windguy

Bummer. Easy pickings on a pickup. Good luck with that. Interesting article linked below regarding cat thefts. https://thehustle.co/why-thieves-love-to-steal-catalytic-converters/

I think it has to do with the fact that your cargo model is imported to Canada vs the US. Someone else from CAN reported this same issue many years ago. Perhaps they are still on the forum and can offer some suggestions. The origin of the design difference has to do with the Chicken Tax imposed on US imports of certain vehicles. The cargo model, at some point and may still be going on, not sure, is built as a cargo but modified to appear as a wagon model for import purposes only. Added 2nd row seats and seatbelts. The footwell for the 2nd row seats was required and therefore the deck supports are bolted in rather than welded, which was done after the vehicle cleared customs inspection. Seats stripped, belts removed, deck support and flooring installed, cargo mat installed. Now you have a cargo model again. Crazy but saved Ford something like a 25% import duty tax. You can search for more info on this if interested. Good luck!

@gibstim - Yes, with my 2015 LWB XLT, I can leave the key fob inside the van and lock/unlock the van with the keypad. The keypad acts just like another fob. To unlock, you enter a five digit code, of your choosing, then the 3/4 key to unlock all the doors or the 5/6 key to unlock the back door only. There's a bit of a learning curve in terms of the cadence of hitting the keys and sometimes the backdoor doesn't unlock but the side doors will, but for the most part it works normally. I've never had it not unlock. To lock, you push the two far right keys at the same time, very easy. The beauty of it is that I can keep my board tucked under my arm and unlock the door with one hand, then open the door not having to set my wet board on the dirt or pavement, keeping it clean. I too used to use a key box with my previous car but not sure how safe those really are. Unfortunately, the TC key fob will not fit in the key box I was using. Getting just the key part only of the fob is a costly challenge I tried and gave up on soon after getting the van. Once you get your van you'll figure out how best to stash your board. You might be able to suspend it down the middle and have the nose project into the cab area. Like I said, you'll need to get creative and prototype whatever you come up with before building it in. I did that with my hanging rack for gear. The XLT and XL are the two available trim levels for the cargo van. For wagon version, there is a Titanium level. Not sure if those trim levels are still the current names. For a cargo van, I would recommend the XLT trim level as it bundles some standard options I couldn't live without, like cruise control. You can figure this all out on the Ford website and build a configuration and see available options. I special ordered my van and it took something like 6-7 months to get. I'm sure the wait for delivery is still many months long since it's imported. Used to be from Valencia, Spain. For parallel parking on the side of a road you'll want the backup camera and front/rear parking sensors. I think the cam is a required thing now. Also having side and rear glass makes it really easy to park and see things. Get the glass tinted from the factory if you're ordering. Keep asking questions as you go through the process of figuring this out. All on this forum are very helpful in supporting other TC owners and owners to be with questions and problems. Good luck!

@gibstim - Another reason the TC is a cool surf mobile is because of the optional entrance keypad. You can stick a keypad on the van door or body, mine is on the right rear barn door, and not have to hassle with stashing a key and worrying if a dirt bag is scoping out your hiding spot. It happens. It's very slick and I believe an exclusive feature only available on Fords.

I agree with Don. Won't work. I'd recommend getting a LWB and you will still need to get creative if you plan to have a passenger. Pic below shows a 7-10 funboard diagonal behind the seats, and that just about fits. The roof liner in the cab area restricts the opening between the cab and cargo area so it's a narrow opening overhead. For solo trips no problem as the passenger seat easily flips forward. If traveling with a passenger I'd consider a roof rack for that long board. For solo trips I usually take the passenger headrest out so I have the option to push the surfboard forward when I get to the beach and then suspend it to get it out of the way if I'm not using it. The TC is a great surf mobile. Go for it, you won't regret it.

Sorry to hear that. Two posts regarding wrecks in one week on this forum. Glad you're okay. Good luck sorting that out.

Sorry to hear that. Sounds scary. Hope you're okay. Glad to hear you're staying in the TC family. Good luck sourcing a new van.

