Folding Headrests

[Meanderthal]

Definitely a button in that picture:

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[RiotfunK]

Ford isn’t covering any of the missing pieces via warranty. The dealers are coming out of pocket for them.

 

[Mark S.]

So unless there is a 3rd type of headrest -- one that is the same size and shape of the folding ones, but is fixed -- it is all but guaranteed the ones in the photo are the folding head restraints.

Note that photo came from Ford's Canadian website. I believe there are some differences between vehicles sold in Canada and the USA.

 

[MJE]

Note that photo came from Ford's Canadian website. I believe there are some differences between vehicles sold in Canada and the USA.

Thanks for pointing that out. I know there are some equipment differences (my BL should have the wiper deicer & rain sensing wipers for example, and IIRC all models get the ‘signature lighting’) but i didn’t think that headrests might be different as well. I’ll check mine when i get it to see If I remember. Here all I was going to worry about was that missing interior panel. But now I’m curious.

 

[WLK]

Thanks for pointing that out. I know there are some equipment differences (my BL should have the wiper deicer & rain sensing wipers for example, and IIRC all models get the ‘signature lighting’) but i didn’t think that headrests might be different as well. I’ll check mine when i get it to see If I remember. Here all I was going to worry about was that missing interior panel. But now I’m curious.

Since I just got my Canadian BL I can tell you there are no folding headrests. It adjusts up and down.

 

[sajohnson]

Definitely a button in that picture:

Yep!

It's hard to see on my display, but it's there.

Why would Ford publish photos of the 2022 BS that show parts that are not included?

Giving them the benefit of the doubt -- honest mistake vs intentionally misleading -- the bottom line is that customers were misled. Since the 2021 BS came equipped with the folding head restraints, the 2022 'build tool' did not mention them, and Ford published photos like those above, it was/is reasonable to assume that the 2022 BS would have them as well.

Some people couldn't care less if they don't have folding headrests. They're fortunate.

Others really rely on them -- they frequently fold the rear seats, the front seats are positioned such that the basic/fixed headrests hit them, repositioning the front seats (after getting them 'just right') is a PITA, and if the headrests are removed there is no place to store them.

Finally, there's the principle involved. Most BS buyers paid at least MSRP (+ 'Doc Prep' fees). They bought a *new* vehicle -- not used, or a dealer demo. Unless clearly specified otherwise (part of a package, etc.) It should have all of the parts shown in the mfr literature.

Some buyers may not care if their BS has hood insulation; the dash 'hush' panel; the folding rear headrests; and/or the towing eye, etc, but where does it end? If auto (and other) mfrs can just summarily eliminate parts, what's next? The spare tire? Jack? Back seat? Headliner? Seriously, with any contract, both parties are supposed to uphold their end. We buyers have done our part.

 

[sajohnson]

Ford isn’t covering any of the missing pieces via warranty. The dealers are coming out of pocket for them.

In post #116 I wrote:

"He [the GM] said the dealership would be paying for them [the headrests]. That bothers me, because it's FORD that should be covering the cost, not the dealer. Some parts, like the missing dash panel, are covered by Ford under warranty. With others it's hard to tell what the real deal is. Whatever the case, dealerships usually claim that they are paying for whatever it is, to score points with the customer. I'm hoping that in this case Ford is actually paying."

If that's what you were replying to, I was just repeating what several BS Forum members have said.

The auto business is a 'house of mirrors'. Who knows what's really going on? Perhaps everyone who posted that their dash panel was replaced under warranty was mistaken -- all they knew was that they did not have to pay for it, so they assumed it was covered by the mfr warranty. IDK.

It certainly stands to reason though that *missing parts* -- parts that Ford should have supplied at the factory -- would be paid for by Ford. I can't imagine that dealers would go along with covering the cost of those parts when they are not responsible for them. If they do that, then why not pay for recall and warranty repairs out-of-pocket as well?

My guess is that parts that clearly, indisputably should be part of the car (e.g., the dash hush panel) are covered by Ford. They certainly should be. Other parts are claimed by Ford to be "discontinued" (most without public notice) -- like the engine cover; hood insulation; folding head restraints; and towing eye.

