Break-downs happen...

I know that Jill already posted a bit of this, but I had to put my own twist on it all, for the sake of history. We hadn't had a breakdown yet, but of course one had to come. Its just too many miles for something not to go wrong. The injector that I thought was the problem back in WV - turns out could have just been a preliminary sign of this issue... hopefully we'll never know.


The problem, it turns out, is that the FICM (at the dealership they called it the FICK'em -- which I will forever refer to now as the FIC Me) - Fuel Injection Control Module - went bad on the truck, which is why I could limp it along for a bit, but then it just died and wouldn't catch. No fuel, no fire.

Anyhow - everything is all fixed now, with an oil change and an alignment to boot. Even the brakes were checked out - so I think we're back in good shape. Towing sucked, and was a tad bit more than I'd expected, but we'll go sign up for one of those service plans and we won't have to worry about that again.

I'm glad that I listened to my phone on this search tho. You see, as I was sitting in my dead truck on the side of a busy freeway (or 'the toll road' as they call it here) I tried to find towing options. There were 4 or 5 good options, but with the map the way it was, and how I put it in, when I'd try to touch any name the phone would bring up the same shop. Well, after the third or fourth misclick to the same shop - I decided that had the be the company I called. I'm going with that instinct from now on. Not only did Moore's Towing and Service show up quickly, act professionally, and generally live up to as the best towing company I've dealt with, but they recommended who I should take the truck to - even excusing themselves from the service because they probably didn't have all the equipment I'd need to get it fixed quickly. WOW - honesty in car repair - novel concept.

Randy towed the truck ++ and the trailer, on the back of his rig to the campground I was trying to limp to, and after a little trouble with figuring out the campsite did something I'd never thought I'd see. He backed up the tow rig, the truck, and the trailer - twice, in one shot both times, to get them into position - and put the trailer exactly where he wanted it both times. GOOD Tow drivers amaze me.

After sitting in camp last night, and cleaning out the entire contents of the truck over a couple of beers - I was resigned to fate. This failure was going to be in the 5K range, and I was going to have to decide - this truck, or new truck with warranty... And I cleaned it all out, down the the coins in the ashtray. I spent last night pulling everything I had in place - radios, floor mats - all of it. I was certain this was going to be the big expense, and a new truck would be cheaper.

So - morning of the next day (today), and the new tow shows up. It takes him some time to hook up, because he's not Randy (sorry John) and is having a little trouble with the axle, but we finally get moving. I've called the dealership - and all seems well. When we get down to Harold Ziegler Ford, which Randy recommended yesterday, I'm generally pleased. They seem to have put another truck on hold to take care of me in my broken down state so that they can get me out that day (forgetting that I tow my HOUSE, I'm not entirely inconvenienced by the breakdown, which once they figure out is kinda novel to them). We're taking a wait and see approach as to what the problem is, but because I'm a priority, they'll have it figured out 'within an hour' after I arrive - psshaw. Never seen a dealer actually mean that. They meant it.


Within an hour of sitting down and them looking at the truck they came in with a real estimate - down to the penny - this is what we found, this is what we think, this is what its gonna cost. The total was so much lower than what I had in my head that I don't think the Service Writer has ever had someone who he handed a Plus 1K estimate to be so happy. I think it made him uneasy. :) At that point I added the other services (oil, alignment) and said get'r'done.

Bottom line is this - Elkhart was the place to break down. Right campground (open), right tow company (not sure I'd have gone to a dealer without that recommendation - ask and listen rather than flying blind), right fix-it shop (I'd recommend them by name). While this failure was expensive, the dealership did everything it could - without my asking - to help me out. Even found a way to get me fleet pricing on the fix, saving me a few hundred. Paul the porter (at age 82) made my day with his stories, and the two Jacks, while corporate, did what they could to make me welcome and I left without the usual feeling of dealership slime. They are a good dealership - they are good people. Go there, if you break down anywhere close - or if you're just in the area and looking for a Ford.

The good thing about all this is that it proved a concept I had in place when we planned this trip. I have redundancy in most things I do. I bought a fifth-wheel thinking that if the truck ever died I'd still be able to keep the house, have the van to travel in and ship the truck for repairs. In a Class A you can't sleep in that when its getting fixed. Everything is coming together, and learningly working well now.

My apologies for the long post - its been a long couple of days and I wanted to remember as much of this as possible. Someday it'll matter to the girls. ;)