Which would you trust?
In the December? club magazine there was a small article stating that Ford had told the club that the towball maximum weight for the new Mondeo had been increased from 75kg to 90kg. (My existing 2012 Mondeo already has a 90kg limit). However, Ford's own
online technical data sheet still shows the towball limit of 75kg. Which information should I believe?
Comments
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Further to my earlier post, I have contacted the club's technical department to see if they can clarify the situation. The answer is no. They apparently received the information about the change from Ford's press office. At the club's suggestion I have emailed
Ford's technical support. Their answer is contact my local dealer to see if they can provide the required clarification. The local dealer was the first place that I tried and they didn't know how they could find out and, in fact, didn't even know that the
towball limit was lower than previously. Talk about passing the buck !0 -
Only Item 19 of the Certificate of Conformity for the car gives definitive details. Any figure published anywhere else may be invalid or out-of-date.
Any notification of a change to permissible noseweight by the manufacturer is meaningless without details of the exact breakpoint by chassis number.
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Interesting information, Lutz. Thanks for this but it still doesn't help me find out whether the towball limit is 75kg or 90kg. With a caravan that is inherrantly heavy on the front end and difficult to get the nose-weight to 85 - 90kg at the best of times,
to move to a vehicle with only a 75kg limit or possibly only a 75kg limit would be stupid. Ford have done themselves out of a sale which is a pity because the Mondeo is an ideal vehicle for me.0 -
I would try and get the answer from the dealer. If it means a sale then the dealer will get the correct information hopefully in writing.
If it means a sale most dealers will tell you what you want to hear....
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I would try and get the answer from the dealer. If it means a sale then the dealer will get the correct information hopefully in writing.
If it means a sale most dealers will tell you what you want to hear....
Thats why you need it in writing from Ford.
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Thats why you need it in writing from Ford.
Absolutely.
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The latest in this saga is that following Ford's instruction that I must speak to a main dealer about this as Ford is apparently unable to give me the information, I have spoken with the sales manager at our local main dealer. He didn't seem to have a clue.
He said he would have to speak to the service department, (who presumably would then have to talk to the cleaners). Although he said he would phone me back I told him that I would want the definitive answer in writing. Needless to say, I'm still waiting.An interesting question would be, if my car was insured by the C.C. (it isn't), and I had an accident which may have been attributable to an overloaded towbar based on the Club's statement in the magazine that the maximum loading of 90kg. Would they try
to cop out of responsibility because the Ford specification sheet showed only 75kg? Anyone in the Club's insurance department care to comment?0 -
What is with car main dealers? I've had an issue with the main Hyundai dealer down this part of the world which has been dragging on since just before Christmas. A simple enough issue that could be dealt with in a couple of days. It's like getting blood
out of a stone.0 -
Perhaps you could look for another car other than a Ford.
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What is the noseweight limit shown on the CoC? As I said before, that is the only definitive source of information.
Write your comments here... I would have thought that a main dealer has easier access to this than Joe Public so why is it taking so long to get back to me? Or is it that they have checked and found that 75kg is now the correct figure and, knowing that they
aren't going to get a sale because of this low limit, just couldn't be bothered to get back?0 -
What is the noseweight limit shown on the CoC? As I said before, that is the only definitive source of information.
Write your comments here... I would have thought that a main dealer has easier access to this than Joe Public so why is it taking so long to get back to me? Or is it that they have checked and found that 75kg is now the correct figure and, knowing that they
aren't going to get a sale because of this low limit, just couldn't be bothered to get back?I would not expect the dealer to be automatically informed of any such change but he would also have to request it from the car manufacturer, giving details of the vehicle chassis number, because that would affect the breakpoint. The customer, on the other
hand, will have the CoC handed out to him at the time of purchase, so he can readily find the necessary details in that document without having to involve anyone else.0 -
What is the noseweight limit shown on the CoC? As I said before, that is the only definitive source of information.
Write your comments here... I would have thought that a main dealer has easier access to this than Joe Public so why is it taking so long to get back to me? Or is it that they have checked and found that 75kg is now the correct figure and, knowing that they
aren't going to get a sale because of this low limit, just couldn't be bothered to get back?I would not expect the dealer to be automatically informed of any such change but he would also have to request it from the car manufacturer, giving details of the vehicle chassis number, because that would affect the breakpoint. The customer, on the other
hand, will have the CoC handed out to him at the time of purchase, so he can readily find the necessary details in that document without having to involve anyone else.Write your comments here... Thanks for your input Lutz but the problem is there is not a specific
car in question so no chassis number could be quoted. Similarly, I haven't ordered a car because I, and I guess no-one in their right mind, would not order any vehicle if there was a doubt over a specific important piece of technical information so
a CoC could not be handed to me.0 -
Write your comments here... Thanks for your input Lutz but the problem is there is not a specific
car in question so no chassis number could be quoted. Similarly, I haven't ordered a car because I, and I guess no-one in their right mind, would not order any vehicle if there was a doubt over a specific important piece of technical information so
a CoC could not be handed to me.Sorry, I was under the impression that the vehicle in question was already in service. However, you are asking for a figure applicable to current production. In that case, the car manufacturer will be the only definitive source. However, if the dealer has
a relatively new vehicle of the same spec on his premises, the noseweight shown on its CoC, which the dealer should be in possession of, will be reasonably reliable.0 -
At long last I believe I have the definitive answer to the query about the towball limit. It would appear that the information given in the CC magazine in December is incorrect so this post may be of importance to some members.
I have been in touch with the club who referred me to Ford who, in turn, referred me to my local main dealer who then got in touch with Ford themselves. The Dealership Technical Support department at Ford have confirmed to them that the towball limit IS
75kg and not 90kg as applicable to earlier vehicles and as published in the club magazine.I can only go by what I have been told but my dealer knew that he wasn't going t get a sale if it was only 75kg so he could have lied and the Ford online specification details still show 75kg having had several moths to correct it if it was wrong. I think the
club should print an immediate retraction of their statement before anyone blindly buys a Mondeo believing it to be 90kg towball limit.0 -
As the noseweight limit is determined by structural constraints only there is no reason why AWD versions should have a higher limit. On the contrary, it is even conceivable that provisions for the rear differential require modifications to the underbody
that may even reduce that limit.0 -
Success, and thanks to Kelly Henderson of the CC Technical Department. I might have given her a bit of a hard time for which I apologise but thanks to her persistance because I kept plagueing her, Kelly has now received written confirmation from Ford about
the new Mondeo noseweight to show that it IS 90kg and not the 75kg as originally shown on the Ford online spec details. I have checked the online spec myself and, yes, it has been changed from 75kg to 90kg in the last 24 / 48 hours. It just shows that we shouldn't
always take things at face value but it is just a pity that some people at Ford were adamant it was 75kg whilst others were equally adamant that it was 90kg. It is only now that it is in writing that I believe the actual figure.0 -
... (which are spun off the same platform) will also have a 90kg's nose weight.
Will it?
My R Class shares its platform withthe M Class .... mine has a hitch of 85kg & max towing of 2100kg whereas a Ml is
150kg & 3500kg
And IIRC the go faster ST Mondeo wasn't type approved for a towbar0
..... goes to show that the left hand hadn't a clue what the right hand was doing