windguy

thanks Mustang. I tried prying that a little but it didn't budge and I didn't want to mess it up so figured it was better to ask first. is it better to use a screwdriver on both sides rather than just one? I was hoping this inner part was just a cap and there was a screw behind it but that was wishful thinking on my part. Modern cars are all about using fast to assemble plastic fasteners now.

I'm looking to fix up the original door panels (see pic below) I remember forum poster Johnyguy mentioning in a post a few months back that he varnished or top coated the board with urethane to protect them. This masonite type material isn't very water resistant and if the door is open when it's raining you can see water streak marks on it later. Not a very good solution in my opinion. Looks very unfinished as well. I'd like to perhaps carpet the panels and add a storage pocket on the rear door panels if possible. Anyone know how to remove the black fasteners that hold these panels on (see pic below)? Thanks

funny. any idea why this area gets hot? there must be some type of heat exchanger in this area cause the temp is way beyond what comes out of the vents. hope some others can chime in on this

@Mustang - thanks for the feedback on that. So the good news for me is that it's not just my van. The bad news for me and 2014/2015 or all Gen 2 TC's is that they may all have that issue. Do you think it's a concern that should be checked out by Ford? Something that hot in the cabin area seems like a significant issue to me. thanks

I've used the heater a few times on my 2015 TC and noticed that the console below the gear shift got extremely hot. I couldn't even keep my hand on it so I'm guessing it must be well over 120 deg. This is the plastic console material close to the floor area. both sides and the front area that's in front of the center drink holder console. I have no idea why this area is getting hot to the touch. I had the heater temp on the max hot setting and the fan speed on 2 and the vent direction for floor and middle vents. The heater is kickass and warms things up nicely but I'm concerned about how hot this area is getting. Doesn't seem right. Any one else have this issue or if you haven't noticed, please run your heater then check it out and let me know. thanks.

sorry to hear that. which door do you have in the back - barn doors or liftgate? maybe you can leave the back door(s) open, have a wood floor that slides out, maybe with some fold-out legs if needed and add some type of canopy or tent covering over the door to give you a little extra legroom and space. not as stealthy or secure but it could be an option to consider.

I assume you have the XL package with the standard vinyl seats. Cloth seats are a $100 upgrade if ordering but I think it's still a 4-way seat. Before ordering, I tried the vinyl 4-way seats in the XL and the 6-way cloth seat in the XLT and I much preferred the cloth seats in the XLT. My wife thought they were both okay but she's a lot smaller and less picky than me. So far I'm pretty happy with the cloth seats. They are slightly molded in the seat and back like a sport seat but has a bench seat feel in that you're sitting pretty upright compared to most sedans. Something to consider if changing seats is that there is an air bag in the side of the seat back and the passenger seat has a sensor that disables the airbags when no one is sitting there. Good luck!

I just measured mine an hour ago and it's 2". wait, did I just say that right? good to know it's a Class II and had no idea about the sway control. will take another look at that. do you have factory hitch and have your shins bonked into it yet?

yeah, that light feature annoyed me at first but I've gotten semi used to it by now, It seems the cargo light is the only one that stays on for a long time when doors are left open. I also got the LED cargo light option and that thing is super bright compared to a regular dome light. For my uses, I'd like to have a switch for that light so that I can turn it on when needed, so the switch would be OFF/ON/DOOR, like most normal lights in a car. I may add another light or tap into that one and add the switch at some point. might also move it more towards the rear/center rather than off to the side. I have a rack that hangs from the ceiling and it partially blocks the light now.

I sit on the back "tailgate" to change into my wetsuit and that hitch is in the way. hard to totally avoid and not to bang your shins into that chunk of metal. I'd like to hear from someone that has removed the hitch to see how easy it is to that. With the spare tire right behind it there isn't much room to have the hitch in this area.

pretty sure the TC has a Class I hitch - rated for 2,000 pounds. I think you're right on the 1.25" size but I can confirm. Other forum posters have mentioned they got an aftermarket hitch from Curt. See the link below. http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2014_Ford_Transit+Connect.htm

If you want to stick with Conti's I'm sure a decent tire place (or Ford dealer) can get you a proration on those tires since the wear is well below the rated mileage. Worth checking into to see how much credit you can get. Below is a link to Ford's Tire Warranty Guide. Good luck! http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/Catalog/owner_information/2015-Tire-Warranty-Guide-version-4_tirtw_EN-US_02-2014.pdf

I'm ready to get a pair of custom Seat Covers and a Sun Shield. CoverKing's website doesn't show a seat cover or shield option for a Gen 2 TC. I called them and they confirmed they don't have them available and the rep has no idea if they will. Any other suggestions for sourcing these? Generic seat covers is always an option but I prefer to spend a little extra and get something a more tailored fit for the seat. Same for the window shield. thanks

I ordered my 2015 TC with a factory trailer hitch. No immediate need for it but figured it would be good to have for future use. The only problem I have with it so far is that it sticks out beyond the bumper about 1.5", so it's a real shin grabber. Ouch! I've banged into it several times and tonight my wife did the same, so it's not just my boney legs getting kissed by this chunk of metal. Do others with this stock hitch have the same problem? I'm strongly considering removing the hitch until I need it if that can easily be done. I took a look underneath to see how it's mounted, and there are four bolts per side that it's attached to with a nut. The head of the bolt is hidden inside the frame so not sure if those are welded on some how. If I remove the nuts and pull the hitch off, what will happen to the bolts and can I easily reattach it? thanks

I agree that cutting into the roof of a new van is daunting and getting it sealed properly with the roof design would be a challenge. venting the hot air at the roof would be most efficient way to keep the van cool and well vented. I sure wish there was an easy solution to this. might have to pull out the 3-D blackboard to figure out something

adding a vent for the cargo area was discussed in the this thread http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/2769-cargo-area-vent/ In summary, the Gen 1 van is taller and adding a 14"x 14" fantastic fan type vent would be less visible. With the Gen 2 van being 9 or so inches less in height, a vent of this type would be very visible and I'm not sure how good that would look. It would be the best functional optional but I'd be a little worried about its appearance since it's a decent looking van. The smaller Ventline Vanair might be a less obtrusive solution. To me it looks more like some type of satellite antenna. The only down side is that it doesn't move as much air. It would be great if this model had some type of solar option to power it.

that would be interesting, no? http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/10-vehicles-the-usps-should-consider-in-the-search-for-new-mail-trucks/ss-AA9njs1#image=11

welcome to the forum I can only speak for the Gen 2 TC's - 2014-2015. The LWB - Long Wheel Base version has about 7ft + from the rear doors to the back of center console. If the seats are moved all the way forward, you can pick up 6 or so inches of more space. I'm 6-2 as well and plan to do some light camping in my van at some point, so plenty of room for that. Very comfortable driving with lots of headroom, the most I've ever had so that's a nice plus. Stop by a Ford dealer that has the TC's in stock and bring your pillow along. The only issue for camping is lack of ventilation in the cargo area if you get the van model (no rear seats). None of the optional windows open, just the two front ones.