And yet with all that damage, the headlights are still on, even when dangling from the harness on the passenger side. Send those pics to Ford and thank them for saving your life. Good testimony for their engineers. You can also ask Ford if this is covered under their bumper-to-bumper warranty since the van is only two years old. Good luck!

@stageo - Holy Crap Batman! WTF! Thanks for sharing. Glad to hear you and your wife are okay. Man, that was a close one. I guess fortunate that you had that extra inside head clearance with the TC's tall roof. TC seems like it has a decent roll cage designed in. Wow! You're definitely going to need new wipers blades. Hope you stay with the TC and can find yourself a suitable replacement. Please keep us posted. Stay well!

@arengant - If you're asking about how to program the keypad accessory, check out the thread link below for tips. Hope that helps.

Sad update today on finding her remains. RIP Gabby.

If you've been watching the news lately, you might have caught this horrific story about a fellow TC owner, Gabby Petito. Based out of Florida, she converted a white GEN 1 TC into a camper and was touring the west with her finance when something went sideways. You can read the details online. Gabby is part of our TC family and I pray she is safe, but my gut tells me otherwise, as I'm sure most others do as well. What a sad story for a young woman and how some people in society resolve their differences with violence when they can simply walk away without harming other human beings. I'll never get it.

That's a really good idea Don. See link below for a source to contact. Another option might be a salvage yard, like LKQ. https://ursaminorvehicles.com/

I tried to load images using the regular attachment option but it keeps timing out. Low res pics too. Not sure why? Instead, I loaded them to my Gallery. Use link below to view or they should be visible on the Forum's main page under IMAGES. The carrot for me making this mod was getting a larger digital speedo, which is well worth it. Many thanks to pioneer Don R.

Thanks GBL - that's exactly what I needed to know from a mechanic guru. Now I'll have to find something else to obsess about! ?

Not sure if this topic has already been discussed but it seems timely. Theft of cat converters is turning into a sport here in Southern CA. Local police blotter in the newspaper and Nextdoor app has a constant stream of reported thefts, mostly from Prius (has two cats) and late model Honda's along with higher profile vehicles like pick-ups with easy access. Local police just busted a group that had a floor jack, battery powered sawzalls, and a bunch of stolen cats. Rat bastards need to rot in hell as far as I'm concerned. When these cats were first stolen ten or more years ago, I was told they use tools to unbolt and remove. Theft prevention was to weld the bolts shut. Now the perps use battery sawzalls and just hack it out in a few minutes or less using a floor jack to prop up the car. It's a quick and damaging process. Local police offer a free engraving program to mark up the cat, which is supposed to be a deterrent, but I'm not convinced it is and enough of a measure. Seems too passive to work. According to the link below, the replacement cost is estimated to be between $2,387 and $2,421. Not sure if this is a realistic ballpark figure. Your out of pocket is your insurance deductible and you hope the parts are available. Maybe it's better to take some pro-active measures to prevent it from happening and avoid the hassle. Not sure? https://repairpal.com/estimator/ford/transit-connect/catalytic-converter-replacement-cost Questions: - Has anyone have their cat stolen from their TC or know of other TC owners it's happened to? - Is this a problem in your area? - Should that be a concern to us TC owners, meaning is it easy to steal on this vehicle? Perhaps the mechanics on the forum can weigh in on that. - Has anyone taken any security measures or considered them? My TC sits in the garage most of the time so it's safe at the house but leaving it parked at the beach for a few hours or the Home Depot parking lot may be a vulnerability. Wondering what others are thinking. Thanks! 5 Ways to Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/auto-loans/5-ways-to-foil-catalytic-converter-thieves

@High Mileage Jim - Thanks for posting about the recall. Glad Ford finally stepped up to address the known problem. Interesting that the recall covers even recent 2021 built vehicles, yet this problem has been around for a while. Perhaps Ford didn't have enough of the replacement parts to cover new builds and recalled vehicles. You have to wonder. Link below for the recall if interested. https://ford.oemdtc.com/7236/safety-recall-21s24-shifter-cable-bushing-replacement-and-protective-cap-2013-2021-ford-transit-connect

Thanks guys. Glad it's not just me. Logging in is an easy workaround. Safe travels!