TheWizard

I didn't say the business decisions they made were lucky... far from it. What I said was the timing was lucky.

Unfortunately, the LED bulbs are different than HIDs in that they have a large heat sink and fan on the back to cool the LED power circuitry. With HIDs you can make holes to pass the wires through the dust cover without any real loss of protection. With the LEDs, you would have to make a hole big enough for the heat sink to fit and then the fan will be defeating the very purpose of the dust cover by blowing through the hole you made.

The dealer refused to set up an appointment for you? I can't say I'm really surprised considering my own experience with a Ford dealer but I am dismayed at how blatant their lack of service became. I agree with WWWPerfA_ZN0W... you really need to make sure Ford is made aware of this failure. On a side note, many people seem to want to cannonize Ford for not taking bailout money. In point of fact, they were just lucky - they had refinanced their major debt just months before the bottom fell out of the economy so they didn't need the money right then. If they hadn't just completed that refinancing, they would have been in line just like the others. There was no nobility or especially good planning involved... they just had lucky timing.

I wouldn't put too much stock in the service manager's comment about parts pricing. I worked in both dealer and head office parts departments over a span of 20 years and never experienced pricing changes merely because of warranty claims. It makes no sense - Ford still has sunk cost in the parts whether they're manufactured by Ford or bought from a supplier. And they don't pay the dealer any markup on parts used for warranty anyway - they pay only dealer cost for parts (basically a reimbursement) and a job flat rate for labor. That's one of the reasons that dealers aren't fond of doing warranty work... they don't make as much on the job as they would if it was customer paid. Parts pricing varies for many reasons including supply and demand. It is common for parts to go down in price after a model changes because supply is high but demand has gone down due to the part not being needed on the assembly line. It's also common for the price to drop when the same part continues to be used for subsequent models because the tooling and other initial setup costs have been recovered so the ongoing cost is much lower (I think that is probably the case with your filler neck).

Something is wired incorrectly... probably with the Edge 2 DRLs. The parking and turn signal lights run on two completely separate circuits that share nothing except a common ground. In a factory incandescent bulb those two circuits are connected to different filaments inside the bulb - a bright one for turn signals and a dim one for parking lights. With switchbacks, you still have two circuits but one illuminates the amber LEDs for turn signals and the other illuminates the white LEDs for parking lights. Since LEDs flow current in only one direction (they are diodes after all), it is impossible for them to illuminate due to current back feed through the ground side of the circuit. That means that your two power circuits (parking and turn signal) are cross connected somewhere allowing power to both sides at the same time when the parking lights or headlights are on. You mention that the problem goes away when you disconnect the Edge 2 DRLs so it's logical that the cross connection is related to that. My Edge had LED bulbs and Edge 2 DRLs without the symptoms you describe so I suggest re-checking the DRL connections.

You mean someone might say something like "any seat-of-the-pants performance gain is just a combination of wishful thinking and not wanting to admit that you spent the money"? I can't imagine that anyone would say such a thing. One good thing about dry cleanable filters is that they cut down the cost of replacement filters over the life of the vehicle. (See... "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all").

As akirby suggested, you really need to use a test light or multimeter to determine which fuse location may be ignition switched. Just because a circuit is labeled as something that would be ignition switched (something like the wipers for example) doesn't mean that the power at the fuse is switched. Many of these circuits are electronically controlled or powered through relays so the fuse may have constant power because the switching is done "downstream" of the fuse panel. Without a wiring schematic, you can't tell that except by testing. There are four types of power circuits - "constant" power is always on for things like radio memory and clock; "battery saver" is like constant - always on except that there is a controller that will shut it off after a certain amount of time to prevent battery drain (interior lighting is one example); "ignition switched" is on when the ignition is in the ON position (wipers and air conditioning are examples); "accessory" is on when the ignition is on and after it is switched off until a door is opened (audio system and power windows are two examples). The power outlets in the console are constant - on all the time. That's why opening a door doesn't affect them.

Try a different test. Roll down the driver's window, get out of the car and lock it using the remote. Wait at least 20 seconds (very important as the alarm does not arm immediately). Now reach into the car through the window and open the door using the inside handle. The alarm should trigger, flashing the lights and sounding the horn.

Yeah, I wonder if the Bugatti Veyron people have heard about this? For that matter, I wonder if NASCAR has heard about it?