I don't recall hearing about anyone getting the engine cover or hood insulation for no charge -- even though many 2022 models (including ours) came with hood insulation, so it is reasonable to expect that it be provided at no charge.

The dash panel is commonly provided for free.

We were able to get the Curt 'shackle hitch receiver' (for free) to replace the tow eye which cannot be used with the factory tow package. Others have purchased the Curt but AFAIK, no one has mentioned that they were given one. I wouldn't be surprised if our dealer actually did pay for that, even though they should not have to.

The GM at our dealership told me he would get us the headrests for no charge, but I'm not aware of anyone else who has convinced Ford or the dealer to provide them.

 

[RiotfunK]

It makes you wonder what else Ford is omitting on vehicles and aren’t telling anyone. Mine was the under dash panel, tow hook and filler nozzle. I’m sure some aren’t getting the right speakers, insulation, etc.
I called Ford corporate about the headrests, engine cover, and the pieces missing on mine and got sorry about your luck, etc. You want them, you buy them

 

[sajohnson]

It makes you wonder what else Ford is omitting on vehicles and aren’t telling anyone. Mine was the under dash panel, tow hook and filler nozzle. I’m sure some aren’t getting the right speakers, insulation, etc.
I called Ford corporate about the headrests, engine cover, and the pieces missing on mine and got sorry about your luck, etc. You want them, you buy them

That's a very short-sighted position that Ford is taking. People remember being threating poorly.

Sure, they may boost their profits in the near-term, but they are going to lose many customers in the long run. It's not as if they are the only auto mfr. Don't buy stock in Ford.

Contrast Ford's horrible behavior with Mazda. Someone here on the BS Forum posted that Mazda was unable to get speakers so instead of saying (in effect), "Tough luck suckers!" they proactively gave buyers about $450 to cover the cost of the speakers!

THAT's how a smart corporation operates.

Of course it's not just Ford that has all but forgotten how to treat its customers. As time as gone on, more and more corporations have gotten an "FU" attitude. I remember when it wasn't that way.

For example, decades ago my wife and I bought a huge Whirlpool (2 ton) thru-wall A/C unit. It was "as-is" and about 1/2 price from Lowe's. It was brand new, but had some parts missing -- the front grill, the filter, and a control knob. I called whirlpool, fully expecting to pay for the parts, but the CSR said absolutely not -- that even though it was as-is, it was new and therefore Whirlpool insisted on sending us all the parts we needed absolutely free (incl. shipping)!

It wasn't just Whirlpool, many companies were similar. Unless you were making some outrageous request, they would accommodate you. Another I recall was Toro. We had a mower that was well out of warranty (by several years) but still in excellent shape except for the rear (drive) wheels. They were a poor design -- steel gears riveted to plastic wheels. They were pretty expensive (for what they were) -- like $60/pair. I called Toro and said that I knew they did not owe me anything, but that I felt the wheels were a design flaw and asked if we could split the cost. After a bit of hesitation the CSR asked for my address and said the wheels were on their way (completely free).

Those experiences are becoming less and less common.

 

[Meanderthal]

I’m pretty sure there is some legal jargon somewhere that says they can change the specification at any time without notice. So, removing the engine cover, hood insulation, folding headrests, hush panel, etc is within their rights. It doesn’t change the fact that @sajohnson will never forgive them for it.

 

[ROCKNBRONCO777]

I’m pretty sure there is some legal jargon somewhere that says they can change the specification at any time without notice. So, removing the engine cover, hood insulation, folding headrests, hush panel, etc is within their rights. It doesn’t change the fact that @sajohnson will never forgive them for it.

I'm still fighting for my missing fog lights. We will never give up! Lol

 

[sajohnson]

I'm still fighting for my missing fog lights. We will never give up! Lol

It looks like you have given up on the fog lights, but FWIW it seems contract law does favor buyers when parts are missing (without prior notice).

