madlock

Self-stick adhesive.

Having become VERY accustomed to the Keyless Entry Keypad feature included with my other 2 Ford vehicles (albeit far more elegantly integrated into the vehicles' trim panels), I was both pleased to know and eager to add the OEM Accessory Keyless Entry Pad to my Transit Connect. So, I headed-down to a nearby dealer parts desk where I was pleased to discover they had two on-hand. I was particularly pleased to discover that each includes two trim plates; one is a textured black similar to the TC's door handle, and the other is a smooth dark gray similar in color to the fender wheel fairings or rear bumper cover. I've chosen the black, but I could just-as-easily appreciate why others might prefer the dark gray. Programming the keypads to the vehicle was a snap, as was programming each keypad with a personal access code common to both. Unlike the integrated versions, these only support a single code in addition to each keypad's unique "master" code. Given that the TC has no driver-specific memory settings like seat, wheel, and mirror positions, there's no need for two programmable codes, but I suspect it may be possible to order the replacement part keypad (a different part number with a different style) and similarly configure it to the Transit Connect (but don't necessarily quote me before dropping your "hard earned" on a non-refundable order). I'll be affixing both to the vehicle. One will be located near the driver's door handle (as is commonly seen on most FLM vehicles that feature a keyless entry keypad). The other will be affixed to the rear cargo door. And while the catalog photo shows where Ford's photographers have decided to place it on the driver's door, it just doesn't look "right" when placed in the same location in 3D. (The keypad measures 4" x 1 3/8"). I've tried fiddling around, temporarily affixing it to various locations, but I haven't been able to come-up with a placement that looks as good as it should. (And in some of the positions, it's either awkward to access or obstructs easy access to the door handles. Before I give-in and decide to just affix the driver's door keypad in the same placement as the catalog photo, I'm wondering if anyone has traveled down the same path and discovered a better, more convenient, and more aesthetically pleasing, placement. I have to say, I'm very much looking forward to being able to use them both. Given the rather clumsy implementation of the lock/unlock on the key fob, especially given the additional consideration of the rear cargo doors and how the fob lock/unlock works a bit differently in combination with the factory-installed remote start, having the additional convenience of the Ford keypads' 3/4 "all unlock" and 7/8+9/0 "all lock", these are going to get a good bit of use compared to the fob. Many thanks.

Thanks. Which one (make/model/part number) please?

I'm still mulling over my options. A key for me is that any shelving and fixtures be modular and easily removable/replaceable, as I have three distinct use scenarios, one for carrying passengers, one for carrying equipment, and one for carrying cargo. I also want a quality floor that will work with the seats; and I've been discussing with a local machining firm the possibility of replacing the 2nd row seat mount screws with those that include an integrated release mechanism instead. The tax advantages for the TC were so compelling that I've become very comfortable with the notion of "prototyping" this one to a certain degree.

Fantastic. Thanks! That means the existing plug is going to get drilled for a camera mount, and a replacement ordered to restore it to "stock" afterward. Terrific!

For those who may have been following along, I received the first repair estimate, from a Ford dealer body shop. It came in just north of $4,000 with a disclaimer that additional required repairs may be identified once the vehicle is disassembled due to the Reverse Sensing System malfunctioning and what appears to be short-related static in the audio system.

I've two questions about the TC's rear doors. First, the left-hand side rear door, features what appears to be a removable cover plate near the top door edge which appears to be removable by the black plastic retention nut inside the door. Does anyone know what this is for? Is it meant to be an access panel, or is it a dummy cover for another feature (perhaps available on the European versions) like a rear area light or camera? (I'd love to turn it into the mounting point for a backup camera) Second, as the "Chicken Tax" thread has revealed, each TC arrives stateside in Wagon form, and the seats are pulled, floor is rubber matted, and the side windows removed and plugged on any cargo versions that require it. I presumed they simply did the same thing to the rear windows (if necessary), as any TC Wagon also has windowed rear doors. However, upon looking again at a 110A Cargo Van (no windows), it appears the rear doors are indeed solid rather than being covered by "plug" inserts as the sides are. The article makes absolutely no mention of this. Is there a different part entirely for windowed and non-windowed rear doors, and are they installed in-port like the side window plugs? While I'm still wrestling with whether or not I should cover my side windows in vinyl (rather than replacing the glass with the solid metal plug inserts), but it appears that I have no such option for the rear. Any insight to either question would be greatly appreciated.

