FORD Frustration. (updated pics at bottom)

I got my Explorer in June 2007. If you're doing the math, that is 16 months ago. The week that we bought my car, I started to hear a weird rattle. My car was not used....it was brand new. It was not a normal rattle that you would expect in a SUV, but a strange, annoying, loud rattle we would only hear when our foot was on the break or the car was in park. It sounded as if it was coming from the dash board on the passenger side, which means that the rattle was very near to our ears. Very pleasant indeed. If you have been in my car, I know you have heard me complain about it while at a red light and you have most likely heard the rattle yourself.

I should have taken my car back to the dealership the very first week that I heard the rattle, but I didn't. Going without a car is a pain and I just avoided it....not to mention the whole car seat issue. A month after we bought my car, I found out I was pregnant with Garrett.....so this gave me a reason to put it off even more. When you are pregnant, you are tired and on my days off of work, I wanted to sleep. I didn't want to have to deal with my car. I always knew it was still under warranty, so no worries. However, if I would have taken it in the very week that I heard it, I think they would understand my frustrations a little more. I DIDN'T CAUSE THIS RATTLE. If I did, I could be mad at myself which would be easier. I bought a brand new car with a rattle and Ford should be doing whatever they can to fix it.

We brought my car to the dealership a few months ago to have them fix the rattle.....the next day, the rattle was back. Long story short....we are are about to take my car back for the not second, not third, not fourth, but FIFTH time.

The hard part is having the boys and dealing with not having their car seats or moving their car seats from car to car. It's a pain in the butt. Luckily the dealership is by my parent's house, but it is still a hassle. After they didn't fix it the second time (said they did, but the next day the rattle was back), they said I needed to leave it with them for a full day and they could find the problem. So, last week I went down to my parent's house. We arranged it so Mom could watch the boys, while my Dad and I brought my car up to the dealership to drop it off. (Aaron was working) My Dad and I dropped my car off around 2:30PM. They said they couldn't work on it right then, but we told them to just keep it over night so that they would have it first thing in the morning to get started on (I made plans to spend the night at my parents). They called the next day around 3:00PM and said my car was ready and the rattle was gone. YEA! Finally, it is gone!!! My mom watched the boys and my Dad takes me up to the dealership. I get my car and I start heading back to my parent's house. I stopped to get gas and as I am pulling out of the parking lot, I hear "the rattle." I called my dad and asked him to meet me back up at Ford. As you can imagine, my dad and I were very irritated. We walked in, I threw my keys on the counter, said it is still not fixed, and reminded him that this was now our fourth time. Dad went and talked to the manager.... (but I am trying to make a long story short)

They looked again for the location of the rattle. They tightened something under my car and the rattle was gone. We left the dealership, I went back to my parent's house, loaded up the boys, and we drove home. That was Wednesday. We drove my car Saturday, no rattle. Today we went to Harleigh's birthday party and what do you know.....the rattle is back. This is not a quiet rattle. This is LOUD. I have 2 kids and they each know how to scream and cry very loud in the car. I can deal with quiet rattles. This isn't one of those. This is loud. This is annoying. And now, this will be my FIFTH time taking it back to Ford.

We are so mad about this whole deal. We have worked very hard to get ahead on my car payments and to almost have it paid off already. I plan to be in this car for awhile without a car payment. I should like this car, but no.....every time I am stopped at a red light or at a stop sign and hear the rattle, I get angry. I wonder, if I had taken my car back to the dealership the week I got it, would they have taken it more seriously? Would they have given me another Explorer if I took it in that week? Does this classify as a lemon or are the mechanics just dumb?

Remember those stickers with the boy peeing on the Ford sign? I am considering putting that on my Ford....(not really). That is how I feel about Ford right now.

I miss my non-American made car.

On a happier note - here are some pictures from Harleigh's Birthday party at the bowling alley....


Jackson would clap and yell, "YEA JACKSON'S BALL!!!!!!"

Garrett and his Ge-Ge (My Grandma)


The picture below isn't really a good picture of anything, but look at Garrett down in the corner looking at the camera. If you click on it to make it bigger, the way he is looking at the camera makes me laugh!

Harleigh blowing out the candles....look at Jackson trying to help.

Jackson was a little hyper after having pizza, cake, and my sister was sneaking him her Dr. Pepper. He has never had a coke in his life....she got in trouble for that.

Happy Monday!....I'm calling Ford. Yipee. Perhaps they will offer me some coupons to cheer me up. haha.