The Yellow Wrench Returns (and is vanquished!).

86,403 miles.

Back in December 2011 I posted about the yellow wrench light which started showing up on the dash. It disappeared for a while, but then started periodically returning. After replacing both actuators in the front dash with great success, and reading the TSB that accompanied that repair, I decided that the failures of these actuators are not due to wear, but to improper manufacturing of some kind. It's not like you can just clean them out and have it work again (as I attempted initially). You must replace the unit with a new one.

Fortunately it's not terribly hard to replace the actuator for the rear hybrid AC vent, and I was able to swap in a new one in about 10 minutes. What helped save significant time was that last time I took the rear AC system apart I only used two of the three screws to install the blend door actuator. That third screw is nearly impossible to remove without tearing apart the whole thing, so I left it out. With only two screws you can actually replace the rear motor actuator without opening up anything else.

I purchased the replacement actuator on ebay from am-autoparts for about $20.

See the directions I posted previously to gain access to the faulty blend door actuator.

Finally I am free of the yellow wrench!

34.73 MPG

465.8 MI, 13.414 GAL @ $3.979 = 34.73 MPG

86,228 total miles. Chevron on Bascom at Hamilton.

New Tires.

85,822 miles.

Capitol Expressway Ford in San Jose.

I have been putting this off for a while, probably a full year actually. So this time I decided to go for it and get new tires. They were bald in the back, and nearly so in the front. Seriously, I probably got an extra year out of those tires.

I went with the Michelin Latitude Tour tires, P235/70R16, rated for 65k miles. Price was $172 per tire, plus $40 for balancing/etc, minus a $70 rebate from Ford. In the past I've been very pleased with the service from America's Tire, and have bought tires there for several vehicles. I checked their price online for the Michelins and it was a little cheaper, but the $70 rebate from Ford made their total price better.

America's Tire said total "out the door" price for the four tires: $765.62. I paid $841.37, but also got an oil change ($40) and a promised $70 rebate from Ford. Subtracting off those I end up with $731.37, cheaper and more convenient, since I was already in the Ford dealership's comfy chairs and AC, and was surfing on their wifi. Not bad.

My initial thoughts on the new tires are positive; the ride is noticeably softer and I think they are quieter on the freeway. These could be because I was running the old tires at 40PSI though; I haven't checked the pressure in the new tires yet. When I get a chance I'll up them to 40PSI as well, and see how they run.

Oil Change.

85,822 miles.

Capitol Expressway Ford in San Jose.

As usual I went in to Capitol Ford Quick Lane for the oil change and tire rotation service. They do a nice job, and now that I know the main dealership reception area has much more comfortable chairs and wifi I usually hang out over there while waiting for the service, instead of sweating it out in their little shack in the middle of the parking lot.

It's about $40 for the oil change and usually takes an hour or so, but it's nice that they also rotate the tires.

Everything checked out "green" - brakes, battery, fluids, hoses and belts, suspension, etc. Except the tires. But that's another post...