Does your Transit Connect have the factory DRL Option? If so, you should find that the lights are every bit as bright as the headlamps on in their normal position. In fact, because both of my other vehicles have automatic headlamp controls, turning-on my headlamps is something I've simply fallen out of the habit of doing, and I find myself having to explicitly remind myself to turn-on my TC's lights, because if I don't the DRLs are indistinguishable at night.

About the only real shot FIAT may have with the Doblo for fleet success is if they happen to pursue aggressively the small diesel market that everyone else is overlooking. On the other hand, it's far more passenger-friendly than the TC, something that's reflected in the Doblo having sold 1M examples to the TC's 600K, (although the Doblo's had a 2-3 year headstart). It's interior is derived from the Punto, and they've gone the extra step of including a 3rd passenger row to make it a true 7-8 seater, something the TC just isn't and won't be. Getting hold of an extra 2-seat bench to stick in the back of the TC would be a real boon for its passenger-carrying credentials; but in truth, Ford already serves that market with the C-Max and Grand C-Max (which is also coming to America soon).

Bah! This was announced during Marchione's 8-hour extravaganza detailing the FIATization of Chrysler. Apart from being uglier than sin, the Doblo's a decided "also ran" in the EU. With the Transit Connect having a full 2-year head-start in defining the segment with a vehicle that's already in its 3rd iteration of refinement, the Doblo won't have a chance, especially once the TC has insinuated itself into North American fleets and Ford develops some sort of local production capability. The Doblo just won't be able to compete. It's going to be the ugly girl at the dance, who's arrived 2 years after everyone went home. It will be very interesting, however, to see what, if any, response the market has to the Doblo. I personally just don't see it. The Transit Connect "looks the part". It's relevantly-styled and something people can immediately identify for what it is and how they can use it. On the other hand, the Doblo looks like a Multipla got sandwiched between a Mini Clubman and Nissan Cube, with no survivors. All of the aesthetic passion behind Alfa must be directly transfused from every FIAT vehicle (save the 500). With 2 years of market segment exclusivity, I just can't see the Transit Connect being challenged by a square peg being offered by wounded duck, especially given the fact that it's become so fashionable to own a Ford nowadays.

Those are just dandy! Thanks so much for the tip!

Thanks, King Neptune! I've actually crossed-paths with Trevor within the past 24 hours, and he's been terrifically helpful; but this has really boiled everything down to its essence. Thanks a bunch. I'd already deduced that the fascia/aperture is a single piece, and a hole saw is about as elegant as it's likely to get. (If only I had been hit in the FRONT end instead of the rear, I might have been able to work-in an EU bumper into the repairs. But then again, I should shut my mouth and not tempt fate. Repair parts are already going to be enough a problem.) With respect to the additional mounting hardware, unless it's to secure the fog lamp to the bracket that's ultimately mated (in bespoke manner) to the back of the cut-outs, are they even necessary? For the few additional dollars, I'm sure it's not worth worrying about; but by the time I'm done, I'd like to have documented an A to Z process. (I've already started contacting local firms that do boutique CNC and Hydrojet milling.) Rather than replacing the entire switch assembly, I may simply wire it into the existing switch poles used for the standards "reverse" fog lamp. It may very well simplify the process. Thanks again for having checked this out and sharing your findings. I had been planning to post an update, but my day's schedule got the best of me (which included my first trip to a body shop for an estimate). Thanks again! If I was smarter, I'd have just had Trevor send a proper EU Transit Connect over "Johnny Cash" style.

