We waited about two years for Ford to get the parts to replace the defective passenger side Takata air bag in my wife's 2007 Ford Edge. A couple of years later, Ford is now saying they'll also replace the the driver side airbag (not sure if this is also a gov-mandated recall), and will let us know when the parts come in. Ford offered to pay for a rental car while we waited for the passenger side fix; we declined. No such offer for the driver side recall, and the repair offer is said to cover vehicles "up to 15 years old". Not sure whether they'll fix it all if they don't fix it in the next 5 weeks before its 15th birthday.

Is it time for Mrs. SG to have a "new to her" ride?

Maybe. The transmission has been acting weird for a while. Fluid was black. Performance improved a good bit after I drained and added new fluid twice. (Draining by drain plug removes only 6 quarts, but it holds 11 quarts, so you can't get all the old fluid out.) But the fluid was still pretty black, so I drained and added 6 new quarts again (for the 3rd time) today. So the fluid should be about 84% new now.

Overall, the Ford Edge has been a pretty good car for her.

But our #3 and #4 have been driving Toyota Avalons (the best car in the world, IMO) for years, and a couple of months ago #5 got a brand new Toyota RAV4. When StraitWoman saw it, she said "I want a Toyota."

But the newer RAV4's with their inline 4-cylinder engines are too slow for her. A faster 2012 model with a V6 would work, but 2012's had the spare tire mounted on the rear door, which she doesn't like.

I can't stand all the safety and "driver assist" stuff they put on new cars today, or the big LCD computer screen in the middle of the dash, or the Automatic Stop-Stop, etc.

I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Japanese or S. Korean badges. They just make great vehicles. I used cargurus.com for our last four purchases, CPO with reasonable to low mileage rides.

Thanks for the info, Lod.

Let me know how that draining & refilling worked out. I've heard that's the worst thing you can do. I know how A/Ts work, the practical application physics are elusive.

(EdiT) I've heard that if you drain the grit & shit out, they won't work anymore. Scotty Kilmer even said that. Honestly, I don't know.

(Edit 2) I have no idea how you would drain the torque converter, TBH.

Wondering how many of these "part failures" are made in China.

My buddy told me that he sent some Snap-On battery paks to BatterysPlus to be rebuilt. I asked him how much it costs and it seemed to be about 75% of a new one.

I saw some EweToob vids about how to "spot weld" standard batts [I don't remember the number] to do that. You're a smart young fella that's motivated to do something like that.

It'll make you money! I've got a shitpot to practice on.

Wondering how many of these "part failures" are made in China.

Look at the "Industry on Parade" vids on the PeriscopeFilms EweToob channel.

Sometimes the answers for today come from the past...

I dunno, try this...

www.youtube.com/playlist?...kWn 45je6MyGkeLvsMUMb0Atu6

Yes, there is a school that says if the trans is already toast, and that contaminants in the fluid are what's keeping it going, then replacing the fluid with new could cause the transmission to slip more than with the old.

I don't doubt that could happen, but the likelihood seems pretty remote, especially with a transmission that isn't slipping, it just lurches sometimes going uphill and it wants to stick in a lower gear too long after a throttle-induced downshift. That's what ours was doing.

There's a guy on YouTube who professes to be a mechanic, and he has a 2007 Ford Edge just like my wife's. And he says that the 2007 Ford Edge LOVES clean transmission fluid.

After replacing 6 of 11 quarts twice (79% new fluid) the fluid was still pretty black. I suspect that is partly due to the new fluid's better detergent properties washing away some of the deposits.

Just replaced 6 of 11 quarts again (3rd time!, 91% new fluid). In a few weeks after it mixes well I'll pull the plug and drain an ounce or two and see if it looks red yet.

Looking at the older Toyota RAV4's with V6. When the light turns green, StraitWoman goes, and she needs to get to 60 in less than 7 seconds.

I've designed quite a few battery powered products, and Battery Management Systems for electric vehicles and other applications. I know how the spot welding works for assembling battery packs, but have never done it myself. I think there are some YouTube videos on that.

I am looking to diversify. For the last 16 years, I've been designing electronic products -- mostly consumer, but also some industrial and aftermarket automotive products. And some product and system studies and analysis. But in Biden economy, that work has pretty much dried up (for me anyway), and I'm not real good at selling myself (partly because I haven't had to -- yet). So about Jan-Feb I might need to do something else to make a living, at least until things pick back up.

These Snap-On battery packs -- the "rebuild" involves replacing all the cells, right? Seems like a big outfit like BatterysPlus would be able to get the cells pretty cheap.

I know what you did, kiddo. I'm just interested in the outcome from someone I trust.

When the light turns green, StraitWoman goes, and she needs to get to 60 in less than 7 seconds.

Wow. How is Mrs. Strait able to walk with those leaden feet? I drove a Honda something or other at 73 MPH today. I might need some therapy.

Don't worry too much, nurse McMurphy is supposed to be here in an hour or so. My ride to MiddlePoint Ohio was the longest I've done in months...

This is where Aleena got her nik, she probably wasn't even born when this show was on...

She's gonna shove off in a few weeks. Might be a long ride, I don't think Fort Wayne International Airport (LOL) has any direct flights to the Baltic States or whatever.

These Snap-On battery packs -- the "rebuild" involves replacing all the cells, right? Seems like a big outfit like BatterysPlus would be able to get the cells pretty cheap.

I cant think of the product number of the cells, you know them. I looked at some vids how to do the spot welds, I'm just too lazy and old.

That's gonna be Sling Blade's problem.

Rebuilding battery packs may be a big deal. I was surprised when Rainman told me about that. BatterysPlus sucks.

the last used car that i got for Pam - it was amazing