Mum ‘terrified’ to drive car she spent £15k on after catalogue of issues

A major city car dealership has issued an apology after a mum endured endless problems with a car she bought there. Mum-of-two Lyndsey Anderson, 40, from Fazakerley[1], bought her Ford Focus at Peoples Ford in Bootle[2] in July 2022, thinking she was opting for a "big, safe, reliable car". But since making the GBP15,700 she has had to call the AA out eight times due to the car being undriveable.

Speaking to the Liverpool ECHO, Lyndsey said: "I've had nothing but problems with it. Non-stop electrical faults."

Lyndsey said she has been back to Peoples Ford several times after a series of "terrifying" incidents - including a recent breakdown in the middle of a busy main road during rush hour.

Now the dealership, after the ECHO intervened, has offered its "sincere apologies" to Lyndsey and said it is conducting "a thorough investigation" to get to the bottom of the car's repeated faults. Lyndsey told the ECHO how every few months since she has got the car she has been faced with warning lights on the car's dashboard, before it would turn completely black and then the vehicle would cut out. She said she has returned to the dealership three times in the past five months and despite fixes being carried out the car continues to cut out for reasons unexplained.

She claims she has been forced to call out the AA eight times since she bought the car and said each time it happens her "stomach is in knots". The working mum said her car is a "necessity" for transporting her two boys - an eight-year-old and three-and-a-half year old with additional needs and also for helping her parents, who rely on her to drive them around. In February the mum said she "thought we were all going to be killed" after her Ford Focus cut out completely on the busy East Lancashire Road during the 5pm rush hour.

Lyndsey, who had her mum and toddler in the car at the time said: "The car completely lost power.

The hazard lights didn't work. We just stopped right there in the middle lane in heavy traffic. Cars were overtaking us, beeping at us.

I thought we were all going to be killed. "I called the AA and I was hysterical on the phone. My mum was getting really scared too.

They told me they could be there in an hour and that we'd have to get out of the car to safety. But there were cars and buses and HGVs going past so we couldn't get out." Thankfully, Lyndsey remembered a tip given to her by the AA man last time he came to recover her car.

She activated the car's emergency release and managed to get the vehicle off the busy road where they could wait safely for the recovery van to arrive. When she took the car back to Peoples Ford following the incident, she claims she was told by the dealership there were no company cars available for her that day. Now, only a few weeks on from her East Lancs ordeal, the car is back in garage once again.

Lyndsey said she feels trapped by the situation. She said: "Now I'm stuck with a car I'm terrified to drive. I don't want the car back.

I need to do motorway driving and I just don't want to risk it."

In February, Peoples Ford dealership reportedly offered to give her GBP9,000 for the car. If she accepted this offer, Lyndsey would only be able to afford to buy a significantly older car - which is what she was trying to avoid doing when she bought her Ford Focus. However, when the ECHO contacted Peoples Ford this week about Lyndsey's case, the company recognised the mum's predicament and swiftly apologised to her.

They provided her with an upgrade to her courtesy car, which they said she can use "for as long as she needs", and offered her a full tank of petrol. The dealership says it is "conducting a thorough investigation to understand the root cause of the repeated faults". Regarding the offer to buy back Lyndsey's car, Peoples Ford says it is "open to further discussions to explore solutions that better meet her needs and expectations".

A spokesperson for Peoples Ford said: "First and foremost, I wish to express our sincere apologies to Ms. Anderson for the distress and inconvenience she has experienced. At Peoples Ford, we understand the critical importance of reliability and safety in the vehicles we provide, especially for customers who rely on their car for essential family and caregiver responsibilities.

"We are taking Ms. Anderson's situation very seriously and are committed to finding a resolution that restores her confidence in our products and services. "Regarding the technical issues Ms.

Anderson has faced with her Ford Focus, we are currently conducting a thorough investigation to understand the root cause of the repeated faults. Ensuring the safety and satisfaction of our customers is our top priority, and we are dedicated to resolving any technical issues with the highest level of care and urgency. "Having been a part of the Liverpool community for the best part of 30 years, we do not take the trust and custom of our community for granted.

We deeply value our relationship with the people of Liverpool and are committed to contributing positively to the community that has supported us for so long." "Peoples Ford takes great pride in our commitment to customer satisfaction and safety, and we view this as an opportunity to learn and improve our service further. Whilst we strive to exceed expectations in customer satisfaction, we acknowledge that we do not always get things right.

"When we fall short, we are absolutely committed to making things right, learning from our experiences and implementing the necessary changes to prevent similar issues in the future."

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References

1. ^ Fazakerley (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
2. ^ Bootle (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
3. ^ Win GBP100 Aldi voucher this Easter to help with your Spring spending (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
4. ^ Merseyside woman dies after assault outside Isle of Man hotel (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
5. ^ Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)