Care to rephrase that? 59km in 4.5 minutes is an average 786 kph (~490 mph)... clearly impossible.

Assuming the charging system is still good and it's just the battery that is dead, an old fashioned boost with jumper cables should get you started and able to drive to the dealer.

Actually, it wasn't just a technicality. Ford never called the first Mustang a 64.5 - that was an enthusiast thing. Ford introduced the Mustang in April 1964 but it was always designated as a 1965 model. At that time it seemed really early because all of the domestic manufacturers introduced their new model years in the fall - so the Mustang was about five months early. These days even collectors don't care about 64.5 versus 65.

I was told by my dealer to buy and program a third key because if I lost one and had to get a spare having only one of the originals it would cost $250. Now that was for a new key and programming (including reprogramming the remaining original one) so it's expensive but nowhere near what you were quoted. I'd try another dealer. Also, call a locksmith and see if they can do it or if it's a dealer-only thing.

The headrest angle has been a very common discussion in the Mustang forums. It was discovered that the 12+ tilting headrests would fit earlier models at least back to 2010. I suspect the same thing is true of Edge seats. The mechanisms are all the same so really you just have to check the post spacing. I'm sure you could get a dealer to let you into an MKX with a tape measure to measurethe C2C spacing of the posts and then you can compare that to your Edge. Another solution that gained popularity due to the high cost of replacing the headrests with new ones was removing them, putting the posts in a bench vice and gently bending a bit at a time until you get an angle that works better for your comfort but is still relatively close to the head for safety.

I hope you meant 60/40 antifreeze to water. Much more antifreeze than that and you actually start losing freeze protection.

With an overheating problem, freezing is probably not a big concern until you get it somewhere and park it. However, antifreeze also raises the boiling point of the coolant as ethylene glycol has a higher boiling point and lower vapor pressure than water. The ideal percentage for freeze prevention is 50-60 percent ethylene glycol to water. For boiling protection, the ratio can be somewhat higher.

As long as you ensure that you aren't too low on coolant, you should be able to drive it. Just keep a close eye on the gauge and let it cool off before it gets to the point of boiling over. Also carry extra coolant with you to refill along the way as necessary. It might take a while to make the trip but there shouldn't be any damage as long as you're cautious. The worst situation is when the coolant is so low that the gauge sending unit doesn't pick up the temperature and it overheats without you knowing. I'm sure you know to be careful and not remove the radiator cap when it's that hot as the sudden release of pressure can cause a geyser that can severely scald you.

Well, in that case I would say it's safe to assume that it's not a broken timing chain. Normally I would say that failure of a chain driven pump would make lots of noise as your friend said but I suppose a catostrophic failure of the pump gear might have made a one time noise at the time of the failure and then just be sitting there since then. I can also see how that would be an expensive repair if it is indeed what happened. Sometimes I miss the old days when many of these types of repairs could be done in the driveway for minimal cost. Water pump, gasket and hose clamps could be picked up at the local parts store and replaced in an hour or two with basic hand tools.

A stuck closed theromstat can certainly cause overheating but you would not experience the lack of heating in the cabin because the water circulating through the heater core would be very hot. In fact, that's an old trick for helping to limp home with a stuck thermostat - turn up the heat full blast even if it's mid-summer. The heater core acts as a small radiator and helps you get farther before it inevitably overheats. I suspect your friend is correct - the water pump is the most common cause that fits the symptoms you describe. The coolant is overheating because it isn't circulating through the radiator. And you also lose interior heat because no hot coolant is circulating through the heater core. Cooling fans not running would explain the overheating but not the lack of interior heat. I'm not familiar with that model so I'm not sure how the water pump is driven. It might not be the pump itself that has failed (as in seized up). If it is belt driven, you could have a very loose or broken belt (although if it's a serpentine belt you would loose charging capability as well as cooling). If it's electric, you could have something as simple as a blown fuse or bad connection (it could also be the electric motor itself). I would say your best bet is to make sure the coolant level is topped up and limp it to the nearest mechanic you trust. It sounds like it's a little too cold outside to be working under the hood yourself. Bear in mind that it is a six year old vehicle and mechanical failures do happen with any manufactured product. Even if it is the water pump, I really don't see how that is justification for condemning Ford.