Hi Roland. Thanks for jumping in. I went to a local dealer today who called me back after I inquired about the paint issue. They had no more help to offer obtaining OEM paint, but they have an affiliated body shop that, entirely on their own, took it upon themselves to mix a custom batch of their interpretation of "Frozen White" which they then sent to the dealer with their courier for my benefit absolutely gratis. While I do have some HTG (honest to goodness) Frozen White on its way over from the EU, (including clear cover coat), I was stunned by their unsolicited service. It makes me feel horrible that I couldn't have made it work to buy any of my 3 vehicles from them. (Although I did see a demo-driven EcoBoosted Flex on their showroom floor that I just might trade my 6-month old 2009 Flex to obtain). Anyway, the parts counter was good enough to print-out the parts diagram for the front bumper fascia; and precisely as you've noticed, despite the different color plastic and initial appearance, the black "inserts" do indeed seem to be fully integrated. Furthermore, no discreet part numbers exist. I suspect it would take a hole saw and a very stable hand to turn what we have into what I want. I swear, you have to live in the EU to own a decent TC. I just can't wait until they tool a domestic facility and can start making the full compliment of TC's and options available (including a Short Wheelbase version, one with left, right, or NO side doors, and so forth.) As a very pleased shareholder, I live in abject fear that Ford's recent darling halo may become a bit tarnished if North America ever REALLY figures out just how good Ford vehicles have been abroad for the past 30 years while they've effectively left the hometown fans to languish. Granted, European prices support MUCH more development and investment, (something WE in the states are going to benefit from tremendously as the global platforms finally reach full availability), and we can't get enough kids to finish high school, let alone pursue engineering degrees that would allow Ford to operate any sort of reasonable design capability here in the states, but those are other matters entirely. When mine goes in for collision repair, I'm going to ask them to have an in-depth look at the front end and precisely what may be made from the "dummy" fascia that exists. If it's as simple as drilling-out the juicers and fashioning a collar to mount the lamps, that's easy enough. I hope that proves to be the case. Many thanks!

My front-of-vehicle power needs are more-than-adequately met by the existing 12V DC and in-dash FWS Computer (if the damn thing ever works), though a pair of 110V AC outlets would always be convenient. Ideally, I'd love to put it in the overhead bin/tray; but beneath the driver's seat may ultimately be the better option. For the rear of the vehicle, I will be adding a 3000W inverter. One of the many uses they will see is the powering of photo strobes. And while they have their own internal smarts to regulate draw and discharge, they require a steady flow of juice. As I've dug deeper into the many configuration options, I'm seriously considering Sortimo's "double deck" solution which creates a sort of a raised platform floor that provides convenient storage and rear-facing access, the kind of place that would be great to conceal an inverter absent the need for constant airflow to support an inverter of such magnitude. Thanks for the input.

Thanks, Roland. I too have been trying to ferret-out some squeaks and rattles, but I suspect they're the result of having been rear-ended last week. I might as well just let the body shop have their way and let them try to eradicate them on the insurance company's dime. As a perhaps-interesting aside, it seems that Ford has indeed pulled-forward the Transit Connect into North America so aggressively that they don't even offer a touch-up paint solution for Frozen White (Z2). I've had several dealer parts desks who I've known to work miracles in the past shaking their head after Ford has told them that the official solution for the moment is to advise collision repairers to mix their best alternative. This is absolutely inexcusable. I've been in contact with a couple European dealers (in th UK and on the Continent) with whom I'm arranging to provide me with not only touch-up pen/sticks, but also the 150ml spray can and a can of conventional paint to boot, all sent separately with the hope of that at least one will make it through US customs. I really get how important bringing products to market quickly has been to Ford's resurrection, but now that they've made so much progress resolving the product part of the equation, the glaring deficiencies that remain throughout the rest of their North American operations have become even more obvious. In the same vein, I too have asked some EU-based sources to obtain the actual lamps which seem to be shared with the European Focus. Though I may not be able to obtain the yellow, high visibility lamps I'd love to have, they standard white lamps appear to have integrated brackets that seem to be ready-to-mount, provide the North American TC "faux" lamp holes can be readily prepared to accept them. Does it seem that the "orange juicer" covers are easily removable? I'd appreciate any further insight you may have. Yes. Having lived in Belgium, I'm aware. However, as the audience here seems to be predominately American, and DTRL in the North American transit connect is implemented as an "always on" headlamp. with the lower bumper lights being referred-to as fog lamps, referring to them with any different terms would have been far less clear. Thanks for the additional info.

