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Ford on Friday restated its commitment to customer satisfaction as it announced the extension of the cover on all Ford Kuga models sold in South Africa to a total of six years or 200, 000km through the newly-launched Ford Kuga PremiumCare Extended Plan.
President and CEO, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, Jeff Nemeth, who made the announcement, said: “While we cannot make up for any inconvenience or discomfort that our customers may have experienced as a result of the recent events affecting the 1.6-litre Ford Kuga, we want to reassure every Kuga owner that their safety is our first priority, matched by our unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction and ownership peace of mind.
“Accordingly, we have extended the cover on all Kuga models sold in South Africa to a total of six years or 200,000km, whichever comes first. Introduced at no cost to our customers, this extended cover testifies to our confidence in the Kuga and the actions that form part of the safety recall implemented for the 1.6-litre model.”
Ford said the Ford Kuga PremiumCare Extended Plan will be automatically added to all Kuga models in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and Lesotho, including the Kuga 1.6, as well as the 1.5-litre petrol, and 2.0-litre diesel and petrol derivatives. The company added that the extended plan will be loaded against each Kuga’s vehicle identification number (VIN), giving the vehicle a total of six years or 200,000km cover, whichever occurs first, based on the original New Vehicle Limited Warranty start date.
Nemeth added: “The extended cover assures that customers will benefit from worry-free motoring long after the Kuga’s standard four-year/120 000km New Vehicle Limited Warranty expires. We trust this will assist in restoring customers’ confidence in our products and the Ford brand.”
More than 1,000 components are covered by this comprehensive plan, including the engine and emissions systems, transmission, drivetrain, electrical components, suspension, brakes, axles and steering. Additionally, the vehicle’s air-conditioning and heating, audio and safety systems are covered, along with the Kuga’s advanced range of high-tech driver aids, comfort and convenience features.
The only requirements from an owner’s point of view are that the maintenance and servicing of the vehicle occurs at an authorised Ford dealer, according to the specified service schedule, along with proper maintenance and care between services as recommended in the vehicle’s owner’s manual.
Ford said this latest added-value offering complements the already implemented support programmes to assist its dealers in discussion with their customers, as well as the expanded partnership with the AA for extended Ford Roadside Assistance for all Kuga 1.6 vehicles to provide further peace of mind.
