Keith Browning Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 For the record there are official "canned responses" to certain assistance questions. I do believe there is a place for them but I do believe some of the methods to answering questions is rehearsed or guided as well. My annoyance this time comes from a question about TPMS sensor capability between 2012 and 2014 model year Super Duty trucks. I just wanted to know that single answer. Simple enough right? What I got was everything BUT the answer to that question. I already knew that Ford does not officially support swapping wheels and tires even if it is OEM equipment from another Ford truck. I already knew to use the proper sensor activation and programming method as outlined in the workshop manual. I already knew to use the OTC activation tool... not the fob tool when training sensors that were not originally programmed to the vehicle. Sometimes dealing with other humans is far more difficult that dealing with the vehicles. Scratch that, it is ALAWAYS more difficult! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exmod110 Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 or the well known pattern failurs get the reply of "we have not seen or herd of that" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbudge Posted November 21, 2013 Share Posted November 21, 2013 Since the hotline request now forms allow you to view prior reports of similar problems, that is usually all I am after from the hotline. I almost never get involved with a hotline engineer. I can read the WSM as good as the next guy, I don't need them to read it to me. When the Fiesta was introduced, we had a base model that we wanted to add cruise control to. We got the steering wheel, and I contacted hotline for assistance in configuring the vehicle to accept the new wheel. Hotline said that this was not possible on this vehicle, so that was that, I thought. Some time later there was a concern with the cluster on the same vehicle, so I submitted a hotline request for assistance. Their reply was that since we may have tried to install cruise control this may be the concern and they were not able to assist further. No attempts were made to install the cruise once we were told it was not possible. Thanks for your help, boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieselD Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Since the hotline request now forms allow you to view prior reports of similar problems, that is usually all I am after from the hotline. I almost never get involved with a hotline engineer. I can read the WSM as good as the next guy, I don't need them to read it to me. When the Fiesta was introduced, we had a base model that we wanted to add cruise control to. We got the steering wheel, and I contacted hotline for assistance in configuring the vehicle to accept the new wheel. Hotline said that this was not possible on this vehicle, so that was that, I thought. Some time later there was a concern with the cluster on the same vehicle, so I submitted a hotline request for assistance. Their reply was that since we may have tried to install cruise control this may be the concern and they were not able to assist further. No attempts were made to install the cruise once we were told it was not possible. Thanks for your help, boys. This kinda of thing really bugs me. I understand them not wanting to support modifications to a vehicle but some of this stuff is down right retarded. I can understand trying to upfit something like navigation to a vehicle that was not built with it. However things like cruise control, wheels/tires, superduty mirrors, backup cameras etc should be supported. On my personal truck(2011 Raptor) I wanted to add the rear view camera. It had the full navigation headunit and even the plug for the camera was there under the bed. The sales guy that ordered simply did not check box for it as it was part of the trailer brake controller option(this is a whole other gripe with ford today...what ever happend to actaully picking your options vs packages???) I submitted a hotline asking if I can add the rear camera to the vehicle, hell the wiring was already there and the headunit is correct so the only thing missing was the camera itself. I got the typical answer of no that is not possible yet they could not tell me why the connector was in the vehicle. I called BS on that answer and purchased all the camera parts. I installed them in my tailgate then searched ebay for the same year vehicle that had a factory installed camera so I could nab the VIN#. Printed AS-built data out for both vehicles and compared. Made the changes in the programming on my truck and had a working camera. Pretty simple proccess and could have been made even simplier if ford would include that option under programmable parameters and a dealer install package. But hey what do I know? I just fix the things! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batmantech Posted November 22, 2013 Share Posted November 22, 2013 Great idea!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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