In the absence of a more appropriate forum/sub-forum, please excuse my posting this topic here. One thing about the TC that makes me just shake my head is the presence of the completely non-functioning fog lamp apertures. To me, it's absolutely lame, and something the TC wears as the same kind of badge of shame as the wholly cosmetic and completely non-beneficial Pontiac G8's faux "hood scoop" and Mustang GT Appearance Package's "Side Scoops". Hell, you might as strap one of those "rice rocket" spoilers to the top. In fact, even if I could manage to overcome my GM disgust enough to allow myself to enjoy the incredible performance car (not to mention value) the G8 GT happens to be, I still wouldn't own one out of sheer contempt for a maker that can't simply let a great vehicle be a great vehicle without resorting to spinning bow ties and clown shoes. (And the same goes for the Mustang until they no longer offer wholly fake side scoops). But I again digress. Anyway, I'm a BIG fog lamp proponent. I've already enabled my Flex's DTRL program to allow its fog lamps to become its DTRL's. But I MUCH prefer the yellow variety that actually increase visibility by cutting through fog instead of just making a vehicle more visible to others at the expense of additional glare. Plus, given the existence of the rear-facing fog lamp switch, it seems like the TC already has the control infrastructure in-place. In addition to correcting the fundamental wrong of a cosmetic-only feature, this seems like a terrific opportunity. Has anyone investigated adding aftermarket fog lamps to the TC or perhaps offer any guidance for doing so? Thanks!

I agree on all counts. What exists is rather inelegant; and the very best, Sortimo, is limited. I've seen the L&P ladder rack on many on-lot TC's; and presuming it's not inconsistent with your needs, it's actually pretty slick. It may be worth a look. On the other hand, I can't imagine the DOT taking ANY issue with something as banal as a ladder rack that sells well elsewhere. Then again, it IS the government.... You must really have some specialized needs or limited selection to bear the wait of a custom TC order. That, and the ability to discriminate between specific upfits as individual searchable dealer options is something Ford really needs to fix. While they're finally taking great strides to finally give U.S. access to some of the world-beating products they've been lavishing upon other markets for decades, Ford still continues to treat North America like the bastard son. In fact, I can't decide whether North Americans would be happy or resentful if they fully understood what exists versus what's being offered. If you were to ask even the most enthusiastic TC shopper if he/she was aware that the TC actually exists in long and short wheelbases and there's even options with side-door deletes, they'd look at you cross-eyed. Unfortunately, the same can be said of the many accessories that have become a staple to European businesses for damn near a decade. I suppose it only makes sense for Ford to test the waters for a year or so using the 80/20 rule before making greater investments and ramping up full-scale production in a new market (here), but that doesn't change the disadvantage we, the home team, have to contend with until that happens. And I'm most afraid that after tooling around in our novel "early adopter" "first on the block" "smarter than everyone else" first model year examples (that are actually some 7 years old), 2011 and beyond may see a whole slew of much more capable TC's that may make us wish we had waited if not for the fact that it remains the best thing available at the moment and the tax credits that are helping to make them almost impossible to go wrong.

I like how the TC has convenient 12V power access at the rear-end; and there are time when that can be really convenient. However, my needs are much more frequently for 110V A/C for which I intend to install a high-capacity inverter wired directly into the battery/main vehicle power. Does anyone know how powerful an inverter (in watts) the TC can safely accommodate? I'd also appreciate any placement and mounting suggestions (I'm hopelessly anal about retaining as much of an "OEM look" as possible) that would keep the inverter as concealed as possible yet readily accessible (I'm thinking beneath the driver's seat) without turning the TC into a rolling electric chair. Many thanks.

Wow. Ranger looks like the have quite a variety of very flexible solutions. I especially like the Workstation configuration, though I'm going to have to do some investigating to see if my desire to keep a permanently-convertible cargo/wagon configuration is asking too much. I've already resigned myself to only being able to accommodate a top-half bulkhead if I want to maintain a second row, and I may just be asking too much from the TC. Personally, I'm looking into the Sortimo equipment. What I like MOST about Sortimo is the quality of the floor liner they offer and the "German" precision of their fixtures. Though the Adrian, Dejana, L&P, and other options all make some very nice stuff, but Sortimo's fixtures are really a "cut above". Plus, they're entirely modular and made to be "lifted" if you want a full, wide-open back end. I'm always stunned by how precious little space remains every time I see a TC with double-sided shelving. It's almost too little to squeeze between. To off-set the narrowness, I'm actually considering removing the right 2nd-row passenger seat so I can install a "full run" from front to back, even though it would render useless the passenger-side sliding door all together.

