DwayneGorniak Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Anyone noticed on the news that the cruise control recall is in effect again? Why didn't we just replace the leaking switches that cause fires with switches that don't leak and cause fires in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Logic Dwayne....you can't use it with Ford!!!! Haven't you figured that out yet....It cost 'less' to fix it twice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoWilimek Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Anyone noticed on the news that the cruise control recall is in effect again? Why didn't we just replace the leaking switches that cause fires with switches that don't leak and cause fires in the first place? Probably because of the cost involved. Say the replacement switch costs Ford only $10. Then there is the connector adapter, which likely costs another $5(I dunno, maybe less?), then there is the labour which could take maybe .5. Add that up and you get probably about $50(all figures off the top of my head), multiplied by several million units makes many millions of dollars. The bean counters decided to cut the cost by issuing the inline fuse kit for probably $5 and pay .3 to install it, saving the company many millions of dollars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Ermm... weren't we replacing switches that we could identify as leaking? Is this a factlet that we missed? Right now, there is a chance that you will have a flat tire in the next 10 or 15 years... you should rush down to Canadian Tire right now and have your tires replaced with tires that are gaurranteed to never leak.... oops... ain't gonna happen... my bad.... OK... so let's change all of them switches with switches we can be sure ain't gonna leak... What? If we built it, it might go bad? Naw... you're shittin' me.... The switches that were installed weren't supposed to leak.... let's find that purchase order that says "please send us a million switches that will leak"... It is easy to criticise... what is hard is offering a better way to do those things we see as being "bad".... Something I see far too often is someone saying "that is a fucked way of doing that".... The question becomes "how would you do it different?" Soooooooo..... without an alternative solution, we are saying... "let's not do that"... Let's don't do anything because it may not be the "right way". Let's bear in mind that all we have is the advance notice... and all the advance notice indicates is a "modification".... And we will say that this is bad even before we see what it's all about? Call me fucked up... if you tell me I am doing something wrong, show me how to do it right... Don't tell me that I'm fucked and walk away... Criticsm is criticism... (opinions are like assholes) CONSTRUCTIVE criticism... THAT is what built the land we live in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneGorniak Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 Have you forgotten about the Firestone recall? CONSTRUCTIVE criticism... THAT is what built the land we live in. Hmmmm, Reeeaaallllyy? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Pacific_Railway_in_British_Columbia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Pacific_Railway http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Chinese_immigration_to_Canada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Thanks for the history lesson Sometime you take things a little too literally... FWIW... most Canadians cannot tell you that the last spike was driven at Craigellachie.. of those that do, few can pronounce the name correctly... however.... I was thinking more along the lines of - power window switches. Now, I'm not aware of the statistics, but a window switch that you push DOWN to make a piece of glass go UP was never a good idea. Kids and/or pets could be seriously injured. Finally (and I recall it being the Europeans) someone came up with a switch that you pull UP to make the window go up... The travesty here is that it took so terribly long for this idea to become the industry standard... hydraulic brakes (if you want fun... find a model T and play with it for a while... adjusting the cable operated wheel brakes was a joy... this car is a history lesson all by itself) - it was years before we saw the split master cylinder... Much safer than the old single master cylinder, brake failure can still be a terminal condition... On the subject of hydraulic brakes... it was common to have a hydraulic switch to actuate the brake lights... Ironically, even these old (they don't make 'em like that any more) switches could start to leak whenever they damned well felt like it... And, since we have come full circle in the discussion, we have these new, improved ways of dealing with old tasks... and wouldn't you know it? Parts still fail... Power window switches... leaving a child or a pet unattended in an automobile is grossly irresponsible, quite possibly criminal and just plain stupid... To do it and leave the fucking key in the car at the same time... unfuckingbelievable. The manufacturers were blamed for any injuries or deaths. Hydraulic brakes... people still run out of brake fluid... people still run out of brakes... again - it is that badly designed car and not due to any perceived lack of maintenance or "situational awareness"... Parts still fail.... wheel bearings, brake calipers, transmissions, motors... you name it... If it was designed or built by a man - it's going to break... it's going to wear out. When we deal with the general public, we are dealiong with people that have only one thing in mind. They want to drive to the store or their friends house or to work or whatever... in most cases, all they are looking for is the car to start and then move... as long as it does those two things, they are pleased.... the car may be a piece of shit, but they are still pleased. Often, you wont get to see the car until it wont move anymore... It isn't just <broken> - it is FUCKING BROKEN. I have to think that there is a real good chance that a BPP that is about to burst into flames is going to exhibit some symptoms.... symptoms that will be lost on joe average... This is the same guy that rides around with his "low tire" light on... All the same.... the problem is failed parts.... there is no design flaw in the part (other than choosing any one particular bidder at the wrong time) We have recalls not only because of design or manufacturing issues, we have them in order to avert litigation..... modern man (homo erectus idioticus) will sue anyone and everyone the exact moment he figures that there could be a free lunch. Failed parts are a reality - from the dishwasher that wont to the light bulb that can't.... Now... where would we be without failed parts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DwayneGorniak Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 No, I don't take tings too literally, I just keep forgetting to put in those damned little smiley's and little pokin guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Well said Jim! On that note, we had this guy tow his 2004 F350 in (800 dollar tow bill) 78k on it, he heard a 'pop' and then a 'grinding' from the rear end. He had his in bed camper on the truck when this happened, and the tow company could only pull it off the hill he was on by hooking up to the front and let the rear wheels roll. They towed it at 25 mph for 50 miles to the customers house where he could unload his camper, then to their yard to put it on a flat bed and then to us. Tear down found that one of the carrier bearing cap bolts had sheared off and gone through the gears, damage to housing and all internals. Gave the guy a price on a new unit - around 11k, and went through the trouble of locating a used unit that needed bearings - around 5k. Guy proceeds to try and blame everyone else for the problem (he's owned the truck since new and has never serviced the differentials). Price was given 3 days after truck showed up - it's been in our yard for 3 weeks now. Customer contacted tow company trying to tell them it was their fault for towing it with the back wheels on the ground.....SERIOUSLY?!?! Why was it being towed in the first place?!?! Customer filed a CUDL - lies strewn all over his contact, after my SM talked to Ford, they told the guy no dice! We decided the used unit was no longer an option for us to install for this particular customer. Customer finally towed his truck out on thursday to another independent shop where they are going to install a used unit..... Best part - He thinks he's gonna save money, but the guy working on his truck now.....happens to be my SM's brother, and is basically gonna charge the guy a little more than we were for the used unit install....all I can say is GOOD RIDDENS and SUCKER!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 No, I don't take tings too literally, I just keep forgetting to put in those damned little smiley's and little pokin guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Mechanics prayer.... Please, dear God (Yahweh, Allah, Jehovah, Beelzebub).. have them keep making parts that break... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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