Topic: What did you do to your car today?

[quadzilla]

Great job. Those pictures are almost making me want to wash my car.

[DriverJeff]

Picked up a wash mitt, some microfiber cloths, and one of those new spray sealants the other day, Turtle Wax hybrid ceramic. Gave the RX and the CRV a wash and wax. RX one coat before the wife drove off with it and the CRV two as it could sit in the garage for a day between to cure

Found the sealant very easy to use, like spraying on and wiping off water.

The RX shined up nicely, but it was shiny before:

Now wait a sec... that's cheating.  Lexus paint is already so good that it wouldn't need much work to look amazing.   

[rrocket]

Love how doing something as simple as replacing with LED on the interior and doors makes such a difference.

[TheHire]

LED Lights

Hopefully you didn't buy them from the same company you bought the LS 430's from... I had to redo more than half of those (both sun visors, trunk, at least 2 or 3 of the map lights, etc.) because they were either flickering or gave out completely. Genuinely surprised the fog lights and the puddle lamps in the mirrors still work perfectly...

[2JDM]

The old CRV though looks like it was dipped in glass, with the added  benefit of darkening up all the black plastic bits:


Very impressed with it so far, will see how it holds up

Oh man the ceramic stuff looks great!!! So much quicker too than traditional waxing. I should try a bottle.

[rrocket]

LED Lights

Hopefully you didn't buy them from the same company you bought the LS 430's from... I had to redo more than half of those (both sun visors, trunk, at least 2 or 3 of the map lights, etc.) because they were either flickering or gave out completely. Genuinely surprised the fog lights and the puddle lamps in the mirrors still work perfectly...

Funny...all the stuff worked for me but then stopped working when you got it.

Perhaps taking better care of your car is in order.

Or maybe just before delivery I kept the good LEDs for myself and replaced with Aliexpress ones!

Never had a burnt out interior LED bulb myself!

Some of them were Phillips Ultinon (solid white 168 bulbs). Probably the best 168 LED on the market.

Mirror lights were a PITA a bit. Hope those burn out on you next!

Yellow fogs I've used on several cars...never a burn out with these ones Had several other brands flicker out before I found these. Oddly, the other ones seemed to flicker in the winter...didn't like the cold it seems.

[TheHire]

LED Lights

Hopefully you didn't buy them from the same company you bought the LS 430's from... I had to redo more than half of those (both sun visors, trunk, at least 2 or 3 of the map lights, etc.) because they were either flickering or gave out completely. Genuinely surprised the fog lights and the puddle lamps in the mirrors still work perfectly...

Funny...all the stuff worked for me but then stopped working when you got it.

Perhaps taking better care of your car is in order.

Or maybe just before delivery I kept the good LEDs for myself and replaced with Aliexpress ones!

Never had a burnt out interior LED bulb myself!

Some of them were Phillips Ultinon (solid white 168 bulbs). Probably the best 168 LED on the market.

Mirror lights were a PITA a bit. Hope those burn out on you next!

Yellow fogs I've used on several cars...never a burn out with these ones Had several other brands flicker out before I found these. Oddly, the other ones seemed to flicker in the winter...didn't like the cold it seems.

You don't remember pointing out that the interior LEDs liked to flicker? I was fine with it, since I'm picky about temperature and wanted warmer light temperature LEDs anyway. 

[rrocket]

LED Lights

Hopefully you didn't buy them from the same company you bought the LS 430's from... I had to redo more than half of those (both sun visors, trunk, at least 2 or 3 of the map lights, etc.) because they were either flickering or gave out completely. Genuinely surprised the fog lights and the puddle lamps in the mirrors still work perfectly...

Funny...all the stuff worked for me but then stopped working when you got it.

Perhaps taking better care of your car is in order.

Or maybe just before delivery I kept the good LEDs for myself and replaced with Aliexpress ones!

Never had a burnt out interior LED bulb myself!

Some of them were Phillips Ultinon (solid white 168 bulbs). Probably the best 168 LED on the market.

Mirror lights were a PITA a bit. Hope those burn out on you next!

Yellow fogs I've used on several cars...never a burn out with these ones Had several other brands flicker out before I found these. Oddly, the other ones seemed to flicker in the winter...didn't like the cold it seems.

You don't remember pointing out that the interior LEDs liked to flicker? I was fine with it, since I'm picky about temperature and wanted warmer light temperature LEDs anyway. 

I do not.

[ArticSteve]

This month replaced a leaking motor mount on the Mustang. Passenger side was the leaker.  Did the driver's side as well since I wanted them to be identical and most of the grunt work is already done.  Spotted it by accident as I dropped something down near there.  Took the flashlight and then noticed oil over the suspension. 

