Most Worthless Thing on your Fusion

[mxmastro]

That's on purpose to catch the residual fluid that drips back down into the wiper area.

 

What I found was that it causes a haze that doesn't want to go away for about 2 minutes. But if you switch the wipers on when they are coming down on the second to last stroke it avoids the last delayed stroke which helps avoid the haze.

[DaveM]

What I found was that it causes a haze that doesn't want to go away for about 2 minutes. But if you switch the wipers on when they are coming down on the second to last stroke it avoids the last delayed stroke which helps avoid the haze.

I have never had the haze you talk about. Maybe there is something on your windshield or try a different window wash.

[mxmastro]

I have never had the haze you talk about. Maybe there is something on your windshield or try a different window wash.

 

It has to do with the salt and sand coming up off of the road I think. During the summer there was no haze and I haven't changed washing fluid.

[akirby]

It has to do with the salt and sand coming up off of the road I think. During the summer there was no haze and I haven't changed washing fluid.

 

Try washing it with Bon Ami (original formula).

Edited February 3, 2010 by akirby

[SailCar]

No-one else is bothered by the "start" position of the ignition in a car that has no starter?

 

I cut my teeth on a Prius, with its beautifully-simple proximity key and start button. I ordered my FFH sight-unseen, so I can only imagine the look on my face as my salesman handed me the traditional keys and pointed at the paper disclaimer glued to the dashtop storage box and explained how I should "pretend" to start the FFH.

 

huh?

 

If FoMoCo was too cheap to provide a proximity system, could they have at least altered the ignition so I don't have to flip a cheesy sign onto the dash everytime I lend the car to someone or valet park?

 

Maybe I'm not thinking this through, but why not eliminate the start position and make the "car & arrow" symbol more obvious that the car is ready to roll? Turn to "on", get some kind of sensible confirmation and go.

 

I gave the keys to my Dad a few weeks ago. He sat in my garage turning it from off to start a dozen times before I explained the green symbol and the whole "pretend starter" deal.

[lolder]

Maybe Ford decided that having to push and hold a "Start/Stop" button for three seconds in an emergency was not a better idea. Who knew about that or that it might end up costing Toyota a Billion dollars. That floor mat issue was the beginning of all their troubles. I believe that incident was real but I am very skeptical of all the other claims against Toyota. Edmunds has a good article that shows you chances of being killed in a Toyota in a random event are 250 times greater than being killed due to runaway acceleration. Also 2/3 of all the runaway complaints of the last ten years have occurred in the last 4 months!

Edited March 3, 2010 by lolder

[DaveM]

Maybe Ford decided that having to push and hold a "Start/Stop" button for three seconds in an emergency was not a better idea.

Good point but I too miss just walking up to the locked car, pulling the handle and the door unlocking and opening. Getting in, pushing a button and away we go. My wife like I'm guessing most wives would love not to have to hunt for her keys and can leave them to vegitate in the bottom of her purse since they are no longer needed. I'm guessing these will become more common in years ahead.

[lolder]

Humans have been searching for better security since they started living in caves. Some of the best, like retina scan are so high tech that they are cumbersome. The key was a marvelous invention. The proximity Smart Key is an advancement. There would never have been an issue if alongside the Power Button was a placard that says "Push 3 seconds for emergency OFF" but that would have not made it past the interior design or marketing review. And there are always those that can't read. Lets face it, there are a lot of people who shouldn't be driving cars.

[SailCar]

I assume the lack of proximity fobs is a cost savings instead of a safety issue, because FoMoCo is equipping Lincolns with them as fast as they can. The new Taurus has it as well.

 

I understand cost savings, but if I were an engineer directed to save money on the hybrid ignition, I'd still try to do something smarter than "pretend to start".

[dogo88]

Maybe Ford decided that having to push and hold a "Start/Stop" button for three seconds in an emergency was not a better idea. Who knew about that or that it might end up costing Toyota a Billion dollars. That floor mat issue was the beginning of all their troubles. I believe that incident was real but I am very skeptical of all the other claims against Toyota. Edmunds has a good article that shows you chances of being killed in a Toyota in a random event are 250 times greater than being killed due to runaway acceleration. Also 2/3 of all the runaway complaints of the last ten years have occurred in the last 4 months!

 

Not exactly correct. At the risk of starting a Toyota vs the World discussion, the cozy relationship the NHTSA had with Toyota caused many prior complaints of runaway acceleration to be just filed away with minimal comments of "not reproducible". There are documented cases of these acceleration issues well past 4 months ago. Let's not forget the recorded 911 call of the family that was killed well more than 4 months ago that has been going through the media. While you may be skeptical of their call, they are dead. Plus there is more evidence that the bad floor mats. oops, I mean, stuck accelerator, may not be the final cause of the problem and it may be software related.

 

Dan

[akirby]

I assume the lack of proximity fobs is a cost savings instead of a safety issue, because FoMoCo is equipping Lincolns with them as fast as they can. The new Taurus has it as well.

 

I understand cost savings, but if I were an engineer directed to save money on the hybrid ignition, I'd still try to do something smarter than "pretend to start".

