$%&&*^%!! Computer controls!!

[Rick Ohnsman]

I had my -03 ST in the shop the other day for an oil change. Coincidentially (??) the next day I walked back to the vehicle after attending a ballgame (Go BSU Broncos!) and the truck cranked, but would not start. Finally after repeated tries it started and all seemed well until later when it died in traffic - not good. Again, I got it started and it was fine the rest of the day. The next day it again died in traffic. Getting it started again, I drove directly to the dealer.



The diagnosis was a faulty "inertia cutoff switch," a device apprently designed to cut off the fuel supply in the event of a crash. Maybe a good idea, but I had not had a crash or anything remotely close to one. Having the computer make bad decisions about when to do this kind of thing is BAD NEWS! What if I'd been driving on the freeway or had been miles from any help when the computer decided to do this?



These damned computer-controlled vehicles are a real pain! I'd never consider owning something like this if I did a lot of backcountry drving and could run the risk of being stranded, unable to even run the heater to stay warm!



Then there was the extended warranty. Yeah, it did save me about $600 off what would have been an $800+ repair, but I still have to pay the deductible and one little part (about $37.00) was "not covered." How is it when you have these warranties that it's always the part you have go bad that somewhere in the fine print is "not covered." ARGGHHH!!! :angry:

 

[Todd Z]

Well the inertia switch is a mechanical device on the ST it is not computer controlled....



Unfortunately they seem to fail quite often...



Todd Z

 

[Dreman]

$800 for a 15 minute repair? I could change that switch out in less than 20 minutes with the pliers in my pocketknife if I had to!



The switch is located in an easy to get to location under the dash behind the rubber floor mat on the passenger side. Pull the kick panel out, pull back the rubber floor mat, and there it is! Two screws and an electrical connector.

 

[Kevin Palmer]

Dreman,

you are correct in that replacing the inertia switch is not a big deal.



However, FINDING the issue was, is, or can be...



Especially when the item is intermittent, that creates a HUGE burden.



Easy to find when it fails, not so easy when it runs...



Now, is 800 dollars expensive and probably too much? I would say yes, that said, there is a fair value for diagnostic work and even some room for guess work. The questions is how much time do you charge for an unknown vs how much time do you simply eat from the perspective of the repair facility.

 

[Dreman]

Ok, true. I'll get off my soap box!

 

[Todd Z]

:lol::lol:

 

[Art G]

The engineers at Ford has this already figured out which parts will go first and last or which ones covers the first 12000 and 36000 miles.