No one likes getting hit with an expensive repair bill for their car. It’s especially frustrating when one is charged an excessive amount of money. An owner of a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric crossover SUV was justifiably frustrated when unfairly charged $28,000 in repairs after a flatbed tow truck damaged the EV batteries.

‘Pull Over Safely’ dashboard notification lights up on Canadian’s Mustang Mach-E

The demand for the Ford Mustang Mach-E is very high. Both longtime automotive enthusiasts and younger car buyers are eager to get the electric crossover EV. However, since EV technology is relatively new, many people don’t know how to properly work with electric vehicles, including automotive technicians and tow truck operators. An owner of a Mach-E found this out the hard way. 

On the Mach-E Forum, a Canadian owner posted about an unfortunate experience with his Mustang Mach-E, as detailed by CarBuzz. During a road trip to Florida, the Mustang Mach-E owner saw the “Pull Over Safely” dashboard notification light up in front of him. 

After pulling the Mustang Mach-E over, the Canadian owner called Ford’s Roadside Assistance. The customer service agent then dispatched a flatbed tow truck to bring the electric vehicle to the closest Ford dealership. 

Flatbed tow truck damaged the EV batteries of Mustang Mach-E

In most cases, a flatbed tow truck is superior to a traditional wheel lift tow truck. It typically provides a more stable and secure connection with a car. As a result, a flatbed tow truck is generally safer. However, with the Canadian owner’s Mustang Mach-E, the use of a flatbed tow truck didn’t turn out so well.

The driver of the flatbed tow truck arrived at the scene. He didn’t know how to properly work with an electric vehicle, though, for he “hooked a winch onto the Mach-E’s battery rail and damaged the batteries.” Afterward, the Mach-E owner received a $28,000 repair bill.

Both Ford and Agero Roadside Assistance Services deny any responsibility for the Mustang Mach-E repairs

The situation goes downhill from there. First, the Mach-E owner called Ford. However, Ford refused to take any responsibility and blamed Agero Roadside Assistance Services. Agero denied the claim, though, and told the Mustang Mach-E owner that he “cannot prove it was the tow company’s fault.” The tow company “said the battery damage could have happened when the car was transported to Florida at an earlier date.”

All of this mess leaves the Mustang Mach-E owner in an unenviable position. With a very high and unfair $28,000 repair bill, “both Ford and Agero are denying any responsibility.” However, as CarBuzz rightly notes, “it’s really Agero’s fault for contracting with an improperly trained tow truck company.” 

The woes of the Canadian Mustang Mach-E owner get even worse, for his insurance company denied the claim as well. With the $28K repair bill, the only recourse might be to sue both the tow company and Ford. The Mustang Mach-E owner is currently “seeking lawyers in both the United States and Canada.” 

While the tow company is the entity most responsible for the damage to the EV batteries, Ford bears some responsibility as well. The owner followed what Ford’s Roadside Assistance program told him to do. Furthermore, given that electric vehicles feature new technologies, including EV batteries, Ford needs to do a better job at ensuring that the tow companies they utilize are adequately trained with how to work with EVs.