I purchased a demo Ford Focus 1.8 Si (2009) and was quite satisfied. Recently, I discovered a loose, knocking noise coming from the front wheels which immediately prompted me to book the vehicle in at the closest dealership (Eagle Ford Johannesburg). Upon inspection, it was discovered that my Steering Rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. Since the vehicle only has 55 000 km on the clock - I assumed this repair would be covered by my standard warranty. However to my surprise, it was explained at the dealership that my warranty has been declared Null and Void as a result of missing one of my scheduled services (35 000 km). The service manual only had stamps for 20 000 km and 50 000km (Imperial Ford Kempton Park). I received a quote for R13 000!
While i completely accept responsibility for missing a service - i find it highly unethical and unprofessional that i wasn't notified when the warranty was cancelled or given the option to re-activate it (even if this meant paying a penalty). Furthermore, i fail to see how missing that particular service contributed to a failure of my Steering Rack (a major mechanical component) or why it was not picked up at my 50 000 km service.
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