going to the dealer tomarrow...

[the fat bastid]

for the first time to see if i can get some minor things fixed...here is my list. any common problems out there i havent checked?

problems:
1) squeak from rear end
2) headlights fog up
3) parking break operation (doesnt seem to catch)
4) rear height (might be low..might just be me..)
5) left pulling
6) stumble when cold
7) moulding
8) paint defect (tiny spot that looks like it was chipped then painted)
9) gas cap gap adjustment

[RF Overlord]

Originally posted by the fat bastid
4) rear height (might be low..might just be me..)


fat:

You'll find as you get older your rear height does get lower...

and wider...

:lol:

[CRUZTAKER]

1,2,6,8,&9

2 & 8 being the most popular.

[JohnnyB]

I had problems (2) and (3) and took the car to the dealer.. If your headlights fog up, they will order a new headlight lens and moulding trim.

As far as the parking brake, you have to,depress the pedal almost all the way to the floor. According to the service dep't this is factory spec. I'm goung to look at the cable/ adjustment myself over the weekend.

You should also have them check the transmission linkage.. My car wouldn't always catch reverse or neutral from drive would still be in drive....dangerous

[SergntMac]

"1) squeak from rear end"
There are a few noises that may come from the rear of the car. If you say "rear end" you may be pointing to a specific area that will not squeak when wrenches test it. Can you be more specific on location, and circ*mstances leading to this noise?

"2) headlights fog up"
Yep, they do. Fix will be "ordering parts" and you'll have to come back.

"3) parking break operation (doesnt seem to catch)"
Parking brake cable adjustment seems the cure here. This is a common complaint, with a common fix.

"4) rear height (might be low..might just be me...)"
Yep, may just be you. However, there is a way to adjust the height of the read end of the car to your liking. If your dealer cannot please you on this, yell for help at someone here?

"5) left pulling"
Only one thought...Have you checked your tire pressure?

"6) stumble when cold"
TSB on this issue. It may require a reflash of your ECM. Before you pursue it, check with us here about your mods?

"7) moulding"
Ahhh...Which moulding, Fat? And what's wrong with that moulding?

"8) paint defect (tiny spot that looks like it was chipped then painted)"
No comment, can't see there from here.

"9) gas cap gap adjustment"
Gas cap, eh? This is a new complaint.
Care to expand on this for us?

Just trying to help out, ya know?

[the fat bastid]

1) i cant really be sure where in the rear it is coming from but it makes the same sound as when your breaks start going..that high pitched squeeeeeel when you hit the breaks. but this squeel comes when i'm moving..not braking. it changes with speed but it is not 1 squeek per wheel turn.../shrug


4) the reason i havent done this myself is because i lack any means to get the car off the ground. i'm hoping the dealer knows the right setting and at it to that (assuming it's not correct in the first place)

5)i have at least twice. i'll check again tomarrow..maybe a slow leak...

7) above the drivers door there is an inch spot where the rubber moulding is messed up. it looks like there is too much rubber right there so it buldges out and gets stuck jutting out when the door closes on it. On the rear passenger door some of that black gunk was above moulding and on the paint...i pulled back the moulding and jammed the gunk back in.

9) some of the gas cap doors arnt flush with the body. i poked it flush and it comes back alittle...that bothers me. i hear from a few (the first being BigDog..big props to the east siiiide)
that the dealer can adjust it.

(spelling not checked)

[Bigdogjim]

All in all that's not a bad list. Most are easy fixes. I did not notice your MM sitting any differant for the others at Marlton, NJ last week??I think you were parked next to me?
Good luck

[RCSignals]

with that squeel from the rear end you may need the axle and bearing fix. there is a TSB on that too

[the fat bastid]

so i'm back:

1) squeak from rear end
none heard when i drove with the guy :(
2) headlights fog up
parts ordered
3) parking break operation (doesnt seem to catch)
they tighten it 'a bit' they said it wasnt that bad...its waaaaaaay better now.
4) rear height
it was fine.
6) stumble when cold
no codes found :(
7) moulding
parts ordered
9) gas cap gap adjustment
adjusted..much better now

[WolfeBros]

I hate that "didn't find a code" explanation from a dealer.
They are being too stupid or lazy when they say that generally.

I had a Sable (yes the dreaded Sable) that started idling really fast. You could actually get up to about 25 mph without touching the gas. I took it to the dealer for front brakes and told them about the fast idling problem. I come back to pick it up and see this No trouble found (NTF) next to my fast idle complaint. The SM tells me there was no codes set. I get in the car to leave and it about fast idles me into the wall. I use my own code then.....WTF?
I go find moron SM and tell him that other things can cause my problem such as a binding throttle cable and the computer would never know or ever set a code. I ask him "dont these things have a history of bad motor mounts"? He said mine were fine.
I start the car in the service lane. Put it in drive and brake with the other foot. Give it gas and sure enough the engine wants to climb out of the car.....broken motor mount causes the engine to flex and pull on the throttle cable. I tell moron SM there is your &$@(# no code set pal.

Moral of this story.......there doesnt have to be a &$@& code set.
Your problem is ECM programming and needs to be reflashed.
Sorry for rambling on but I feel your pain when you get a car back and it isn't fixed because someone didn't use their head.
:mad2: :alone:

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by the fat bastid

4) rear height
it was fine.


I wondered about the very same thing the first weekend after I bought the car. The car sat on my lightly inclined driveway for a few days, and every so often I'd go out and feel I got misled by Mercury's advertisement of a 'musclecar' rake. In reality, I think it was due to the slight downward slope of my driveway, and having parked with the nose facing down. Perhaps the load-leveling function gets confused and lets too much height out of the system, and it looks weird when your brain compensates for the sloping surface on which the car is parked. I dunno... I do know that on a level surface, the car always look alright, even if the rake is not very extreme to begin with.





6) stumble when cold
no codes found


That blows goats. Your lazy dealership folks should take a few minutes to peruse the contents of OASIS and see the previous complaints about the same problem. You may be on up-to-date calibrations for your PCM s/w as I am, but that doesn't mean the problem isn't there on this calibration! My complaint was noted, and hopefully many others will be logged forcing them to address this for EVERYONE, not just select PCM s/w versions.

Seems Ford is a little reluctant when it comes to taking responsibility for their problems. I heard that it took a MULTITUDE of F150 (I think) no-starts all across the continent over several months before they acknowledged it was a real problem and released new s/w. Not to mention that I'm still waiting for reimbursement from my Roadside Assistance fiasco back in May. *sigh*

[JET]

You hear the squeak when driving, the service manager gets in the car and nothing. The problem is obvious, your crazy. I bet when you were driving home you heard it again. Murphy's Law.