JayCo59

Is it me or does anyone else hate the Key\FOB combination you get with the SE model. I've always preferred a seperate (small) key and FOB or have a key that will fold into the FOB. Does anyone know if there are other key styles available that can be used for a CMAX car? I'm starting to regret not getting the SEL with the proximity key. Thx, Jay

I used the stock tape and the unit is held in well, it's not going anywhere. The plastic piece is quite rigid and once it's down and rolled it not coming up! I wouldn't bother with any extra tape.

Well the Clock was wrong again this morning. I changed it to be set by the GPS, hopefully that will fix this issue.

Ambient lighting...Don't get me started! I guess you just did! :runaway: Everything is lite up except the most needed spot....the Ignition Key hole. I guesss i should have sprung for the SEL with the bluetooth key. Oh well hopefuly I'll get better at finding the key hole in the dark.

Maybe in Southern California that's an option but in Ct. (especially this time of year) you want to close the door ASAP and at night, even with all the "Ambient Lighting" the keyhole just seems to be in a dark spot in this car. Of course my eyesight (just like the "old Gray horse) ain't what it use to be! Appreciate the comments. Thx, Jay

For those of us with the SE version of this car we have to use a key in the Ignition, we went "Old School". ;) This is the first car since my 1996 Plymouth Neon (which did have a lite keyhole) that did NOT have some sort of lightng for the key hole. This car (at least mine) has "Ambient Lighting" which lights the floor and the door handles and all kinds of places , BUT NOT THE IGNITION KEY! Really Ford?! :redcard: To remedy this deficiency I have been looking into several options. The first and easest is to add a light to the key, I have a solution I found online that's is a bit cumbersome, but it does work. You can see the images below. It uses doubleback tape to adhere to the key. It's larger than I was hoping but it's not as bad as it looks. I'm also working on a custom light that can be added to a key, I have it working but it needs a bit of reminement. It's smaller than the light above and it has a momentary micro switch but it's a bare battery and the LED wiring is still exposed. The other more complicated work around is to add an LED light to the existing "Ambiet Lighting" wiring, this is still a work in progress. But I do have some idea's on this as well. I found a Surface mounting LED that is small enough to be added to some where around the keyhole and I just need to figure out where the best place to get power is for it. I've created the wire harness (at least the start of one) which includes a 10k ohm Pot to adjust the light level (it's a very bright LED) but I'm having dificulty figuring out where to wire it into. Anybody else have any thoughts or idea's on this subject? Thx, Jay

Ok, I did the install and it was pretty simple... 1 - Washed the car yesterday so it was already clean. 2 - Rubbed down the bumper top witha microfiber cloth 3 - Wiped it down with the suppled alcohol pad and again with the Microfiber cloth. 4 - Aligned the plastic protector piece left to right and front to back to get a reference (Without the sticky back tap uncovered). 5 - Peeled off the sticky back tape and laided it in place without any pressure to verify alignment.Once I was happy with the alignment I applied pressure to the entire piece by running the palm of my hand up and down the plastic several times. NOTE: They suggest closing the rear door before applying the protector. This is IMPORTANT for aligning the piece appropriately front to rear. I did not heed this advice and when the door is closed it looks a bit like it's to far in (and it probably is). Left to right aligns nicely with two big groves in the "Trunk" area so that was easy. Jay

My car was in the shop for a "stuck key in Ignition" issue and when I got the car back the time was wrong on the clock. I assumed it was because they had removed power and didn't reset it. So I set it, but the next morning it was wrong again. I figured I had not set it correctly, so I set it again and follow the same procedure. This time the clock has been fine (for about a week...knock on Wood). I'm keeping an eye on it.

I ordered the exact piece from ebay and I just got it yesterday. I'll install it this weekend. My first impressions are good. It's made of thick hard blick plastic that does bend much. It shipped in a long 3.5 ft 1/4" thin box about 8" wide. It had a "DO NOT BEND" sticker and was delievered "Un-Bent". The installation instructions seem fine and it comes with 2 alcohol prep pads for cleanning the bumper top. I can give you more details regarding the installation and final look after I install it in on Saturday. Jay

OK, I finally figured it out, On page 441 of the manual (in the Sirius Radio section) it discribes what you're talking about. Call me old fashon, but when you say "radio" I'm thinking AM/FM not satellite radio. Anyway, I verified that when using Sirius it does indeed have a pause and rewind feature. But this is a Sirius feature not a true DAR system like I've heard about in some other "high-end" cars. That's where my confussion was coming from. Thx, Jay

Suprise Suprise, they could duplicate the problem! They claimed they took the entire ignition switch apart and looked around and checked it out but found nothing wrong. They also contacted Ford to see if this has been reported by anyone else and it had not been. Apparently I'm dreaming this all up or don't know how to turn the key! Hopefull it never happens again and I'm off and running.

Salprint, What button(s) are you using to go back to play a radio song over again? If I press the Previous or Next button it changes the radio station. Thx, Jay

I have the SE with the My Ford Touch system with Navigation (equip grp 203a); not sure if it's a Sony. Only plays CD's. Even WMA files on a USB stick would not play. I did all this testing in my garage in Park. The NAV system uses the SD slot for the maps.

I have my SE in the shop for a key stuck issue and I complained to them about the lack of a light for the key. The shop guy thought the car had a light for the key and would look into it. I have the ambient light option, so the floor is lite up but the key hole isn't!! :rant2: Go figure! Maybe the unfinished look is because they left off the light ring in the first builds? Jay

I contacted my dealer's service dept about getting a rear camera added to the "My Ford Touch" system. They use a 3rd Party shop that claims to have a solution that will work with the built in screen, it's $700.00. They need to verify something with the car before they can say 100% that it will work. They also have a rearview mirror solution for $650.00. I'm going to go there next Monday and see what they say about the setups. I'll post what I get from them. Jay

Appreciate the feedback. I dropped it off at the dealer this afternon. I'll find out tomorrow if they find anything. They did look at it while I was waiting for a ride and they did say it didn't seem to be the tumblers, more likely the transmission park switch. I'll let you know what they say... Thx again all. Jay

I had a good laugh with the terror vs. terrier comment...thx. As you can see from my picture I have a (Welsh) terrior as well. I refer to her as a "Terrierist". To own one is to love one!

Has anyone experienced any issues with the key getting stuck in the ignition? I've had this happen twice in the 10 day's I've owned this car...I shut the car off after the drive home from work (about 12 miles) and I put the car in park and turn the key to the off position and it won't make it to '0' position to remove the key! I move it around and cycle the ignition a few times and rock the steering wheel and still nothing. Eventually it just turns to the '0' position and out pops the key! I made an appointment with the dealer to check it out next week. I tried the second key and it didn't have an issue but the key I mainly use doesn't always have the problem either. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thx, Jay

Same Hartford commute last Friday and got 49.9 MPG. Then on Sunday I had to go to the mall with the wife. Anyway we parked at one end of the mall and later decided to eat at a restaurant a few 100 feet away (not connected to the mall) it was rainy so we decided to drive the car the few hundred feet. After I shut off the car; which made the short trip on all battery power, the MPG read 999.9 MPG. Beat that! ;) Now if I only lived 300 feet from work I'd be all set!

Nice writeup...will come in handy when I do the same thing with the rear video. Jay