Whether it is "right" or not is a matter of opinion. It certainly is a legal warranty and it is very specific on what Ford (and their dealers) will cover under warranty and unfortunately your issue isn't one of those things. My opinion on whether it's right (FWIW) is that you're not even close to being covered under warranty at more than 14,000 miles over so I don't think there is any obligation at all for them to fix it under warranty. It makes absolutely no difference to anyone whether it is required to pass an emissions test. Warranties are not for unlimited mileage no matter how much you might think they should be. Most of those complaints you found are from the vocal few and don't represent the vast majority of owners (hundreds of thousands of Fords with capless fillers) that have no reason to get on the internet and shout about how unfair it all is. BTW, I think it's fair to say that judging by your comments you are probably not going to have much chance at a goodwill adjustment at the dealer.

The dealer is correct in their assessment of warranty coverage. With the exception of certain select parts (basically the cats and computers), the emissions system is covered for the same 36 months, 36,000 miles as the original bumper-to-bumper warranty: From the Ford Warranty Guide: The warranty coverage period for: •Passenger cars, light duty trucks (applies to vehicles up to 8,500 pounds GVWR) — 8 years or 80,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for catalytic converters, electronic engine control unit (ECU), transmission control module (TCM), and any other onboard emissions diagnostic module. — 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for all other covered parts. Besides, I would not say that the capless system is "prone to failure". I have it on both the Edge and a Mustang and neither has ever caused the slightest problem. Nor have I seen any significant number of people mentioning problems in any of the Ford forums I frequent. I'm afraid this is going to be one of those customer pay repairs unless you can get the dealer to cover it under some sort of goodwill situation.

HID kits (at least the 35W ones) are no more difficult to install than those LED kits. Both involve mounting and connecting a separate box (the driver for LEDs, the ballast for HIDs) and making modifications to the dust cover. HIDs actually have the advantage of only requiring dust cover modification to get the wiring through. LEDs require making a big enough hole to accomodate the heat sink and fan on the back of the bulbs. However, HIDs take time to warm up, can cause flickering and depending on the supplier have been known to go through ballasts. If you want effective lighting, the last thing you want is bluer light. Factory HIDs use 4100K-4300K color temperature which is just slightly to the yellow side of pure white. 5000K is pure white, 6000K is "cool white" - white with a hint of blue. Anything higher than that is a waste of money. By the time you get above 8000K (more blue than white), you might as well have stayed with halogen bulbs for all the effective lighting you'll get. Not to mention it will make you look like one of those kids with fart cannon mufflers and huge wings on the back of a little front wheel drive car.

The most common way of handling the dust cover issue is to buy a couple of extras from the dealer (just in case) and then make a hole large enough to accomodate the bulb and a rubber grommet. Did they indicate that doing so would not be enough? There is a fan on the back of the bulb's heat sink that I would think would be sufficient to keep the back of the bulb cool enough. You could always add a few extra small holes around the edge of the cover to allow air to escape - there should be positive air pressure inside from the bulb cooling fans so dust entry shouldn't be a problem. Bear in mind that the LEDs themselves produce very little heat. It's the power management circuitry behind the LEDs that gets hot.

Is there a particular reason you want to replace the 9012 HIR factory bulbs with those LEDs? You will gain a change in light color but no gain in light output. Those LEDs produce 1900 lumens and the factory bulbs produce 1875 lumens. Superbrightleds.com is a good company - I have dealt with them many times - but their output ratings use the ILS measuring standard (ILS = If Lightning Strikes). They take the theoretical output of the LEDs on the bulb and add them together, ignoring the fact that you can't drive LEDs at full power all the time and expect them to continue working. It's similar to the difference between RMS (running) power output and peak output of stereo amplifiers - the peak number is much higher but can't be sustained over a period of time. So if what you want is a color change, bear in mind that these are not a plug and play installation. There is an external driver box (much like the ballast of an HID kit) that must be mounted and connected and there's a large heat sink on the back of the bulbs that will require some serious modification to the factory dust covers to fit. If you're looking for improved light output, there are better LED kits out there and you might also consider HID.

I got rid of my Edge a couple of months ago and I don't have any photos of the hitch. Besides, mine was installed without being a replacement for a factory hitch so I didn't have the cut area of the lower valence to worry about. Here's a photo of a Hidden Hitch on a recent Edge: The photo is from the eTrailer.com site where I bought my hitch. There are a number of additional photos you can browse there: http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/Edge/2013/87604.html?vehicleid=2013304548