I'm going to start using one of my tractors to go to the store!

[Dave Grubb]

With three cars in the normal daily driver status for two people we are down to one---and that one is injured

First, the 2016 Explorer had no AC on the first day of need---and it still has none It has been sitting since May. That has rear seat AC--complete with an evaporator coil in the rear. The Dx lines (or one line) failed and lost the charge. The only fix is to replace the lines (trust me---I tried all the options), the problem is---there are no replacement lines. It turns out this was a systemic problem and they have now redesigned the lines and they may become available sometime in Sept---at a cost of $1700.00. The cost is due to the little complication that the entire rear suspension sub-frame has to be dropped. So, with a bit of luck the repair would happen about the time we don't need AC any more. I have every intent of going after Ford on that one.

Next up---the Mercedes left here on a roll back a couple of months ago and hasn't been seen since Long story short---it was eaten by chipmunks. They seemed to have moved into the trunk, after eating their way through a plastic panel, and then proceeded to eat wiring, mats and rear seat padding---I have no ETA on that return. The good news is State Farm is paying for that (mostly).

Then we come to the 2020 Explorer, with all of 2200 miles on it. It has lost it's mind It was on the couch this week for about 4 hours and they recovered some things (like seat settings memory) but more important functions like side warning, auto cruise control et al are still among the missing. All has been tracked to a bad sensor behind the rear bumper---so next week it goes back for that replacement. I don't know how long it will take since they have to apparently remove the back of the car (actually the bumper)--but they are providing a courtesy car.

It's a good thing there is a back-up crew in the barn

[FredK]

......

It's a good thing there is a back-up crew in the barn

I'm thinking Dave hasn't check that one for squirrels, mice and other rodents yet.

[wacojoe]

When it rains it pours.
I wonder how much it costs to replace the rear wiring harness of a rare Grosser Merc?

[Truckman]

I remember making pretty good money on older Suburbans with dual air conditioning......Ben

[TriGuy]

$4000 for a full wiring harness on a 2003 F350 6.0 diesel....mice

[Honda]

$4000 for a full wiring harness on a 2003 F350 6.0 diesel....mice

They probably had to take the whole cab off to do the job...............

[UTAH]

Man, car problems are a PITA, they always seem to hit at the worst time.

May it go well for you, Dave.

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

With three cars in the normal daily driver status for two people we are down to one---and that one is injured

First, the 2016 Explorer had no AC on the first day of need---and it still has none It has been sitting since May. That has rear seat AC--complete with an evaporator coil in the rear. The Dx lines (or one line) failed and lost the charge. The only fix is to replace the lines (trust me---I tried all the options), the problem is---there are no replacement lines. It turns out this was a systemic problem and they have now redesigned the lines and they may become available sometime in Sept---at a cost of $1700.00. The cost is due to the little complication that the entire rear suspension sub-frame has to be dropped. So, with a bit of luck the repair would happen about the time we don't need AC any more. I have every intent of going after Ford on that one.

Next up---the Mercedes left here on a roll back a couple of months ago and hasn't been seen since Long story short---it was eaten by chipmunks. They seemed to have moved into the trunk, after eating their way through a plastic panel, and then proceeded to eat wiring, mats and rear seat padding---I have no ETA on that return. The good news is State Farm is paying for that (mostly).

Then we come to the 2020 Explorer, with all of 2200 miles on it. It has lost it's mind It was on the couch this week for about 4 hours and they recovered some things (like seat settings memory) but more important functions like side warning, auto cruise control et al are still among the missing. All has been tracked to a bad sensor behind the rear bumper---so next week it goes back for that replacement. I don't know how long it will take since they have to apparently remove the back of the car (actually the bumper)--but they are providing a courtesy car.

It's a good thing there is a back-up crew in the barn

An update and closure

To end the saga of the Mercedes---that is fine. We now drive it on a more regular basis and have put mint in the trunk as a possible deterrent to the miserable rodents

...and now...drum roll please...I just got off the phone with a very nice young lady at Ford. The 2016 which sat all summer without AC will be fixed by the end of the day today---it has taken since May to get the correct parts (2 hoses!). Ford is paying (in round numbers) $1300 and I am picking up $238.00---I did not even argue. Yes we were without the car all summer and I could have made a bigger case---but I have enough going on to drag that on endlessly. It is simply better to move on.