Problem Solver Follow-Up: Ford Buyback Offer

Seven On Your Side works hard to make sure the promises we get in our "Problem Solver" stories really are met and when they're not we don't stop working.

In October, Ford Motor Company told us they would offer an Upstate man several thousand dollars to buyback his vehicle after a recall found trucks like his were catching fire from a faulty speed control switch. When the final offer was $2000 less we wanted to know why. Dianne Derby gets answers in this 7 On Your Side Problem Solver.

"It's been a long disgusting thing," said Konrad Blank. "I'm just tired of dealing with it."

We never expected to meet Mr. Blank again but his truck problem seems to follow him...and we're following it, too.

We first introduced you to Mr. Blank in October when he called 7 On Your Side. He says his 1994 Bronco caught fire parked his driveway. He blames it on a faulty speed control deactivation switch involved in a recall. A safety issue he says Ford didn't tell him about until two years after it burned. After we contacted Ford they offered to buy it back.

    

"(The Ford representative) said well I'll need to have the truck towed," said Blank." I said 'Well the motor and transmission I don't think are in the truck but they are with it. We are in the process of scraping it' and she didn't say anything else. She just said to have it towed (to a local dealership) and they would reimburse me."

In October, Ford told News Channel 7 they would make a buyback offer of $3900. Then in November Mr. Blank said he received another letter  with an offer that was $2000 less.

"They called me back and said parts of the truck are missing and they're going to lower the settlement by $2000," said Blank.  "They said the motor is not in the truck. I said 'I have the engine it was being scrapped. I have it I can deliver it to you' she said 'The offer still stands'."

Ford said by law a buyback requires a car be returned whole.

When we told Mr. Blank that Ford asked us why he returned a truck to them that didn't have the full parts he said, "Well after 4 years how long am I supposed to keep this thing laying around? The person that had it needed to get rid of it so we were going to scrap it and just get whatever we could for it."

Then on Tuesday came some long overdue news...Ford said they would give him the original offer as long as he returned the parts. It's something Mr. Blank says he already offered to do.

"They just keep dragging it on and dragging it on," said Blank.

Ford voluntarily recalled 3.6 million vehicles built between 1992 and 2003. If you own one of the vehicles you will have to go to your local dealership to get the speed control deactivation switch repaired. To find out if your vehicle was affected grab your VIN number and click here.