Believe it or not, not all TC's come with "50 State" (i.e. "California") emissions, something handfuls of additional states both respectively require or ignore. I'm at a point at which, given all that's happened with THIS particular TC, the "love" is gone. I was very nearly serious about simply buying another, and parking this one until the beginning of the next tax year and unloading it for the nominal depreciation loss which, after the ARRA pays-off on my April taxes, will still leave me cash-positive on the whole affair. I admittedly can't make a fair judgement about the FWS computer since its version of Windows continues to repeatedly crash minutes apart. Even so, I honestly find it very amateurishly done, and more of an "as little as we can get away with" rather than "as much as we could" ham-fisted implementation. I think those to whom it remains most appealing would be those for whom the notion of mobile computing remains a bit "star wars". What I find MOST remarkable is that a system with a 4GB maximum capacity that requires an SD card to be inserted for the navigation to be functional doesn't provide a thumb drive or other means of affecting a "blank sheet" re-installation. There's no reason why it couldn't be downloadable. I'm seriously considering a swap out for a stock head unit and just starting that from scratch, letting it be what it is. I'm sure the FWS computer wouldn't last long on eBay or to another forum member whose needs are more consistent with what it delivers. While I have to have my existing TC fixed after the rear-end damage, it would also be an ideal time to have the other "upfits" done, which include creating the "hybrid" cargo-looking wagon by plugging the side windows which is pretty-much a one-way street once the industrial adhesives set, not to mention the Sortimo floor, shelving, and semi-bulkhead, and the rear-view mirror-based backup camera that will be part of the final configuration; but I'm going to hold-off until I'm really sure that this is the (particular) TC I want to keep. For those who may be amused, I'll provide updates as the insurance saga moves along.

