Double Nickels

Every day in America, I see trucks with all sorts lights on bumpers, grilles, A-pillars, on the roof, on the roll bars........ I believe the spirit of the law, and usually the letter of the law, applies to how you use them. If you're just driving down a public street or highway, and you have them on, then there may be cause for a traffic stop and conversation. Every state has different regulations in regards to how you mount them, aim them, and when you can use them. In some states, if the lights are not higher than the headlights,, and the beam is aimed so that the useable portion of the light beam is on the road surface, the lights could be driving lights or fog lights. Driving and fog lights are always aimed on the ground, so that you can see the road. The problem usually is with high powered lights pointing straight, or slightly upward, directly into the eyes of oncoming traffic. Any light mounted above the headlight level is definitely an offroad use light. You don't aim these on the road. You aim these into the horizon, so that you can see above the road level - trees, animals, people on the street, down a dark alley, etc. Common sense tells you not to use it on a public road. If you really want the police to leave you alone, don't turn the lights on, or cover them. Different types of covers are produced for light bars. You may even have seen police cars with the rooflights covered. Or you can make your own. Some fabric and velcro. Or a t-shirt with zip ties. Or you have a tailor make a professional looking cover with straps and snaps.

Back in high school, a lot of the kids tried to do their own tint. Seemed easy. Wash the glass with soapy water. Cut the tint film to the correct shape. Soapy water in a spray bottle and a squeegee. Work out all the bubbles. You're done. Most people could wash the window and get it pretty clean. Only problems were cutting the film with precision, and getting all the bubbles out. And everyone's home tint turned out bad. Not 1 kid I knew, got it done right. I wouldn't even know where to start. Soapy water was where it started and ended for me. What kind of soap? Dish soap, hand soap, laundry soap, Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo, or rose water body wash that your girlfriend paid $50 a bottle?

Mine was shattered. A piece of gravel or rock chip of some sort. I'm lucky that I had tint film holding it all together. The whole piece of glass is "spiderwebbed". Safelite's online quote was $100 - $200 higher than every local shop. And my deductible is so high, that I will have to pay for this myself.

Which model year? Which model? When there's a leak, you have fluids where it's not supposed to be wet. All sorts of electrical problems can result. Corrosion. A short. Not just a belt squealing. Remove the tire. Remove the brakes. Remove the wheel well lining. Get some photos. Let's see what it looks like.

I always keep 1 eye open for good prices on oil. This is the most outrageous advertising claim I have ever seen. Who is will to try using this 500,000 miles, or 15 years? How? How can that possibly work? What kind of miracle snake oil is in that bottle?

It's a part of the algorithm of the intelligent oil life monitor. Even if you barely drive it, the car's computer wants you to change the oil after a year. Maybe the oil isn't really burnt or contaminated. The additive package has not been depleted. You still have condensation. A little water sludge, which probably would have burnt off if you were driving the car more. I just ordered some oil on Amazon. A 6 gallon box. Only $60. What did it cost them to ship a 6 gallon box of oil, and the customer gets free shipping?

Imagine all of the spare parts you could get from that place.

You will rarely be on a perfectly level surface. But the grade on your driveway will not give you a good dipstick reading. The dipstick allows for a wide margin. On a lot of cars. 1 quart. Don't worry too much. As long as you are not consistently below the low range. On some cars, like Mercedes, Subaru, Hyundai, and 1970's era Fords, burning oil was a real problem. On some modern Fords, burning oil is still a real problem. I haven't heard about it with the 2.5 liter engine. Oil leaking is not a known issue either. Unless a lube shop did something wrong. Yes. Do check your oil. Do it as much as you need to, to feel comfortable. A dipstick is not a precision measuring device. It's still good enough for you to see how dirty the oil looks. Not that the naked eye is really able to see how contaminated the oil is. You can always hold it to your nose to check if the oil smells bad or burnt. Just don't taste test it.

I thought that something like that, in a modern car, could be turned on or off via the body control module. It can be done with a SPST relay. Tap a "key on" circuit for the coil to trigger the relay. Cut the 12v power line. Use the fuse end for common. Use the power port end for normally open. When the ignition is turned, the relay will send power to the power port.

