twiggy144

Your beliefs dont match reality.

Youre right. I just looked up the factory manual. It reads: 'the sensors transmit radio frequency signals ...every 60 seconds when the vehicle speeds exceeds 32kmh ( 20 mph). The tire pressure sensors are battery operated....'

I heard that too. My understanding is once the motion activates the sensors, they stay continuously on: they dont shut off when the vehicules stops. If that were the case, would the dash warning lamp come on while stopped at traffic lights or in the trafic ? The purpose of activation by motion is to save the sensors battery power while on the shelf.

Another option is to build a very inexpensive "canister pipe bomb" , and be done with the in dash warning light for the life of the car. Check the details here: http://clublexus.com/forums/is-second-generation/328044-diy-tpms-canister-pipe-bomb.html

The shop manual does not specify the bule number for the analog clock. It specifies the whole analog clock assembly as part number 15000. I suggest to remove the clock assembly, open it and look inside for the bulb, and try to get an equivalent bulb repacement in a electronic shop.

So what is the powertrain involved here ? Hybrid, L4, V6 ?

Strange. The last couple of road trips when I was on a landmark or a scenic road with a sign stating the altitude, my GPS was almost dead on.

My portable Garmin GPS has a precision of +/- 4 meters. I believe this precision is in all 3 dimensions, obviously including altitude. I cant see why built in GPS's would not have the same precision.

Sometimes it's a bad connection at the sensor.

My 2007 AWD comes factory equipped with 225 50 17 tires. Last fall I instaled 205 60 16 tires on new steel wheels. No problems what so ever. This -1 size for winter is the way to go, for the reasons you already mentionned.

You can try this: $15 at Autozone You need to fish the temp sensor through the firewall. The best location for the sensor for the most accurate temperature reading is in front on the grille, and low ( closer to the ground). When I installed this on another car, I find it easier to cut the sensor wire for fishing it , then splice the wire ends back togeter.

I wanted AWD, that rules out a lot of models. I gained trust in Ford's products, and with the Fusion, watching what they did and how they performed over the last few years.

Heat it with an hair dryer. If it does not come off, rub with lighter fuel.

You might be interested in upgrading to HID's. I dont think you would be satisfied with the result of a sole light bulb change for a pretended brighter bulb, no matter what claims are about thses light bulbs that use the normal vehicule voltage and wire system.

Yep, the DRL sends approximately half the voltage, ( 6V) to the bulbs. The purpose is extending bulb life. Some manufacturers sends the 12V power to the DRL using the in-series connection of the bulbs, so each gets 6 Volts. This is an easy option avoiding the necessity of a voltage transformer. This explains why HID that work with ballasts dont work well with DRL.

+1. My vote goes for 16 ".

For breakin in today's new engines: drive it like you stole it.

Thanks. I am not familiar -yet- with the terminology of hybrid vehicules. A few years ago we didn't have to call the engine and "Internal combustion engine" :hysterical2:

Pardon my ignorance, was is ICE ??

Most dealers I encountered push for oil change intervals more frequently than recommended by the manufacturers in the documentation. Another way to increase their profit I guess.

I wouldn't buy this heater. I would have a mechanic install a permanent block heater that go in a freeze plug on the engine block. Installation is less than one hour.

A couple of pics I found on the web: a thread with info on block heaters: block heaters block heater on wikipedia

You can fish the cord in or around the grille. For convenience, we dont open the hood every time, but we push the foot long length of slack cord back behind the grille before driving off. Then when the cold season is over, we open the hood and permanently snug the cord properly in place, untill next winter.

Hi rlawson, You must be living in California or Florida :D . A block heater is a 110 Volt heating element installed in the engine block, in direct contact with either the coolant, or the engine oil, but most block heaters are in direct contact with the coolant. It's purpose is to pre-heat the engine before startup. The block heater as a cord that you plug in any 110 V power outlet. It allows for better starting, much faster warming up of the engine, lesser wear of internal engine parts at startup, much faster efficiency of the cabin heater, and better fuel economy for the first 20 km of driving. A block heater is recommended when expected temperature is expected to be below -15 C. To be efficient , they must be plugged in at least 2 hours. I sometimes use with a timer. I plug it in the evening, and the timer will switch it on at 0500 in the morning, or a couple of hours before my planned engine startup. I think Ford puts block heaters as standard equipment on Fusions sold in Canada. Mine has one.

It is called CAFE, for Corporate Average Fuel Economy.