Ford’s burning issue: readers respond

INDUSTRY NEWS / 17 January 2017, 08:10am
IOL Motoring Staff
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Following almost 50 reported fires, Ford SA on Monday announced that it would recall 4556 Kuga 1.6 EcoBoost models, produced between December 2012 and February 2014.





Ford SA CEO Jeff Nemeth said that while it would continue to investigate the issue, its research so far points to insufficient coolant circulation leading to a crack in the cylinder head, thus causing oil to leak onto hot engine components. Read more about the recall HERE.





But is it not too little too late? Has Ford’s reputation taken a bigger knock than it would ever care to admit? Here’s how our readers and various social media users have reacted to Ford’s announcement:





Ford Kuga Owner - Further to the media scandal surrounding the burning Ford Kuga’s, I personally think that every Kuga owner should be either:





A: reimbursed





B: given a choice to choose another vehicle in that specific price range





The fact that the coolant systems, etc etc will be checked and replaced (or whatever Ford is going to do going forward, to soften the blow) is JUST NOT ENOUGH.

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This basically means that Kuga owners are left with NO CHOICE but to keep their vehicles with the hopes that nothing goes wrong in the future. DUH!





If it’s only 4500 vehicles, I really don’t see why they cannot compensate their clients.





FORD is big, huge and right now their name is being tarnished.





Anton Arendse – Ford SA has dragged its heels at the expense of its clientele. All Kuga owners should join the class action and make them face their responsibilities. The lives of loved ones are more valuable than a few extra thousand.





It is assumed that the burning Kugas are a result of overheating and coolant circulation problems. What happens if the cars are repaired and then still burn out?





I bought my wife a Kuga because it was comfortable for taking the kids to school. I shudder to think - what if something happened to my family because of Ford's poor response?





Ford SA needs to take responsibility and the broader community should not support such inept management of this incident.





Personally I have lost faith and will not purchase another Ford product. My life and that of my family is just more precious.





Modilati Mahlare – This incident has made me to change my mind on Ford related products. I was intending to buy a Ford bakkie and have changed my mind. The effect is that I'm likely going to think twice about Ford cars in future.





Chris – The handling of the Kuga debacle has been a major disaster for Ford.





No one in their right mind will trust Ford now and they will experience sharp decline in sales. They should be sued in class action and pay compensation to affected customers.





Ford has been in denial for months and still refuses to take responsibility for killing one Kuga driver. Shame!





Boycott Ford!





Gary – Ford announce Kuga name change to Kombusta.











Diane – Ford should not take chances, after even reinspected cars caught alight, by blaming oil leaks and coolant systems when people's lives are at risk. Rather take back the faulted vehicles and reimburse those people who believed in the product. People with only one car being the Ford Kuga fear for they lives but are forced to use it from day to day because of work and FAMILY outings. It's about time they take it back permanently.





George – That should have happened in 2015 already!





Facebook and Twitter users were quick to criticise Ford SA after Tuesday's media briefing.



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Karien Slabbert wrote on Facebook: “(Ford is) one make of car I shall never buy. To the unfortunate Kuga owners, you cannot possibly leave it there. Whose (sic) to say one of their other models is not the next.”





Joey Mekoa posted: “I have to say it was badly handled. The spin doctors did a terrible job to (the) Ford brand. No accountability at all. I’m done with Ford.”





Robert Sivambu wrote: “So does Ford South Africa now admit that it has been burying its head in the sand after weeks?”





#FordKuga has been trending on Twitter since the briefing.






Follow
M a k e d a @BonoloMelanie


As quickly as Jeff Nemeth's incomplete answers, 0 accountability, shifting task to be dealt with by insurance companies. Wow! #FordKuga https://twitter.com/enca/status/821002079330271232 …
9:38 PM - 16 Jan 2017

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likes




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Lezanne @Lizira00


#FordKuga in short: @FordSouthAfrica failed to instill trust in the brand, didn't truly take any responsibility. PR fail.
9:35 PM - 16 Jan 2017

44 Retweets
1010 likes




Follow
ashleynesh @tshepiso_mokwen


#FordKuga does not respect people and lives ..
9:35 PM - 16 Jan 2017

22 Retweets
likes




Follow
AbortedNews @AbortedNews


*At a Job Interview

Interviewer: Have you ever taken any risks in life?

Interviewee: Well I came here in a #FordKuga
1:02 PM - 17 Jan 2017

77 Retweets
1111 likes




Follow
Barry Bateman
✔@barrybateman


#FordKuga what about those who simply don't want a Kuga anymore? Ford sold defective product - reimburse.
8:36 PM - 16 Jan 2017

6767 Retweets
9393 likes




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Nickolaus Bauer
✔@NickolausBauer


#FordKuga So @FordSouthAfrica MUST explain: Why did it take 43 burnouts & the death of a motorist for them to take action?
8:05 PM - 16 Jan 2017

223223 Retweets
108108 likes




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Hlayiseka Shirinda @hlayiseka_s


My brother bought #FordKuga late last year and has been praising it, now he's using a Taxi to work after seeing that last week's incident
6:57 PM - 16 Jan 2017 · KwaGuqa, South Africa

1212 Retweets
1919 likes









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