Maybe them Turkish final assemblers put magnets in place of the reverse sensors. Who knows? The problem is that most dealers know very little about the TC and Ford hasn't been great about getting ahead of the info curve. Add-in the dealers who see their franchises as localized monopolies that only make vehicles more expensive to buy and less profitable to make, rather than stewards of the relationship and reputation of the manufacturers whose products they sell, and it leaves some very black holes. The TC I wanted was a tough combo to find, a White XLT Wagon WITH FWS Computer. Only about 5 or 6 of those existed; and by the time I added in my other wants, like 255 doors, reverse sensing, and DTRL, and there was literally two units within 1,400 miles. For one located in Flordia, the local dealer was willing to play dealer trade "hide and seek", but they wanted $1,000 more just to consider the deal before adding transit fees (to make-up for the holdback lost because they wouldn't be sending a unit back), but it ultimately couldn't be sold in NJ because it didn't have proper emissions specs. For whatever reason, the unit I found didn't appear in the dealer network inventory database, most probably because it had 500 demo miles on it (as they later revealed). But it also included the factory Remote Start and Splash Guards, items I would have added anyway. Even so, 350 miles is "doable", and since first class airfare was $149, I made the fly-out/drive back decision. Mine had the second-most expensive sticker in the Eastern U.S. (the MOST expensive among XLT Wagons). I probably should have just bought a 510A locally and had the FWS retrofitted, but most dealers know so little about the TC, let alone its computer, that several told me it would be about $3,000 "because we have to order about a dozen individual parts and then install them", a default response I knew to be not true after having contacted both Magneti Marelli and the company that makes and supports ToolLink for Ford and DeWalt. What that really told me was that I didn't want a service department hammering and yanking to put in a system they didn't understand, even though I knew the price would be roughly comparable to the factory option. In retrospect, I'd have not chosen the computer at all. I already have a very capable Samsung Q1 that's an actual "full" PC, but having been spoiled by my Flex and MKS, I liked the idea of an in-dash solution. Unfortunately the FWS Computer is rather inelegant, amateurishly implemented, and stocked with "freeware" versions of word processing and spreadsheet software rather than the McCoy. I'm still reconsidering whether to replace the computer with the stock head unit and Nokia BT system given how unstable my computer has been. Anyone want to work a trade? I'd actually owned and driven a European Transit Connect since 2006, so I new exactly what I was waiting for, and I'm sure I'll be just as satisfied with this one... eventually. Though at the moment, given the combination of factors, once mine's fixed, I'm considering starting over, buying another, and selling-off the first one in January. Given the recovery stimulus tax credit, I'd still probably come out even. The worst part about the dealer experience was that they had tried to pull nonsense like booking the sale 4 days prior to delivery to log the October sale. Had they even hinted at asking if I'd agree to help them, it would have been no issue whatsoever. But when they feigned that their "paperwork" couldn't be "redone" (which I suspect they'd already reported to Ford) in light of other issues that needed to be accounted-for once I saw the vehicle in-person and discovered certain other aspects weren't as they were represented, it was very clear whose interests they were intent upon serving without regard for any others. I'm sure most can and do appreciate the principle of gladly giving a dollar to anyone who asks, but wanting to break the arm of anyone who tries to take a dime. That sums-up my experience with this particular dealer. And I suppose that's what the CSI surveys are for. I'm actually very disappointed, as I quite enjoy giving 5 stars across the board whenever I can. Good dealerships are becoming rare commodities nowadays. I understand times are tough, but the sheer number who seem to continue to believe their only path to viability lay in the wrenching of nickels and dimes, while leaving thousands of dollars in low-hanging fruit to wither on the vine, simply astounds me. Of the thousands of GM and Chrysler dealerships who found their franchise contracts summarily abrogated through bankruptcy, and as unfortunate as some of those individual circumstances indeed may be, the only side of the story that's heard is how many "profitable" dealerships had been usurped. The unspoken truth is that a dealer operating profitably is an entirely different proposition from being an agent who contributes to the profits of the manufacturers whose products they sell, let alone representing them well. While the best of dealers are both, many have very little appreciation for the distinction between the two, and had it not been for 17M vehicles being sold every year in North America to carry them along, many couldn't retail their way out of a paper bag. Now that Ford has gotten the product and perception pieces of the puzzle squared away, I hope they begin to focus as keenly upon improving the quality of their dealership network to the same extent, both for the benefit of customers and the premier dealers like isellford, and as part of preserving the brand they're building which already has enough challenges given the $50B tailwind gifted to its primary competitors and having to concern itself with such trivialities as actual debt repayment. The dealer quality nut is going to be a hard one to crack given the restrictive nature of state franchise laws and the absence of bankruptcy as a vehicle to clear-out the "dead wood" like GM and Chrysler have had. Far too many dealers use these laws as swords rather than shields while running protected, substandard businesses. Perhaps most frustrating of all is the number of dealers who will refuse to allow a willing customer to simply buy a vehicle without subjecting them to the process of "selling" it to them. I could and should have been this dealer's dream customer, someone who contacts them from out-of-market, agrees a price within 5 minutes, offers them the opportunity to up-sell an ESP based upon meeting a fixed-price, willing to leave an immediate deposit, with cash-in-hand, ready to wire and pick-up the vehicle as soon as it can be prepped, yet they still couldn't manage to keep out of their own way. While I'm sure exceptions (like isellford) exist, when it came to the TC, I didn't encounter a single dealership whose staff (all the way from sales associates to the general manager) was either as knowledgeable as I was as a customer, or as I'd insist upon as a manufacturer whose product I'd entrusted to them to represent on my behalf. Sure, this may sound a little Quixotic, but as an owner, shareholder, taxpayer, and American, I have a vested interest in Ford's success; and being in the fortunate position we enjoy, we've delivered upon what we feel is our very real responsibility to actually buy the products of the companies we hope will survive. (How any American can buy a GM or Chrysler and indulge the folly that's stood every established principle of commerce on its ear both goes to show how quickly Americans are willing to squander their future for a momentary "bargain" and is another matter entirely). We made the decision to trade-in two low mileage vehicles (a 2006 and 2007) that certainly didn't need to be replaced any time soon, largely because we wanted to support Ford at a time when it needed (and had earned) our business most; and I added a Transit Connect to the fleet because we found a way to make it feasible to do so. We don't expect or feel we deserve ANYTHING beyond the use and enjoyment of the vehicles we've purchased, but we do become easily frustrated when the crew aboard the boat we're helping to bail can't seem to be bothered enough to step away from the buffet. Getting rear ended has just been the cherry on this particular sundae. :( /end_of_rant Wow! I actually feel a little better after venting a bit!

