Take a chance on an extended Mexico-Texas-Mexico trip?

[JerryInMexico]

I live in Mexico and need to go to Houston for about 6 weeks in February and want to drive my 2022 BS Big Bend. I did it this past year and all went great. Not a single issue to complain about. However, with the latest recall notice, I´m not sure if I should take a chance doing it again before the recall repair gets make next year. Aside from the usual issues of driving in Mexico, there are vast areas (hours at a time) when there is no cell phone service and little traffic. If the engine catches fire on the trip because of the fuel injector issue, I´m toast (literally and figuratively). Also, I need to confirm this, but I don´t believe I can get warranty service in the US because I bought the car in Mexico and it is registered in Mexico.

I will have the car serviced at the dealership in January for it´s required maintenance and will ask the guys to check to see if there is any evidence of a crack in the system. If all looks fine, and ignoring other issues about driving in Mexico, any opinions on whether I am fine taking a chance on driving it on about a 3000 mile round trip through remote parts of Mexico and then through Texas before the recall repairs are made?

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[AndyMac204]

i'm sure you'll be fine. i've travelled various mountain roads in the Rocky Mountains, hours from civilization and on terrible roads. never had an issue nor thought twice about it. just have the dealer look it over before you go.

 

[jofer]

Finding out about warranty service sounds like a very good idea. If it's possible, it certainly seems handy to get the recall work done before the trip back.

You might even try just calling some Houston area dealerships and asking. (Tommy Vaughn has a particularly good service department in my experience, for whatever that's worth.)

I'd have to imagine you're not the first person to ask. Mexico-registered cars are super common here in Houston and folks travel back and forth for extended periods for work/family all the time.

Of course, it might not be possible, but at the very least, I'd guess most dealerships in Houston have been asked that before and probably know the answer.

With all that said, if the recall was a "don't drive the car on long trips" level of issue, there would be a much bigger deal being made of it than the current "we'll have the fix available sometime next year" level of urgency.

 

[JerryInMexico]

Finding out about warranty service sounds like a very good idea. If it's possible, it certainly seems handy to get the recall work done before the trip back.

You might even try just calling some Houston area dealerships and asking. (Tommy Vaughn has a particularly good service department in my experience, for whatever that's worth.)

I'd have to imagine you're not the first person to ask. Mexico-registered cars are super common here in Houston and folks travel back and forth for extended periods for work/family all the time.

Of course, it might not be possible, but at the very least, I'd guess most dealerships in Houston have been asked that before and probably know the answer.

With all that said, if the recall was a "don't drive the car on long trips" level of issue, there would be a much bigger deal being made of it than the current "we'll have the fix available sometime next year" level of urgency.

Thanks for the info. I am familiar with Tommy Vaughn Ford and will contact them.

 

[Tall Timbers]

@JerryInMexico, I did some web searches to see what I could learn about your warranty coverage. My new car warranty and extended warranty indicate that the warranties are honored at any Ford dealer in the US or Canada... my car was purchased in the US. The best I could find on the topic was a guy on Facebook saying yes, his car purchased in Mexico has been serviced under warranty in the US while he was traveling. That said, I would take it with a grain of salt and find out from Ford itself if that is the case.

 

[JerryInMexico]

@JerryInMexico, I did some web searches to see what I could learn about your warranty coverage. My new car warranty and extended warranty indicate that the warranties are honored at any Ford dealer in the US or Canada... my car was purchased in the US. The best I could find on the topic was a guy on Facebook saying yes, his car purchased in Mexico has been serviced under warranty in the US while he was traveling. That said, I would take it with a grain of salt and find out from Ford itself if that is the case.

Well, I did visit a Ford dealer in San Antonio over Christmas. They told me that they do the warranty work but I have to pay them for it. Then, I get reimbursed from Ford de Mexico. That is not something I want to go through.

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