Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives ford engineers need a swift kick in da nuts

I had one. A 1972 ford courier.....

For the Ford people that specified the My Ford Sony Sync System too. There has been three upgrades on this so far and there still hasn't been a factory recall. My local Ford dealer is completely baffled on how to repair mine and has had my truck at their place over three weeks now. They told me that I'd need to pay the $125.00 diagnostic charge. Okay fine. First they told me that it needs a new Apim at $600. Replaced and the same issue with the Sync system turning on an off every 15 seconds. Then they said the Sync screen was defective. That was $2,200. (!) and they ordered the wrong part. Then they took the Sync system out of a used vehicle to try and no change. Then they told me that the computer was corrupted at more labor hours to sort that out. Then Ford told them to trace all the wiring for a possible short and that didn't turn up anything. Now they told me it must be the Acm, a cute acronym for the audio control module, and that is $1,600. Back on November 19 I told them and wrote them a letter telling them that the only thing that I couldn't adjust WAS the radio. That sure reads like the audio control module should have been the first place that they looked. This is turning into a royal cluster [bleep]. I'm not sure what my next move should be? They told me that their people haven't worked on many of these. I'm sure that they would like me to just leave them a pile of cash for not fixing anything, take the truck and just go away. Ideas welcome.

I have part of one. Buddy made a trailer out of the bed after it was rolled* and killed the cab.


*He had foolishly co-signed on the truck for a friend who did the rolling. I traded him for it. Pretty handy.

I don’t know man. When I was reading and researching prior to ordering a truck a year or two ago I read enough horror stories to specifically stay away from the upgraded infotainment system. Sucks sometimes not having a CD player but otherwise I’m missing nothing I would like to have had as I don’t use or want navigation or satellite radio. Hope they get it ironed out for you.

"I read enough horror stories to specifically stay away from the upgraded infotainment system."
I'm sure rethinking that move myself. Our deer fit better lengthwise in a truck bed and since I wanted to put a mattress down in mine once in a while, I wanted the four door and 6.5 foot bed length. The only one like that was the dealer Platinum demo truck with every possible option, most of which I'll never use. A knob works just fine to adjust the radio station, temperature, fan speed, but now I get a touch screen to do all that and it is going to cost me. The iPhone would do the navigation if I didn't have it in the truck. I did bring the truck home over the holiday weekend because we are having a snow storm. The screen stays on now with a new ACM, but nothing else works that the touch screen controls. Ford needs to get my dealer a computer reprogramming sequence for my model year and vin number. I had no idea that so many functions were interdependent on an onboard computer. Technology is great when it works, but it gets really expensive to fix when it doesn't.

Sorry you're having problems. I bought this 2010 EL a couple of months ago for my SD hunting rig and it is fantastic. It is completely loaded but the Synch and everything else on it works great. I love the remote start, rear hatch I can open and close from the dash, killer sound system.

I don't know about drain-plug access because I take it to a dealer for oil changes, as they are very inexpensive, even for synthetic.

You're joking, right?

To replace the starter on my 2000 Tundra V-8 you have to remove the intake manifold!!!

I knew a true old time mechanic that worked on them all. He said all automotive engineers were housed on the 27th floor of office building. They were put there because nobody can throw a rock that high.

Well kick em once for me too will ya. My f150 with that fancy new push button electronic tailgate latch was an engineering marvel as well. Oh yea no way to get around so when it decides it aint gonna work no more. (like now) you cant drop your tailgate. So you take the inside tailgate panel off and reach around to release the tailgate. Yea that was a good idea

Some great tips here.

They learn from each other. A friend had a Ford Aerostar van with a V-6. He traded it in with well over 100k and one of the rear sparkplugs was still the one from the factory. You literally had to pull then engine to remove it. He sold it while it was still running good.

LOL...
I remember having this conversation with mechanics at my local co-op shop when they were complaining about working on a ford Probe. I said the customer bought it for the style and not to work on it.
..
Low initial cost or features are usually considered first inthe vehicle bidding / buying process so you need to change that if your a fleet mechanic.

Do a serviceability audit on every purchase or bid before you select them. Justify it to the boss in service dollars over the life of the vehicle.

See how far your opinion goes when the bids come in.

Speaking of starters, when is the last time anyone had to change a starter on a newish vehicle? Seems to be one part that they got figured out, as it used to be a fairly common piece to have to change.

Any engineer attached to any engineering on any 4WD vehicle should have to lay on the ground and let a line worker or dealer mechanic drive the vehicle over them to check clearances. Anything that touches, scuffs, scrapes, or perforates the prone engineer should be re-engineered to be higher off the ground.

Also, said engineer should be made to replace every part of their designs before they can be sold. They need to know how bad their bright ideas are screwing their customers.

I use an empty steel 5 gallon closed top bucket. I place it directly below my Fumoto drain valve on my F250 4x4, open the ball valve & let it drain. Once it begins to drip I close the ball valve, screw the lid on the bucket, turn it onto its side and give it a shove to roll into the grass beside the driveway. It is ready to go to the oil recycle center, no mess & no fuss. Never even need a rag.

and what about the oil filter? What year 250 do you have?
On my 01 F250, same as you, flip fumoto valve, easy peasy, then I poke a hole in the bottom of the oil filter at the same time and let it drain into its own pan. Then spin it off without spillin' a drop. Easy to roll under the F250, plenty of room.

The new F 150's, not possible.

F150 with the 5.0 liter Coyote engine oil change. Front horizontal oil filter. The oil leaks down on the cross member. Even after using a dozen rags to wipe it clean, it will drip oil for days after.

Like many, I always have some jumper cables aboard. Not for jumping vehicles. I will use them if I ever run into a Ford Engineer.

I just pay my mechanic to change the oil.

I do the same as you on the filter. I have a 99.5 F250 7.3, 4x4 with camper package. Don’t know if that raises it any over normal 4x4’s. I can slide under with no trouble.