Jage's SMB #3

[jage]

Thought I'd start a new thread with more updates.

I left Tucson without the dealer ever fixing the airbag problem and with them telling me that the Turbo wasn't actually bad, their previous diagnosis of the Turbo being bad was due to the error codes not being cleared.

I left for Indianapolis and towards the end of day 1 in NM the turbo kicked in, I got the same squeel from the turbo and "Ding" the engine light came on. The only difference was this time it went off the next day when I started it.

Temperatures were down all the rest of the trip and I took it easier and no problems, but the possiblity of the turbo going kaput on me on my way through Texas warranted visiting the dealer here. They (Andy Mohr Ford) always took good care of my F250 and I felt comfortable taking the van there.

Here's what we have:
Turbo: most likely bad. They said "we'll replace it if you want" I said "me wantee"
Airbag light: they're fixing it
They looked at the A/C vibration (new problem) and I didn't follow up.. the A/C is nice and cold so ??
They are fixing all of the warranty stuff BY TOMMOROW.

They also showed me the air filter. It was coated, like someone had dipped it in an oily mud puddle. The service manager said, "This might be your problem". I asked them to change the oil as well, since lord knows...

In addition they are replacing the rear brake pads, as they were down to about 30%. No roter turning or any other "extras".

All this as well will be done by tomorrow.

I've got to say that's pretty friggin cool because Tucson would take at least that long to even check out the engine light. Even when the delay prevented me from getting ready for two trips in a row Tucson couldn't seem to do any better with the diagnosis time, and they estimated the turbo repair for 3 days.

When the engine light was still on I called the Tucson dealer and let them know I was very unhappy, would like my $100 deductible refunded and won't ever see them again.

Other than that the van has been great. I rubbed the front tire on the control arm or something when doing a full turn to the right. I've never had rubbing on the left, and have U-turned left many times. I doubt it's a problem, I just thought it was interesting. I drove a comanche for years with Mud T/As that would grind on the lower control arms at full lock.

This is also the first time the SMB has been my daily driver for a regular basis. It's an EB and I have to say I'm impressed. I have yet to pass up a parking space, and I continue to be amazed at how easy it is to drive.

I'll be pulling single car trailer with less than 200lbs of Jeep parts on it to SMB Texas and then visiting Big Bend for two days once SMB is done modifying my van.

[BroncoHauler]

Good to hear you found a competent dealer, too bad they're out of state!

The air filter situation is interesting. Was all the gunk on the outside of the filter element, or was some of it on the inside? I'm curious if there was some blowback trying to come out the intake.

Keep us up todate on the trip. Is this the same trip where you'll be getting some work done by Sportsmobile?


Herb

[jage]

Yup, I'm in Austin right now sitting in the hotel room. I'm getting a 2nd 4D battery and a xantrex, solar prewire and a few other things. Like many others I can't say enough good stuff about Paul and SMB Texas.

I knew SMB took care of people buying new, but I didn't know they'd bend over backwards for someone just coming by to get some mods made. For starters I pulled up with a nail in my trailer tire and they puncture repaired it before Paul and I had finished getting introduced.

It's just so shocking to fine true customer first service in this day and age.

As far as the filter, take your filter out and find some good thick mud, mix some oil in til it's nice and dark and then sop your air filter around in it til you've got a nice solid layer of gunk, and you've got my air filter.

New turbo an oil change and some new rear brake pads and I was on my way again. After moving my sister in law into our unsold house in Indiana that is. There are some pics at picasaweb.google.com/metricpiano if anyone wants to see how many sweaters you can fit in an EB50...

I've been getting 11.68 MPG with the nearly empty trailer and mostly highway travel.

[ljb0904]

Which dealer did you go to? I've taken my beast to Jim Click a couple times and they've been good to me so far.

[jage]

Yeah, it was Jim Click. They tended to keep if for long periods and then not have fixed anything. I'm not sure where you are in my saga but one of the main problems turned out to be the air filter was black with muddy grime- a pretty big thing for a dealer to miss the 4th time in for an engine light!

Anyway, they refunded me the $100 deductible after 6 weeks of harassing them.