George_97220

> After driving my TC for a week, one thing has been quite annoying Oh, man, that's one thing that just bugs the hell out of me, too. What the hell were they thinking?? Look at the door and the window? There's no reason for it! I'd just as soon do without the rear window defroster, which I have never used, than tolerate this crap. I don't know how many times I've had some asshole change lanes rapidly behind me and all of the sudden show up on my left, and I didn't see any of it. Unless I check the other two mirrors in rapid succession. Damn inconvenient and an outright safety hazard as well. I was seriously thinking about running a switched 12 volt lead to the rear camera, with a diode between this lead and the existing camera lead, so that the existing power from the backup lights will turn on the camera, too. It'll be a distorted view, but better than doing nothing.

There's a lot of that stuff out there. I can't vouch for its quality, or how it will look after six months. Even Walmart used to carry that roll chrome striping. I remember seeing those chrome door handles for the TC someplace, but can't remember where. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00APRSE1K/ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XKDJGS/ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006XKE2VY/

> Mine will be going in for the first time tomorrow to replace the fan speeds switch. So what was the story on that? I know that the function switch for the heater/defrost has a "rubbery" feel to it. There doesn't seem to be definite position detents. But they are evidently all that way. What happened with yours? > A little romantic endeavors will be audio towards the heart. Think about to be Huh?

I'll tell you what I'd like to find: A REAR wind deflector, like the ones you used to see on station wagons ("estate cars," for Terry3234). Even the lightest amount of moisture on the road seems to wind up on the back of my TC! Am I the only one who has that problem?? I've already removed the high-center brake light (long story), so that's not an issue. I don't want a fancy "spoiler" or anything, esp. if it does nothing but cut my gas (petrol) mileage! Anyone seen anything like that?

I bought this one: http://www.amazon.com/TORQUE-SOLUTION-BILLET-SHORTY-ANTENNA/dp/B0087BAG4Y/ for $12.99, including shipping. (I hope they have it for a while, and this doesn't turn into another dead link.) Any "stubby" antenna will work. Just use that word in your search. The one I bought has the same flare to it as the original, to keep the water out (in theory). A dab of grease on the threads and I was in business. I, too, had terrific reception with NO antenna. FM stations up to 40 miles, even AM stations (50kW ones) around the entire metropolitan area. But the little stubby antenna made a world of difference. Now I can get all of those lower-power, spanish-speaking stations! And it fits in my garage, which was important.

Me, either. Somebody's got to be coming out with one, though. If there's a demand. A couple of thoughts: Ford sells a fold-down passenger seat in other countries. http://www.ford.de/N...ct/ImUeberblick (Scroll down and click on "Beifahrer-Space-Sitz") Or: http://www.ford.de/c...7150&blobkey=id http://www.ford.co.u...5806&blobkey=id Screw the safety cage. However, the pics don't show the passenger seat clearly. The manual describes it. Unfortunately, you can't just take a fold-down rear US seat and use it. In the European design, the seat cushion folds to the dash, the headrest folds forward (it doesn't remove like the US version), then the seatback folds down. So if it wasn't for that darned console, you could just turn and step over it, without scraping your shins too badly. I wonder why there are so many differences in the interiors of the "foreign" models. The armrest. The seat adjustments. The headrests on the rear seats. Wierd.

> There would be ZERO locksmiths that would do what you want Hmm. Why?? This is a gas cap door. Not the keys to a bank building! > The fuel door lock cylinder is part number 2S6Z5828624A, $53.58 if you wanted to have one to experiment with. Good one! It looks like it pops out of the door easy enough. > Perhaps you could go with a 'dumb' key and give that to the attendant I think that's going to have to be the way to go. Thanks, guys.

It worked for me. It's almost the same procedure as my old Escort ZX2. Can't imagine what could go wrong. Did you tilt your head to the left as you did it? You should always lean to the right!

Me, too! I posted this elsewhere, so I hope cross-posting is ok. We don't have self-service in Oregon and I don't like leaving my keychain on the door. And if I lock it and remove it, the attendant will sometimes try to slam the stupid thing shut! I park inside so have NO use for an idiot-proof gascap lock. If you remove the circlip holding the latch, I think the door spring is too weak to hold the door shut tight. And I have NO idea whether a locksmith can do anything with the cylinder to modify the mechanism that holds the key in place when turned. Any ideas/suggestions?

There sure are a lot of stories floating around about that! Every salesguy at my dealer had a different story to tell! Go to the foreign Ford websites. (www.ford.co.uk, www.ford.de, www.ford.fr, etc.). You may not be able to speak the language, but you can surf the pages for pictures. I was told it was the back-up camera, too. I'm guessing the side-view-mirrors-only won't cut it in some countries if you have the solid rear doors. But pictures on the UK site (I think it was) clearly show a light there! So......... ? If it was a camera, I would love to have one, with a clear, elevated, undistorted view to the rear (unlike the US back-up camera). I can't be the only one having difficulty using the rear view mirror with the ridiculously wide center post in the TC with rear windows. (My old Chevy van is only about 4" wide!) It's a real hazard.

I suspected the same thing! But I was at my friendly neighborhood Ford dealer last week and tried my key in a couple of TC gascap doors. (All they had on the lot!) Plus one hood. It did not open them. My guess is that the number of key combinations is nowhere near the federal requirement for ignition locks since - who cares? But with 6 "cuts" it should be enough. MY PROBLEM is with the gas cap door key. You can't remove the key with the door open! (Idiot-proofing.) Oregon is one of two states without self-service gas, and I don't want to leave my key ring hanging on the door. My only choice is to open it, lock the lock and take the key. This leaves the attendent trying to slam it shut to latch it when he's done! And you can't take off the little circlip and remove the catch permanently (I park inside), because the hinge has no spring to it to hold the door shut. And how many locksmiths would be familiar with this type of lock to modify it to allow removal when turned, if it is possible at all. Any ideas? Anyone? Tnx.