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I brought my car in for a TPMS replacement and SYNC diagnostic. After retrieving the vehicle, I later discovered that the OEM driver-side floormat had been replaced with a used passenger-side floormat. This car is garage-kept, detailed monthly, and has not been serviced anywhere else since I visited Honolulu Ford.
My spouse and I are the sole users of the vehicle, so the possibility that we made the switch ourselves is nonexistent.
We contacted Honolulu Ford immediately upon discovery.
The first employee I spoke with responded by bluntly asking:
"Are you sure you picked up the right car?"
Given that our vehicle is visually distinct in both model and color, and that three weeks had passed, this question came across as not only dismissive but also insulting.
Eventually, I was referred to Jameson Delanoza, the Fixed Operations Director at Honolulu Ford. In our conversation, he suggested that I may have never had a driver-side floormat at all, even though my original floormat includes safety grommets (anchor points), which are a standard factory feature.
He also remarked that "lightning would have to strike three times" for the mat to have been swapped at their facility, implying that such a mistake was, in his view, virtually impossible.
After an extended back-and-forth, Mr. Delanoza told me:
“We are at an impasse.”
He maintained that I had no way to prove the floormat was there to begin with and emphasized that they were not responsible for personal items left in the vehicle. However, the flaw in that logic is significant: this wasn’t a personal item, it was a factory-installed, safety-related component of the car.
He further stated that it was my responsibility as the customer to inspect the vehicle thoroughly before leaving the lot. While that might apply to valuables or loose items, it is unreasonable to expect customers to confirm that factory-assembled parts, especially those unrelated to the area of service, are still intact. By that standard, if you go in for an oil change, you’re expected to verify that your taillights are still in place before driving away.
We followed up with Mr. Delanoza in person (8/12) after a phone conversation the previous day. He stated that he would speak with General Manager Justen Chilcoat to explore a solution. He promised a response by 8/13, but as of 8/14, we have heard nothing back.
We’re still hopeful for a fair resolution, but not optimistic. So far, we’ve experienced delays, dismissiveness, and, at times, accusations that suggest we’re being dishonest for simply wanting back what was originally part of our vehicle.
To some, this may seem like a small issue … “just a floormat”…but to us, it’s about principle, accountability, and respect for our property. We take pride in maintaining a safe, clean, and well-cared-for vehicle, and it's disheartening to have that undermined by a Ford service provider we trusted.
Let this serve as a warning: document everything, take photos of your vehicle beforehand and during pick up, and don’t assume that everything will be returned as it was at Honolulu Ford.