The following is Maryland law, but no doubt Nevada has something similar. See highlighted sections below:

Maryland Code
TRANSPORTATION
§ 15-311 - Contents of vehicle sales contracts

(a) A contract for the sale of a vehicle by a dealer shall contain a clear statement of:

(1) The principal amount charged for the vehicle;

(2) Any interest charged on the principal amount;

(3) Any fee charged under § 13-610 of this article;

(4) Any dealer processing charge, as defined in § 15-311.1 of this subtitle; and

(5) Any other charge made in connection with the sale of the vehicle.

(b) In addition to the information required by subsection (a) of this section, a contract for the sale of a new vehicle shall include:

(1) The base price of the vehicle;

(2) The manufacturer’s code or stock number for the vehicle; and

(3) A clear and specific description of each extra item and each extra charge not included in the base price of the vehicle ordered by the buyer.

(c) When a vehicle arrives for delivery, the dealer shall advise the buyer of any extra items ordered by the buyer that are not on the vehicle.

(d) When a vehicle arrives for delivery, the dealer shall advise the buyer of any extra items on the vehicle that the buyer did not order.

(e) When a vehicle arrives for delivery, the dealer shall advise the buyer of the cost of extra items described under subsections (c) and (d) of this section.

###

That is the first section, the rest is here:
https://law.justia.com/codes/maryland/2013/article-gtr/section-15-311

Personally, I'm done rounding up the missing parts for our Badlands -- assuming the GM comes through with the headrests. We got the dash panel and the Curt shackle hitch receiver -- the other items are small/inconsequential.

 

[Feint]

What's the hush panel? I have noticed that on my '22, I don't have the folding rear headrests nor the tow eye that screws into the rear bumper and I am also missing a panel above the interior fuse box. I do have the funnel. Before joining the forum, I didn't realize those items were supposed to be included with the car. I also don't have an engine cover, but my dealer said the '22 BS's don't come with engine covers anymore.

 

[sajohnson]

What's the hush panel? I have noticed that on my '22, I don't have the folding rear headrests nor the tow eye that screws into the rear bumper and I am also missing a panel above the interior fuse box. I do have the funnel. Before joining the forum, I didn't realize those items were supposed to be included with the car. I also don't have an engine cover, but my dealer said the '22 BS's don't come with engine covers anymore.

The dash/'hush' panel goes under the glove box. It protects the wiring and has acoustic insulation to quiet the HVAC blower which is right there. Most forum members report getting it replaced under warranty.

The hood insulation seems to be hit and miss. Our BS BL has it. Other owners report having it as well, some do not. Members have not had as much luck getting it supplied for free.

The towing eye should be supplied. In fact, page 265 of the BS Owner's Manual says, "You must carry the towing eye in your vehicle at all times." An exception is any BS with the towing package (like ours). The installation of the hitch covers the threaded hole for the tow eye. In that case you need a shackle hitch receiver. I was able to get Ford or the dealer (I'm not sure who paid) to give us the Curt unit Ford sells as an accessory. That is much better than the tow eye (but the tow eye should be fine in most situations).

I was able to get the dealer or Ford (again, not sure who is actually paying) to give us the folding head rests, but it wasn't easy. In fact, I don't recall anyone else getting them for free. I should say we do not have them yet, I have a verbal commitment from the GM of our dealership (after a lot of back and forth). I've written a lot about the headrests in this thread so I'll just say that they should be standard equipment, as they were in 2021. If Ford actually intended for 2022 BS owners to deal with the OE basic headrests they should have -- at a minimum -- provided holes to store them while the seats are folded.

It is generally accepted that the engine cover was discontinued for 2022. No big loss as it is cosmetic only.

Good luck!

 

[brian803]

The towing eye should be supplied. In fact, page 265 of the BS Owner's Manual says, "You must carry the towing eye in your vehicle at all times."

I just looked at that page in the manual, and noticed that if you go back a page there are two sections, one for the 1.5L ECOBOOST and one for the 2.0L ECOBOOST. If you have a Badlands with the 2.0L engine, it says that you will be using the front recovery hooks. The way I read it, the towing eye is only applicable with the 1.5L engine.

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