 

I think the reason is much easier. The 2010 Fusion interior was not all new like the MKZ and Taurus and upcoming Edge. They all got the push button start so I have no doubt it will show up with the new Fusion in a couple of years or it could be a running change next year.

 

The cost cutting wasn't in the part itself - it was in the cost to redesign the dash to include it.

[SailCar]

I ah, didn't say it was the cost of the part. I think we agree that it was most likely driven by cost considerations...?

[FFHdriver]

I think the reason is much easier. The 2010 Fusion interior was not all new like the MKZ and Taurus and upcoming Edge. They all got the push button start so I have no doubt it will show up with the new Fusion in a couple of years or it could be a running change next year.

 

The cost cutting wasn't in the part itself - it was in the cost to redesign the dash to include it.

Can't understand thedesire for a push button start system. My '47 Ford had a push button to start it. If you can't find your key in your purse or pocket how have you driven for the previous 20-30 years? My Avalon had the system and it added to the cost of the car. A person who doesn't tell someone how to start a Hybrid must want to stand around and make fun of them when they can't do it. I've found at my local car wash that all the employees know how to start all the hybrids.

[SailCar]

I don't want to make fun of people, nor do I want to explain to them that "my car isn't as friendly as a Prius, so pretend to start it."

 

Good designs don't need explanation.

[lordyourjosh]

I don't want to make fun of people, nor do I want to explain to them that "my car isn't as friendly as a Prius, so pretend to start it."

 

Good designs don't need explanation.

 

I'm not sure why you think the Prius is so "friendly" that you don't need to explain it. I have a friend with a Prius and he had several problems with people having issues with it when taking it to a car wash where they drive it around and in for you. Of course they have seen enough now that they understand how it works, but a "good design" is pretty objective.

 

Anyhow, I'll take a nice looking car with a key over a car that has a start button and looks like a shuttlecraft from Star Trek: The Next Generation

Edited March 4, 2010 by lordyourjosh

[SailCar]

I agree 100% on the looks. My mother thinks her Prius is "cute" - which is probably why I'll never own one.

 

As far as good design? They last. I'm willing to bet that the ignition design in our FFH's is already on borrowed time, even in it's first production year.

 

Proximity keys and start buttons on the other hand, are becoming more and more standard. Some implementations needed explanation, others less so. (to your point - I bet my sister that she couldn't get a then-new BMW 745i out of my driveway. I won.)

 

But now they're found in Toyotas/Lexuses, Fords, Lincolns, Mercedes, BMW's, heck, even the South Koreans are on the bandwagon - the list is too long to continue.

 

Today, any carwash employee who struggles with a Prius is going to be even MORE confused by a FFH. I think Ford's acknowledgment of this is that cheesy sign hanging from my dash.

[dogo88]

I'm not sure why you think the Prius is so "friendly" that you don't need to explain it. I have a friend with a Prius and he had several problems with people having issues with it when taking it to a car wash where they drive it around and in for you. Of course they have seen enough now that they understand how it works, but a "good design" is pretty objective.

 

Anyhow, I'll take a nice looking car with a key over a car that has a start button and looks like a shuttlecraft from Star Trek: The Next Generation

 

Totally agree.

 

But considering that the thread topic is "What's the Most Worthless Thing on your Fusion" some sort of starting mechanism is a necessity. Key. push button or proximity fob, doesn't matter. I don't have a problem with the key. And for the wife that can't find her key, same probably goes for the cell phone. I know with my wife because when its a ringing, she's a digging.

 

Dan

[seamusbleu]

As far as good design? They last. I'm willing to bet that the ignition design in our FFH's is already on borrowed time, even in it's first production year.

Can you explain this one? The actuation of the FFH ignition is very similar to that on just about every other car on the road.

 

One point in favor of the key ignition over the push button - if the car goes into uncontrolled acceleration, I'd rather turn a key over pushing and holding a button for a couple of seconds.

[EntropyAvatar]

Can you explain this one? The actuation of the FFH ignition is very similar to that on just about every other car on the road.

 

One point in favor of the key ignition over the push button - if the car goes into uncontrolled acceleration, I'd rather turn a key over pushing and holding a button for a couple of seconds.

 

I'm sure he means that new FFH's won't have this ignition within a couple of years, not that the existing ignitions are likely to fail earlier than any other car.

[SailCar]

right. The problem I have is a "start" position in a car that doesn't have a starter.

[DaveM]

right. The problem I have is a "start" position in a car that doesn't have a starter.

Yes it would be nice to have the push button start in as much as I can then leave my key in my pocket but as far as whether I have to turn said key or push button that in itself makes no difference to me and I think we are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

[akirby]

I think we are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

 

As Tonto would say - "What you mean 'we', white man?"

[dogo88]

right. The problem I have is a "start" position in a car that doesn't have a starter.

 

Ok, so look at is as an engine "ON" switch.

 

Dan

[SailCar]

I do - that's why it's a "useless" item on my FFH - a car that one turns "on" instead of "starts".

[rpreuss]

I do - that's why it's a "useless" item on my FFH - a car that one turns "on" instead of "starts".

 

Like an operating system where you have to click on START to turn it off? :hysterical: