - I'm hoping it's going to be a simple problem to fix. I'll report back on how things go. Keep your fingers crossed for me!! Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted August 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'm off to the shop to pick up the c-max. The good news is that we didn't have to leave it in the shop overnight. Turns out it was the seat latch that was broken. The tech couldn't figure out a way to rig it so it would work. So a new latch is needed. Here's the interesting (and depressing) part. The latch is an integral part of the seat bottom and can't be ordered separately. You have to order a whole new seat bottom. And right now they are estimating availability sometime after Labor Day. I didn't ask, but I assume that's Labor Day 2014, but maybe I should have asked. :) I can't believe that the whole seat bottom will have to be replaced because of a simple broken latch. Who designs these things? And why such long lead times on parts? Big sigh........ So, that's my story. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drdiesel1 Posted August 12, 2014 Report Share Posted August 12, 2014 All new cars are built on an as needed (assembly line demand) basis. They don't over produce anythingand sometime it's necessary to pull a part like that from the line order. Not much demand for a seat framein the parts bin, so it takes a special order to pull one. C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted August 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2014 I miss the old days when I could go to the dealer and buy parts off the shelf to use to fix my car myself. I opened the hood on the c-max when we brought it home. Took a look and haven't looked again since. :) Even if I knew what to do with most of what I saw in there I probably couldn't get the parts. I have to admit that it is pretty nice that the cars today need a whole lot less attention than they did in the old days. When I look at the scheduled maintenance for the c-max I am always astounded at how little there is. Maybe I don't miss the old days all that much after all. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted September 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2014 Still waiting on a fix for my broken back seat latch. Ford decided to redesign the seat / latch. The new design was supposed to be in production and available in September but I just got word that it will be October at the earliest. Not being able to recline the back seat sure limits what you can carry around with you. I'm tempted to try and take the seat out myself to see if I can rig up something to get the seat to recline when needed. Just in case things drag out to November...December....2015..... I'm also wondering how good a match the new seat will be or if it will look like a frankencar when they finally do the repair. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singoffpitch Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 How frustrating! One of my favorite features of my car is that I can cram almost as much cargo in the back as I could in my Explorer! I just can't stack it as high. I hope it's at least the smaller side that won't fold and not the bigger seat side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted September 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 How frustrating! One of my favorite features of my car is that I can cram almost as much cargo in the back as I could in my Explorer! I just can't stack it as high. I hope it's at least the smaller side that won't fold and not the bigger seat side. Sadly, it's the bigger side that won't fold down. I really miss that cargo capacity!! Especially when I have to take my F150 because something wouldn't fit in the c-max with the non-folding seat. 14 mpg in the F!50 is hard to take when you've gotten used to 40+ in the c-max. Ed Singoffpitch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Here's my update to my rear seat latch saga. On September 17 a new seat for my c-max showed as "shipped" in the dealers system. There is no ability for the dealer to track the part. They just have to hope it shows up. All their repeated estimates on when it would actually show up came and went. After 30 days the Ford system cancelled the order for the seat. The dealer re-ordered it. It again shows as shipped. A couple weeks later and they still haven't received the seat and don't seem to know how to do whatever it takes to get the Ford parts system to switch from "Shipped" to "delivered" or whatever it says when a part actually makes it to the dealer so they can install it. 3 months and I still can't fold down the rear passenger seat. I have lost hope that a replacement part will ever show up despite Ford's systems showing that the Part has been shipped. On a more positive not, I recently got back from a trip from Florida all the way up to Vermont and back to see friends, relatives and fall foliage. The c-max was a joy to drive on the trip. I love this car. But this is the second time in a little over a year that I've been hung out to dry by Ford on parts for the c-max. In addition, when you factor in all the shop visits to deal with the multiple recalls, it sure is hard to keep feeling the love for the c-max.....this was supposed to be a positive closing and not negative....I tried..... Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted October 27, 2014 Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Here's my update to my rear seat latch saga. On September 17 a new seat for my c-max showed as "shipped" in the dealers system. There is no ability for the dealer to track the part. They just have to hope it shows up. All their repeated estimates on when it would actually show up came and went. After 30 days the Ford system cancelled the order for the seat. The dealer re-ordered it. It again shows as shipped. A couple weeks later and they still haven't received the seat and don't seem to know how to do whatever it takes to get the Ford parts system to switch from "Shipped" to "delivered" or whatever it says when a part actually makes it to the dealer so they can install it. 3 months and I still can't fold down the rear passenger seat. I have lost hope that a replacement part will ever show up despite Ford's systems showing that the Part has been shipped. On a more positive not, I recently got back from a trip from Florida all the way up to Vermont and back to see friends, relatives and fall foliage. The c-max was a joy to drive on the trip. I love this car. But this is the second time in a little over a year that I've been hung out to dry by Ford on parts for the c-max. In addition, when you factor in all the shop visits to deal with the multiple recalls, it sure is hard to keep feeling the love for the c-max.....this was supposed to be a positive closing and not negative....I tried..... EdDid you get Crystal our Rep. involved? :) Paul wab 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted October 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2014 Hi Paul - I did send a message to Crystal asking for help. She came through for me earlier this year on another part unavailability issue. She's my last hope at this point on getting Ford to fix my seat. Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kostby Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 FYI: Rachel is the current Ford Service rep in these forums.http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3310-official-ford-service-rep/?p=50720 ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ptjones Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 FYI: Rachel is the current Ford Service rep in these forums.http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3310-official-ford-service-rep/?p=50720You are right. Hard to keep up with changes and it just slip my mind. Thanks :) Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordService Posted October 28, 2014 Report Share Posted October 28, 2014 Hi Paul - I did send a message to Crystal asking for help. She came through for me earlier this year on another part unavailability issue. She's my last hope at this point on getting Ford to fix my seat. Ed I got your PM, Ed, and responded. :) FYI: Rachel is the current Ford Service rep in these forums. http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/3310-official-ford-service-rep/?p=50720 Yep, kostby, that's me. Thanks! You are right. Hard to keep up with changes and it just slip my mind. Thanks :) Paul I'll let it slide this time, ptjones. ;) J/K I know we've moved around a bit recently; thanks for suggesting us! Rachel ptjones 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 The finish line may be in sight!! :) The dealer finally received the new seat and I'm bringing the car in on Monday for the replacement. It will be really nice to not have my wife asking me "When is the seat going to be fixed" every day like she has for the last 3 months...... Ed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordService Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 The finish line may be in sight!! :) The dealer finally received the new seat and I'm bringing the car in on Monday for the replacement. It will be really nice to not have my wife asking me "When is the seat going to be fixed" every day like she has for the last 3 months...... Ed That's great, Ed! I'm sure having that seat fixed will be a relief for both you and your wife. :) Let me know how it goes on Monday. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcdonnell Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) New seat is in and works great. Hopefully it will prove more durable than the last. It is supposed to be the new improved modified version. This is the first day in a long time I haven't been asked when the seat will be fixed. Woohoo!!! :happy feet: Ed Edited November 5, 2014 by emcdonnell ScubaDadMiami 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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