Current List of Problems and New Instructions from my CSM - 2013 Ford CMax Hybrid

First, a quick update.  One more issue has received attention.  The part for the evaporation canister arrived, and my local Ford Dealership installed it last Thursday (3/7/2013).  I have not seen the "Check Gas Inlet" indicator light for a while now, so as long as it never shows up again without good cause, I will consider this item resolved (that's 2 items total from my original list).  I also hit the magic 5,000 mile mark, so I brought it in for an oil and filter change plus tire rotation.

CURRENT LIST OF ISSUES

1. poor fuel economy (best average MPG for my car has not exceeded 35MPG which is 25% below EPA Estimate of 47/47/47)
2. mysterious brake locks after parking preventing Reverse without driving forward first
3. failure for doors to unlock automatically as I approach the car and grab the handle
4. mysterious noise generated by the gas engine coming through the speakers (with the radio on AND off).  When engine switched back to electric, noise went away.
5. completely blank screen on center console after starting car (no radio, camera, navigation controls)
6. radio presets disappearing and reappearing
7. sensor alarms going off due to weather conditions dropping snow on them (need a way for driver to disable temporarily)
8. rear view camera "rolls" up the screen occasionally
9. hands-free phone feature starts to work, asks me questions through the speakers, dials the number I request by voice, but after dialing the number the sound ceases to come through speakers forcing me to pick up the phone and talk
10. radio sound goes mute until switching stations back and forth
11. car not starting (manually) on first attempt after having used the remote starter.
12. radio will not turn off (new problem and new video)

INSTRUCTIONS FROM MY CSM (Customer Service Manager)
I received a call today from my CSM thanks to the use of Social Media getting Ford's attention.  I was asked why I hadn't brought all these issues to the attention of a dealership yet so they could attempt to fix them, and I explained that I had been instructed by her to log what was happening, and that she would call me periodically to discuss.  After a bit of discussion about this, and her stating that she can not diagnose or fix my car so obviously I need to let the dealership know about the issues, I proposed that I make a list of all the issues I have been seeing, write them all down, and bring them and my car in to a dealership for service again.  I specifically mentioned that I would need to write them all down because of the inaccurate data entry the last time I brought the car in for them to go through my original list of issues.  She agreed that it would be a good idea to do this to avoid any confusion.

Then I asked about the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) she mentioned was coming to address item 2 in the list above.  I wanted to know if it was my responsibility to ask the dealership if the TSB was available, or if they would call me.  She told me that the VIN associated with my 2013 Ford CMax Hybrid was already flagged to receive this fix when it becomes available, so any time I "happen" to bring my car in for service, it will automatically show up in the computer, and a technician will simply correct it if/when the TSB becomes available, and the fact that they applied the TSB will be noted in the copy of the service record/receipt I receive.  I won't receive a call, letter, or any other indication.  I will only know it is available if I bring the car in for service.

So, I will take the list above, add more detail to each item, and present that list to a dealership sometime soon, along with a link to this blog telling them that at least "some" of the items listed have been captured on video so they will have a better idea about what might be wrong, and also realize that I am not making these things up because it is possible that they may not be able to reproduce them in the shop because they are intermittent failures.

For the record, this will be the second time I will be bringing the car in to address items 1, 2, and 11.  I brought the car in 3 times before they managed to fix the remote starter.  In the state of MN, we have a Lemon Law.

"The law has special refund and replacement provisions for cars that have substantial defects or problems, commonly called “lemons.”  Under the law, if the manufacturer or its authorized dealer has been unable to repair a car’s problem after a “reasonable number of attempts,” the buyer or lessee may go through a manufacturer’s arbitration program, or to court, to seek a full refund of the car’s purchase price (minus a deduction for use of the vehicle).  The law considers a “reasonable number of attempts” to be any one of the following:

• Four or more unsuccessful attempts to repair the same defect; or,
• One unsuccessful attempt to repair a defect which has caused the complete failure of the steering or braking system and which is likely to cause death or serious bodily injury; or,
• A car which has been out of service due to warranty repairs for 30 or more cumulative business days."

Ideally, the issues will all be resolved (especially the fuel economy issue) and I will become one of those uber-happy Ford CMax Hybrid owners that we occasionally read about on the Internet and in car magazines.

Failing that, at least I still have options...