Tropical Ford - Service Center

2011 F350 6.7 Diesel with 54,000 miles experiencing intermittent P0093 – major fuel leak, dropped off to Tropical Ford on 6/16/20. Truck has been experiencing P0093 intermittently under heavy load sin intermittent P0093 – major fuel leak, dropped off to Tropical Ford on 6/16/20. Truck has been experiencing P0093 intermittently under heavy load since I purchased it at 33,000 miles with no change in consistency or frequency over the 2.5 years of ownership. Truck had SCT X4 programmer installed ONLY for Speed Limiter function – Stock ‘tune’ remained installed at all times. Zero change in P0093 behavior before and after ‘tuner’. There has never been a visible fuel leak, so the problem is relegated to a sensor malfunction or physical blockage of pickup lines, often including debris in the tank. I successfully self-diagnosed all of the fuel system electrical and mechanical components, but scheduled a focused diagnosis at Tropical Ford specifically to inspect the fuel tank for debris since I do not have the time to do it myself. No inspection of the fuel tank was performed in the six (6) days they had the truck. This is a work vehicle and I stressed the importance of having it back on the road ASAP, especially as a small business coming out of COVID. I called every day for updates and was told they were working hard on figuring it out and they were always on to something. Unfortunately for Tropical I have a hardwired GPS sensor that found the key was only in the ignition twice for a total of four (4) minutes on the 17th before leaving it to sit for 5.04 days until the 22nd, when I picked it up. Five (5) full days of lost wages when it was just sitting in their lot doing nothing, and over a week of downtime total. In addition, I now have to fix the problems they caused that were not there previously, which means more downtime as a small business. Tropical Ford, without asking my permission and during a purely diagnostic service focused on a visual inspection of the fuel tank, proceeded to change the software on my truck. Once installed, four (4) NEW CELs that I have never seen in the 2.5 years of ownership appeared. After damaging the engine, the tech then decided it would be best to stop working on it completely and return it in this condition. His professional recommendation was for me to re-install the [stock] tune from the X4 tuner, since the CEL’s weren’t there with it. Since they were unable to do their job and successfully diagnose the problem, the best solution they could come up with was to replace the entire fuel system for $10,000 - $12,000 and that the truck was basically totaled and ‘not even worth fixing’. Still, no inspection of the fuel tank was performed. I decided to speak with the service manager Bryan, thinking he might want to know that his people are dropping the ball and damaging their customer’s vehicles, and worse – lying about it. I thought not wearing a mask was an interesting choice at the moment, but it allowed me to see his smirk when I informed him that there were 4 new CEL based on the actions they took and he said “according to you”, saying I had no proof. He then admitted they wouldn’t charge me solely for the fact that they wouldn’t have to give me documentation of the actions they performed, even though the tech described my truck as a now ticking time bomb. Obviously, I insisted for some sort of documentation, which I watched them type up in the office in a word processor that doesn’t have “Tropical Ford” printed anywhere on the page. It’s painful watching such unethical business practices being performed, especially in a time where everybody is struggling. I will give Tropical the opportunity to rectify the damages they caused without seeking further legal action, though it would be preferred to have a more competent dealership perform the repair work. The review will remain however, as dishonesty and ineptness of this level deserve to be out there. More

I had the WORST experience at tropical Ford. I went in for a recall and they were giving me the run around on it about some warranty and how I had to pay $120 for diagnostic. I told them I won’t be doing for a recall and they were giving me the run around on it about some warranty and how I had to pay $120 for diagnostic. I told them I won’t be doing that and then left. When my mechanic called them himself to confirm what they told me they told him that I COULD NOT come back to their service center. They even told him I went off on them(yelling going crazy) and that’s the reason. When I called back myself to ask them who exactly I went off on cause I know for sure I wasn’t , the manager herself who so happen to help me refuted and said I didn’t go off on them but I seemed upset. SO UNPROFESSIONAL. It’s crazy cause I wasn’t even planning on going back anyways. I’m actually now going to find legal help for what happened at Ford. More