AudenHoggart
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We'll be away for 4 weeks in August. Should I disconnect the battery? (presumably by just disconnecting the negative lead.) In case it's relevant, this is a 2013 C-Max SE with only 65K miles on it. It's kept in a carport in Portland Maine. Thanks!
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Check Inverter Controller Fluid
AudenHoggart replied to ptjones's topic in Maintenance, TSB's & Recalls
Does the inverter controller fluid cap just pop off (unlike the regular coolant cap that screws off?) I'm approaching the 6 year 60K mark on my 2013 C Max and I see in the maintenance instructions that both regular coolant and the inverter coolant should be changed at six years or 100K miles. I've got another year and a quarter to go on my extended warranty so I don't want to void it. I checked the regular coolant and it's at minus 45 degrees, good enough even for Portland, Maine, where I now live. Any advice on whether I should have these coolants flushed and replaced? Thanks! -
I don't drive my 2013 C Max a lot (about 10K a year) and I'm approaching the point for my 10K oil change and whatever other service is needed at 60K miles. Car runs fine. The Ford website brings up a long laundry list of needed 60K service items, with a total cost of $575, plus additional $99.95 if I got the rack and pinion service. I have an extended warranty for up to 80K miles, if that's relevant. Which of these additional service items do you think I should get? I tried to copy the list but the website wouldn't let me do it. In addition to oil change and the usual inspections it includes replacing air filter, hvac air filter, automatic transmission fluid exchange,cooling system fluid exchange, fuel/air induction service (whatever that is) and, as an option for an additional $99.95, rack and pinion fluid exchange. I've omitted issues for tires, balancing, alignment, since I'll be putting on my winter tires pretty soon and normally have this stuff dealt with by the tire store (which does the changeover "for free" as part of the deal for having bought the winter tires there in the first place.) Although this site shows me living in St. Louis, I now live in Portland, Maine, hence the need for winter tires. I do assume the Ford dealer will check the brakes though. Since I don't want to raise any issues about the validity of the extended warranty (which I've used successfully) I'm continuing to have service done by my Ford dealer as long as the warranty is in effect, which should be for about another year or so. Advice? Thanks!
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Can scanners report the type of information the Vehicle Health Report does?
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Does anyone know a way to get a display in-car (or off of a flash drive, etc.) of things like remaining oil life, fluids, brake status, etc.? I always found this useful in knowing when I actually had to bring the car in for routine service (as opposed to when the dealer thought I should bring it in.)
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I got an email from Ford yesterday that Vehicle Health Reports will be discontinued on August 1st. Anyone know anything further about this? I assume this data must be stored somewhere on the vehicle's on-board computing system. Anyone know how to access it once the Vehicle Health Report feature goes away? Thanks.
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obob reacted to a post in a topic: Ford to end C-max production at Michigan plant
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Ford to end C-max production at Michigan plant
AudenHoggart replied to djc's topic in Articles, News & Reviews
Does anyone have an idea about whether any of the C-Max replacements will be "tall" like the C-Max? The combination of "tallness" and the huge windshield makes my C-Max one of the favorite cars I've ever owned. -
Our dealer is currently replacing the transmission on our 2013 C-Max (with about 45,000 miles.) I hadn't had any driving problems but heard a clicking noise as I slowed to a stop, with the clicking frequency decreasing as I slowed. In any event, the dealer is currently installing a new transmission and I'll get it back later in the week. Next Saturday we're leaving on a long driving trip. Do you think I need to drive any differently in the break_in period of the new transmission? Obviously, there's nothing else on the car that needs a break-in. Thanks!
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Spare Tire Solution for C-Max Hybrid.
AudenHoggart replied to Roger Eastman's topic in Wheels & Tires
Another option I've been considering for a trip to pretty isolated parts of Canada is to just buy a replacement tire - same size as OEM. Maybe even a used one if I can find one. This would, of course, require getting it mounted on the tire that had gone flat but it would be a lot lighter and easier to stash behind the front seat. Anyone have experience with this? Of course it assumes that whatever caused the flat didn't also damage the wheel. As another option, I have a set of winter tires mounted on steel wheels. I'm pretty sure they're not identical to the size of the original tires and wheels, which I swap out at the end of the winter. Any opinions on just taking one of those as an emergency spare? Thanks! -
I've got a 2013, and the door panel says 38 psi for the tires. I had to take it in to have a small leak fixed in one of the tires, and asked them at the dealership to check all the tires and inflate them to the proper pressure. This morning I checked and they were all 42! Either the dealer is following new recommendations that came out since the 2013 models, or they've got bad tire pressure gauges. Anyone have experience with the dealer increasing the tire pressure? They didn't say anything to me about this. I'll try to call them tomorrow. Thanks.
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I've now had my third time with a completely dead battery. Car was left in garage overnight and had been fine the day before. This is a 2013 C Max SE with about 20000 miles on it. The first time, a few months after I got it, the dealer did a software update. The second time, a couple of months ago, they couldn't find any problems. I'll take it back again (and we'll first have to see if it starts tomorrow morning.) But I've read a number of comments on this thread about getting an small and inexpensive battery charger as backup. I do have jumper cables, but having the charger as additional backup does seem like a good idea. Any suggestions about what to get? Thanks!
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Third time I have had a completely dead battery after being parked overnight in our garage. I have a 2013 C Max. The first time the dealer did a software update. Problem did not recur until Feb. 2015. Got it jump started and took it in to dealer. They kept it overnight but could find no problems. I'm getting it jump started again today (Sunday) and we'll see if I can start it tomorrow morning. Either way I'm taking it back to the dealer. I only have a little over 20K miles on it, but I use it pretty much every day. Any suggestions on what I might ask them to do? Thanks.
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C-MaxSea reacted to a post in a topic: Ford identifies error, lowers EPA fuel economy ratings for six vehicles
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Apple Maps Spoken Directions Over Bluetooth
AudenHoggart replied to CDew's topic in Articles, News & Reviews
Not your question, I realize, but I use Google Maps on my Android, so I can get spoken directions over the phone. I've paired my Android with the C Max. So if I want spoken directions through the car speakers (which is much clearer than the phone when there's road traffic), I just use the "bluetooth audio" command on the C-Max and whatever's on the phone comes over the speakers. In this case, it's step by step travel directions. I like this better than in-car GPS since it means I can program the phone with my route before I even go out to the car.