Parts came from Rock Auto in 2 days, but of course didn't get going on it for a month.  $128 USD shipped including tax for 2 units.  They are heavy suckers.  Made you know where unfortunately. 

[rrocket]

Motor mounts usually suck to do..

[ArticSteve]

Had a very rude surprise this summer.  Electric Trunk release stopped working    Emergency manual cable backup not functioning  .  Located behind the back rest (back seat) driver's side.  Had to take the entire rear seat assembly out of the car and then re-adjust the emergency cable when there was room to get at it.

Unbenounced to me, the writing was on the wall when the back up camera starting acting up last fall.  Then early this summer it went kaput.  Thought OK, no big deal. 10 buck camera what else is new?  No no, not that simple.  Seems Ford has a TSB out for all 2015, 2016 and 2017 Mustangs, both hardtop and rag top.     Factory flaw in the wiring harness.  A big understatement!  A bit hard to explain, but the short of it is some "engineer" decided to install a hard plastic tube around the micro wires (24 gauge) in order to protect them when the trunk is opened and shut a zillion times.  The effect was the opposite.  The end of the tube eventually cut thru all the wires.  24 gauge is THIN.  11 wires in all.  I only needed to lengthen and reconnect 9 of them.

Biggest problem was finding 24 gauge wire.  Only place I found was on Amazon and yes, the Chinese really came thru on this one.  Found self sodering 24 gauge shrink rap butt connectors at Prince Auto.  Spend $40 on those and then about half way thru the rewire wasn't feeling that they were meant for the job (continual twisting action) so decided to soder instead.  Needed a better sodering gun, had a ton of shrink wrap to heat so bought a new heat gun.  All told the parts were $100.  Fortunately, everything is working.

[rrocket]

Geez..what a pain

[tortoise]

A good friend said when you're solving a tertiary problem, you know you're in deep.

"I'm buying this, to fix that, so I can attach the other thing...."

[ArticSteve]

Geez..what a pain

A MEGA pain if not for some dude posting the low down on Mustangs.com or whatever it is.  Imagine being on a trip and this happening!  The manual has a one liner about the backup cable behind the back seat under "locks".  Plus it didn't even work properly.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Geez..what a pain

A MEGA pain if not for some dude posting the low down on Mustangs.com or whatever it is.  Imagine being on a trip and this happening!  The manual has a one liner about the backup cable behind the back seat under "locks".  Plus it didn't even work properly.

Our 2000 BMW had the same problem with the trunk wiring harness   

[KD]

The old CRV though looks like it was dipped in glass, with the added  benefit of darkening up all the black plastic bits:


Very impressed with it so far, will see how it holds up

Wow, amazing results!  I think it's time i try that stuff for myself.  With three vehicles to do now I am getting really tired of the traditional multi-step process of sealant/wax and all the rubbing that entails.  Last time I did all three cars my arm was sore for days afterward, not to mention wasting an entire day.  Thanks for posting! 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

Geez, AS,

Motor Mount and Trunk wiring harness all went on a 4-5 year old car?  FFS, Ford...

[Serniter]

Love how doing something as simple as replacing with LED on the interior and doors makes such a difference.

Looks nice! Changed from a warm yellow glow? Leather looks to be in excellent shape!

[ChaosphereIX]

Geez..what a pain

A MEGA pain if not for some dude posting the low down on Mustangs.com or whatever it is.  Imagine being on a trip and this happening!  The manual has a one liner about the backup cable behind the back seat under "locks".  Plus it didn't even work properly.

Our 2000 BMW had the same problem with the trunk wiring harness   

My Mini had the same problem with its faulty design. The Washer pump for the back window would leak, and fluid would get all over the locking mechanism, destroying the electronics and the physical lock. Replaced twice in one year for me. Had to use that backup cable under the rear seats a lot.

[EV Dan]

Unbenounced to me, the writing was on the wall when the back up camera starting acting up last fall.  Then early this summer it went kaput.  Thought OK, no big deal. 10 buck camera what else is new?  No no, not that simple.  Seems Ford has a TSB out for all 2015, 2016 and 2017 Mustangs, both hardtop and rag top.     Factory flaw in the wiring harness.  A big understatement!  A bit hard to explain, but the short of it is some "engineer" decided to install a hard plastic tube around the micro wires (24 gauge) in order to protect them when the trunk is opened and shut a zillion times.  The effect was the opposite.  The end of the tube eventually cut thru all the wires.  24 gauge is THIN.  11 wires in all.  I only needed to lengthen and reconnect 9 of them.

I'm sure it looked great on the production manuals 

But what a "FUsilli Jerry" PITA to fix this! If there is a TSB wouldn't Ford want to take care of it, even out of warranty?