The general public, not happy with Ford’s corporate PR response are using the internet to tell the car manufacturer how they really feel.
Over the past few weeks, Ford Kuga has trended in the online space between varying degrees of comedy and seriousness proving consumers do have the power to voice their opinion.
In South Africa, numerous Ford Kugas of the 1.6-litre EcoBoost variant caught fire during 2015 and 2017.
In December 2016, Ford South Africa requested that all local Kuga owners take their vehicles in for a safety inspection.
However, even after one owner took her vehicle to a dealership, whose mechanics checked it and assured the owner that the vehicle was safe, the car still caught fire the very next day.
Another owner was assured by a dealership that his vehicle would be fine as long as the coolant level was correct, but his Kuga also caught fire a few days later.
As of 16 January 2017, at least 46 Kugas in South Africa had been destroyed by fire, and Ford South Africa had confirmed that a total of 39 incidents had been reported to the company.
By 18 January 2017, the number of incidents had reached 50, with 13 in 2017 alone.
Ford’s woes have increased as customers‚ already incensed by the car manufacturer’s questionable customer-care policies‚ are now being told by dealerships that once they sign an offer to purchase a vehicle, they waive their rights under the Consumer Protection Act.
The Ford PR specialists have their hands full as yet again the power of the internet provides consumers with the platform to ensure their voice is always heard, irrespective of big corporate ‘spin’.
Someone has taken to Wikipedia to update the Ford Kuga definition, tarnishing the reputation in the archives of the internet forever (or until someone changes it back again).
The new update explains the entire situation but starts off by saying:”It is prone to exploding in fire and has killed one person in South Africa and destroyed 50 cars to date Jan 2017.”
As serious as the situation is… social media have weighed in on the conversation and South Africans are doing what they do best:
If #Ford can recall over 4000 #FordKuga vehicles for being faulty ,why can't @MYANC recall 1 President?
— Kaloo (@Kaloo5) January 17, 2017
*At a Job Interview
Interviewer: Have you ever taken any risks in life?
Interviewee: Well I came here in a #FordKuga
— Ravi Mahabir (@DjRaviECKO) January 17, 2017
https://twitter.com/SocialTrendsZA/status/821387919684411392
Beyonce using the #FordKuga in her new music video. pic.twitter.com/6GCUKJHEum
— J (@jtkeays) January 18, 2017
Lmaoooooooooooooo they say its better than #fordkuga pic.twitter.com/VmuWLxIoWl
— @theeJeff 31 Jan (@mogalejeff) January 26, 2017
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