4 days into my Transit Connect ownership, a vehicle I had been so much looking forward to filling the utilitarian hauling slot alongside my Flex and MKS, it's been one bad experience after another. An arrogant and unscrupulous dealer transformed the buying experience into an exercise in bad faith selling. The FWS Computer goes down more often than... well... nevermind. and today..... I was rear-ended at a traffic rotary, smashing the rear bumper, hosing the reverse sensing system, and resulting in the right-side panel and door alignment now being "off". Combine that with the Transit Connect being so new to North America that no dealer, let alone independent body shop, has any idea what a TC happens to be, let alone how to make it whole again. At least nobody was injured, all are insured, and the other driver was determined to be clearly at fault. What REALLY miffs me is that NONE of these problems are inherent to the model itself; I'm just waiting until I can start enjoying the damn thing. I'm almost at the point of writing-off this particular unit as "jinxed". If it hadn't been the only similarly-configured vehicle within 900 miles, you can bet I'd dash out to buy another to swap-out. I bet they find Greg Brady's Tiki idol shoved inside one of the door panels.

Since taking delivery, I can't keep the FWS Computer from crashing more than 5 minutes, even when it's just booted and performing absolutely nothing but displaying the base menu screen. Had I any sense of how unstable the platform seems to be, I'd have opted for the standard CD head unit with Nokia Bluetooth, something that would have dramatically expanded the number of available suitably-equipped new vehicles to choose from. (Not to mention that I wouldn't have had to accept a "dealer demo" 500-mile pre-driven unit that I needed to pickup all the way near Pittsburgh, but that's another nightmare altogether). I've yet to read the documentation in any sort of detail, hoping instead there's some kind of "clean install" mechanism that would restore the entire unit and its configuration to its original state. I'm not talking about "Settings Reset", I'm talking about a good, ol' fashioned "FDISK" and reload that would give the system the digital colonic it seems to need. Plus, before I've had the chance to customize it in any way, NOW would be the time for me to "punt on first down", as if the only other remedy is delving into the manual, I suspect it's going to become a "project" to resolve. Has anyone either encountered similar constant instability and/or done a complete reinstallation of the entire operating system and software? Finally, does anyone know if there was any sort of free trial period being offered for the Sprint wireless internet connectivity? Thanks in advance.

I've decided that a backup camera is a must have item, and I'm not about to let something as trivial as Ford not offering one on the Transit Connect stand in my way. (Given how beneficial backup cameras happen to be, why Ford would choose to omit it from the TC remains a mystery to me, but that's another matter entirely.) So, I'm wondering if anyone has found any backup camera that happens to integrate particularly well with the Transit Connect. (There are many available, including those that mount to the license plate frame, but its offset location makes those less than ideal.) I'm going to install one of the rear-view mirrors with integrated LCD displays available for vehicles like the Fusion, Mustang, and Milan that support backup cameras without navigation screens. (I'd love to be able to integrate a backup camera to the FWS Computer, but I'd settle for the FWS Computer just running for more than 2 minutes without crashing which is also another matter entirely) :( Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Given that my first hour of ownership meant a 350-mile drive home, I can say that I too enjoy the way it drives (though U have to admit, after having become spoiled by my Flex and MKS, "little things" like having to turn on/off my own headlights and actually fuss with the temperature and fan settings take some shameful "relearning".). I had considerable issues with the in-dash computer, despite trying to reset it to it's factory configuration, continually crashed and performed VERY poorly and unstably, even in basic navigation. It's one of several issues the dealer sandbagged me with that must be resolved before I can tell if it's a problem with the feature or my particular vehicle. I love the TC, and had been exposed to it for several years in Europe, but the S.O.B. dealer has really made it less-than-enjoyable thus far.