103west43rd

I have just sold my 2010 Transit Connect, it has become surplus to my needs. It has given me over 6 years and 88,000 miles of very trouble free ownership. Wiper linkage was the only item that went bad. Average 25-26 MPG in the city, and 27-28 on the highway with a high of 30mpg. I am leaving this forum, without ownership of a Transit Connect I no longer have any "skin in the game", time for someone else to take over as moderator. Funny and pleasant thing is, the forum is meant to be self policing, and there have been very few instances I have needed to be involved. Forum member robertlane is the remaining moderator, try him if needed. I hope some of my postings have been helpful over the past years. I have enjoyed my time on the forum. Good-by and Good Luck.

Hello dbv. There are a few Hams that are forum members, including myself but all seem to be first generation owners. First, as Don has replied, he has documented the place to draw you voltage. I used a Icom hand held in my Transit Connect standing in the cup holder between the seats with a external speaker in front of the shifter, although the overhead shelf was a perfect place for a larger rig. Look at my gallery on how I mounted my antenna. It will not work for you since the second generation Transit Connect has a totally US designed third brake light position, but it might give you some ideas. Also, many years ago, around 2011, a ham used a NMO mount on a bracket mounted on the drivers mirror to avoid drilling a hole in the van.

Don, Terrific posting!

Mar 29, 2017 | DEARBORN, Mich. Ford Issues Three Safety Recalls and One Safety Compliance Recall in North America DEARBORN, Mich., March 29, 2017 – Ford Motor Company is issuing three safety recalls and one safety compliance recall in North America. Details are as follows: Ford issues safety recall for certain 2013-15 Ford Escape, Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Fusion and Ford Transit Connect 1.6-liter GTDI vehicles for under-hood fire risk Ford is issuing a safety recall in North America for approximately 230,000 2014 Ford Escape, 2014-15 Ford Fiesta ST, 2013-14 Ford Fusion and 2013-15 Ford Transit Connect vehicles equipped with 1.6-liter GTDI engines. Ford’s investigation of these vehicles has identified a risk of under-hood fires. In the affected vehicles, a lack of coolant circulation could cause an engine to overheat, resulting in a crack in the cylinder head. A cracked cylinder head can result in a pressurized oil leak. Oil that comes into contact with a hot engine surface increases the risk of a fire in the engine compartment. Ford is aware of 29 reports of fire associated with this issue in the United States and Canada. No injuries have been reported. Affected vehicles equipped with 1.6-liter GTDI engines include: 2014 Escape – Louisville Assembly Plant, Feb. 12, 2013 to Sept. 2, 2014 2014-15 Fiesta ST – Cuautitlan Assembly Plant, Jan. 22, 2013 to May 27, 2014 2013-14 Fusion – Hermosillo Assembly Plant, Feb. 15, 2012 to June 6, 2014 2013-15 Transit Connect – Valencia Assembly Plant, June 13, 2013 to Dec. 14, 2014 There are approximately 230,756 vehicles equipped with 1.6-liter GTDI engines located in North America, including 208,584 in the United States and federalized territories, 21,854 in Canada and 318 in Mexico. The Ford reference number for this recall is 17S09. Ford will mail customers instructions from the owner’s manual on how to check and refill coolant. Customers can continue to drive their vehicles, but should see their dealer if their vehicle exhibits a coolant leak, overheating or frequently needs coolant added. When service kits are available, dealers will install a coolant level sensor with supporting hardware and software at no charge to the customer.

Nice work and a nice recap. Now when someone is searching for a solution to their stuck hood, they will find yours !! How does it feel to be the only one on the World Wide Web with a solution?

Doc, the price, back in 2011 was $154.38 for the lock and a half hour labor time to replace it. Of course, that is with a hood that opens. Drilling out the lock is an option as long as you do not ruin the hood latch it fits into or the back support for the entire assembly. Out on the internet, there are suggestions to get under the van with a long screw driver and reach up and pop open the latch from the striker. It seems like a lot of work if you van is under any used car warranty. Is it?

danman, the Ford parts number for the arm rest is 9T1Z 58644A23 A (number might be updated since 2011). Cost is $224.58 and the parts catalogue only shows it as a total replacement. no individual parts.

Don, thanks for the technical addition to the forum. I am sure other forum members will be using your tutorial.

Doc, you have done all you can. Yes, the locking hood is necessary in some parts of the world. I remember stories about the old Soviet Union. When you parked your car, if you were lucky enough to have one, you needed to remove the windshield wiper blades to prevent them from being stolen!

I looked at the Ford repair manual and to remove the hood latch requires, of course, the hood to be open. When you turn the key, do you have any resistance? If not, the tumblers in the lock are stuck.The key needs to turn first left, then right to open the hood. When you tried lubrication, did you spray inside the lock by pushing past the inside cover over the key hole? When you bought the Transit Connect I am sure the hood was opened to show you the engine so the lock had to be working. keep us updated, as mrtn wrote, we have not seen this issue. Good Luck.

Hello Doc Hoy. The reset procedure is the first thing you should do. The procedure in the owners manual works fine. I have used it a few times myself. it should take you, at most, 10 minutes. You will need access to a air supply since the procedure requires you to let air out of your tires and, of course, to refill them. Good luck and tell us how it works out.

Hello Bigfoot. there are multiple forum entries on cargo mats, start with this one http://fordtransitconnectforum.com/topic/3154-cargo-mat-for-van-models/#comment-9363 There are others that can be found using the search feature. Good luck on your camper conversion (many entries also on camper conversions).

Just to add one more piece of information to G B L's reply, are you using the headphone output from your XM radio? The Aux input will not work with a line output.

AS PER AUTOLINE DAILY 12/6/16 SMALL VANS FALL FLAT Sales of passenger cars aren’t the only ones that are falling. So are sales of small vans. Get this, sales of these small vans in the American market are down nearly 38% over the last three months. That’s a bloodbath! The Ford Transit Connect is down 45%, the Nissan NV 200 is off 3%, the Ram Pro Master City is off 20% and the Chevrolet City Express, which is a rebadged version of the NV 200, has all but evaporated, down 74%. Here’s the weird thing. Sales for those vans were running pretty good all year long, but three months ago it’s like someone threw a switch. Sales have been falling ever since. U.S. Small Van Sales Sep-Nov, 2016 Ford Transit Connect 13,966 -44.9% Nissan NV200 4,002 -2.8% Ram ProMaster City 3,566 -20.6% Chevrolet City Express 731 -74.0% TOTAL 24,349 -37.7%

Hello chong. Fantastic build. Keep it coming!