Assuming that someone does not have symptoms at the moment, it does not mean that you won't have problems later. If defective sealant was used, the odds are, that sooner or later you will have a problem with it. I'm not an expert. But I would think that the sealant used to fix the vans, is not defective. At least not from the same batch that they used in Spain where the vans were assembled. To be on the safe side, I brought my van in. The dealership used a glass contractor. It wasn't half a day. Just like when a glass shop replaces a broken windshield, it does not take that long. The actual job of removing the windshield, and remounting it, was less than an hour. The dealership wanted the van to sit there overnight, so that the seal could cure. The next day, they sprayed it with a hose to test it. Two of the lowest paid "technicians" got that job. I stood there with the service adviser, and we watched. One guy got into the van and sat there. The other guy sprayed it for about 10 minutes. No leaks. So far, so good. I expect that to be the end of it. If done correctly, that sealant should be good for at least the next 10 years. By which time, I may no longer even own the van. If you have a recall notice, get it fixed. It's free. You don't want to have a leak 4 or 9 years from now, and go searching around the whole house looking for that letter.

I may have to buy a Ford Maverick.

It was just about time. The OEM tires were worn. My van only drives on city streets, paved roads, and highways. No off road, dirt trail, or sand, mud, snow, etc. No high speed cornering, or sudden stopping. No heavy loads. My driving does not require a performance tire. I just needed an inexpensive set of tires to drive around town and circle the mall parking lot. I tried to balance pricing, with availability. I am not driving an hour to save $10. The tires were in stock - as opposed to some competitors who advertised tires that were not in stock. Nationwide chain, so if I am farther from home, I can still get a flat repaired under warranty. I know. A lot of you guys prefer "better" tires. I get that. For me, and the way I drive, I don't need anything that good. As long as the tread holds up for the remainder of the warranty, I am okay. My local retail outlet of America's Tire / Discount Tire / Tire Rack had Sentury. For my use, it works fine. I can't tell the difference when I'm out running errands.

This is a rare recall. Different Ford cars and trucks have had leaks for years. And they never offered a fix. People complain about water pooling on the floor or even dripping on their head. I had a Ford that when it rained, the headliner was wet. Rain or water from a car wash. Eventually, the moisture in the headliner began rusting the car from under the roof. I had another Ford that the auto glass was always wet on the inside of the car.

Here in The US, we can't get the 3 seat configuration. Or at least it's not in my area. I have never seen it. If the parts were available, I would install it.

Maybe the cylinder head temperature sensor. But the sensor is working if you are able to read it.

Owners manual does not specify. Fill, siphon water back out, and measure.

Take pics of all the steps, and how much stuff you have to remove to get the battery out.

Very sad events

I hope that she is safe

The spare tire does not have a TPMS sensor.

Do French cars still have yellow headlights?

Not all catalytic converter are the same. Some have more platinum, rhodium, and palladium. Thieves know this. That's why only certain cars targeted.

I don't recommend it, but you could start with the plugs. At least change them.

That won't work. Thieves will still cut it off. CHP needs to track the thieves to the buyer. Then watch the buyer to see who he buys from. Then you bust the whole lot of them. Thieves go after certain cars. Not any car at random. Commercial trucks are usually targeted for contents. Tools. Copper pipe. Copper wire. Ladders. They usually look for a tradesman, with a service vehicle, loaded down with goodies. Transit Connects are usually targeted like commercial pickup trucks. Not for the cats. Nobody breaks into a car for the baby seats. Unfortunately, most public places are not safe. Don't leave anything in plain view. Don't leave valuables. In big cities, thieves are known to break autoglass as they go down a row of parked cars. It's a team sport. One guy goes down a row of cars, breaking every window. Then his friends follow, grabbing whatever they find. Open the glove box, look under the seats, take the change. Some cars have nothing taken, but the window still got broken.

https://owner.ford.com/support/how-tos/exterior/lights/how-to-turn-on-off-daytime-running-lights.html# https://owner.ford.com/support/how-tos/exterior/lights/how-to-turn-on-off-daytime-running-lights.html#