What would happen to you in this case???

[Isuzusweet]

For all you Ford owners out there........Yes I have had this happen to me, but on a 35 year old Airstream 310 turbo diesel, not a 7 year old Ford.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...blic-1.3746577

Cheers
Tony

[overlander63]

Many parts for relatively recent Airstreams are NLA. Most auto manufacturers are no better. Once the part has not been used in a current production model for a period of time, it is no longer made as a separate part.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by Isuzusweet

For all you Ford owners out there........Yes I have had this happen to me, but on a 35 year old Airstream 310 turbo diesel, not a 7 year old Ford.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...blic-1.3746577

Cheers
Tony

I would get a part from a salvage yard.

[Utah Man]

Been there, done that... check engine light on an AS trip this spring led us to a Southern Utah Ford dealership. Initial diagnosis was a failing engine control module. Unfortunately, the truck (2001 F250) has CA emission controls and there was no replacement part available. They sent it in for rework / repairs and we got it back 4 weeks later. A first for me with auto parts, everything I have needed previously has always been reasonably available, except Audi parts (another car) needing to be ordered in from Germany once.

Oh well, we borrowed a Ram 1-ton and used it for camping one weekend while the Ford was out of commission. It's back up now, guzzling gas just like before...

Regards - Ron

[m.hony]

That's about like no one knowing where the refrigerator on my trailer goes...
Trailer is 4 years old...
Or no one knowing where to source the leaking low point drain...

[wahoonc]

Been going on for years and not just with Ford. I had a couple of late 70's/early 80's GM station wagons. The rear door lock was a cheap piece of pot metal that would break easily, by 1987 it was a NLA part. Not many to be had in the salvage yards either. I think they used the part until 1982 or 83 model year.

Welcome to planned obsolescence...

Aaron

[ijustlee]

I would hook up a simple old fashioned choke knob/cable to the blend door or whatever the module controls and adjust the temperature manually from now on. But it might have taken less time to get Ford to resolve the problem than pulling the dash apart. This is an example of what might happen when the fancy gegaws get old on any vehicle. Nice it worked out for the guy in the end, and Ford is probably having a 100 of them made so other people can get them.

[Koheleth]

I had a similar problem on an '03 Crown Vic. The light control module quit, it wouldn't do low beams. You could make the high beams work, but not the low. The module was built with cheap relays soldered in to it. $600 to 700 new from Ford, a guy on the internet would rebuild it for about $300 or you could buy a set of relays for about $25 or $30 and solder them in yourself. Took a couple or three hours to fix it.

[TomKirk]

I worked in a Ford Parts Dept for a brief period about 15 yrs ago. I was appalled at the frequency of discontinued, late model, Ford Truck parts - critical parts, too. Almost as soon as the factory warranty expired (3 yrs, 36,000 miles) parts would be summarily discontinued.

Bottom line?? Ford doesn't want to sell parts. Ford wants to sell trucks.

Tom

[RamblinManGa]

Hi from AZ. . . the result of the Ford from Canada story re-enforces the old adage ' the squeaky wheel gets greased". . . just never take no for an answer ! ! just sayin'....Craig

[MarkFinATX]

This past June we had our trailer brakes lock up with no solution except to unplug the 7-way. We were just leaving Atlanta after meeting up with friends there and heading up to Smoky Mnts Nat'l Park. Sunday morning, miles from home (Austin TX) and nothing worked. What good fortune that our friends owned a company with a fleet of trucks and were able to loan us a Chevy with a brake controller.
Dropped the 2015 F-150 off at their dealership, filled out the paperwork and left for our trip only a couple of hours behind.
Here's the bizarre outcome: after two days we were told that the dash switch was bad and it was on back order until the 3rd or 4th week in July!!!!
After many phone calls, including a Cust. Service Mngr. at Ford, we found out that the switch was part of the "kit" used to add the tow package to Ford pickups!!! When I called the dealership they said they couldn't take the part out and replace it when one came in. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!
We're stranded... going on to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway (469 mi.) without trailer brakes (28 ft. Pendleton) would be suicide.
Finally, on Thursday, the service manager at the dealership did just that, and I bought a spare kit ($142) to bring along just in case.
One full day to drive back to Atlanta, switch trucks and drive back to our campsite.
Changed lanes on the way North- Used the HOV, received bill for .40 cents + $25.00 fine... Arghhh.
Ford can be obtuse sometimes!!! So can GA!

[BoldAdventure]

fix or replace dummy

[eubank]

Our 2000 Ford? NLA. Our 96 Honda? NLA.

My old MG? Everything available. Even a whole new body (if i wanted or needed one). Not entirely unlike getting parts for the vintage Airstream.

Lynn

[Bruce B]

In terms of general parts availability for "older" models, the best car companies I ever had the pleasure of dealing with were Volvo (pre Ford Volvo) and Mercedes Benz. Both companies could and would supply parts for very old vehicles regularly.
Of course when Ford purchased Volvo, that changed overnight.
Mercedes was always in a class of their own when it came to parts. You want the seat base (spring) for a 25 year old E class? We can have it here tomorrow!
Not sure if this is still the case as I am 2 years retired from my business but I have fond memories of being able to get most things we wanted!

As for the 2009 F-150 needing the blend door module, my own previous 2010 F-150 ate three of those in 125,000 miles. I don't know if the part was redesigned for the 2010 year but they are known to have a high rate of failure in 2010 and beyond.

I loved my F-150! It was simply a great truck in many ways. Electrically, it was simply not Ford's best effort. The number of electrical failures and Fords lousy attitude toward the end of my Ford ESP warranty led me to purchase another brand.
Time will tell if Ram does a better job...

Bruce

[GCinSC2]

Not dealing in specifics but general terms.

Many of the parts used on cars and trucks are not made by the car manufacturer, they are supplied by specialists. Airstream doesn't make tires, axles, appliances etc. Same thing at the car manufacturers.

For cars and trucks there is an entire industry, collectively known as the Automotive Aftermarket that fills the shelves of automotive parts retailers. Its a massive industry. There are many parts that are single source but if the car population merits the expense of tooling and R&D somebody out there is offering it in a lot of situations, especially wear and tear items.

This Aftermarket industry has been my employer for 36 years.

[eggman]

not just the automotive industry.... I've had the same thing happen with lawnmowers less than 5 years old.... and worse, a 35 year old friend who has had a cochlear implant since childhood, got a letter from the manufacturer that they were closing up, and would no longer be able to service her processor. ( she got a remedy, with another manufacturer, but with great hassle).
my take away: enjoy the hunt, or plan to replace not repair😕

[Isuzusweet]

Originally Posted by eubank

Our 2000 Ford? NLA. Our 96 Honda? NLA.

My old MG? Everything available. Even a whole new body (if i wanted or needed one). Not entirely unlike getting parts for the vintage Airstream.

Lynn

Want to drool a lot MG owner.....drool away, 0-60 5.1, 160 mph top speed.and that's the slow one.

http://www.frontlinedevelopments.com

cheers
Tony

[NHdigger]

My 2008 AS has Hehr windows that are not used any more and when I needed a small vent window Airstream told me it was not available. Went to Portland Glass and they cut a new window for me.

[AIRHEDS]

Sorry, by the question, I assumed this was a "Hillary question;" I was thinking that I'd have been court-martialed (during Active Duty) or fired from my positions as either a contractor and/or civil servant ... Along with jail time ... But seeing as that wasn't your question ...

Pretty sad that Ford treated him that way until he got publicity on his side... Thanks for sharing...