Ford Power Stroke Recall

We have mentioned this recall a couple of times on the radio show and now have the recall number for you.

TO: All U.S. Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealers
SUBJECT: Safety Recall 07S57:
Certain 1997 - 2003 F-Super Duty, Excursion, and E-Series Vehicles Equipped with 7.3L Diesel Engines Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Inspection / Replacement

This has been a chronic problem with the 7.3 Ford diesel engines and if you have owned one, you have probably had to have the sensor replaced. I know that we had to do it on my wife's truck.

If you have had the cam sensor replaced, you will be entitled to a refund from Ford for the cost of the repair. If we did it for you at Freedom, call the office and we can reprint the receipt and work order for you.

You may not have received your recall notice letter as yet. This information is from Ford:

OWNER NOTIFICATION MAILING SCHEDULE
Parts to repair this condition are currently not available in sufficient quantities to service all of the affected vehicles. Therefore, to ensure that an ample supply of parts is available, owners of affected vehicles will be notified in separate phase mailings over several months. Phase mailing will begin the week of December 17, 2007; prioritized by age of vehicle. Dealers should repair any affected vehicles that arrive at their dealerships, whether or not the customer has received a letter.

The Slow Season

The auto repair business is seasonal, just like most other businesses. When people are more inclined to travel around the holidays or in the warmer months the shop is always busier.

January, February and March are traditionally our slowest time of the year. Once Spring Break hits the shop can be backed up a day or two for the rest of the summer.

Now is the time to get some of that maintenance that you know will be due taken care of. There is a lot better chance to get your car in at your convenience and completed faster, if you take advantage of our slow season.

An Added Value
from Freedom Automotive
and BG Products

With every BG service that we do at Freedom Automotive we include the BG On the Road Card at no extra charge to you. When you have your oil changed and use the BG MOA additive, the 44K fuel injection cleaner or the Deposit Control additive we will include the On The Road Card. This is a great idea if you have kids off at school, or don't have another roadside assistance plan such as AAA.

It's nice to have confidence and the On The Road Card will give you peace of mind on top of knowing that your car has been professionally serviced.

Complimentary Roadside Assistance
BG On The Road® roadside assistance is only available with the purchase of a BG fluid change service.

Services Provided:

• Towing Assistance*
• Jump Start Assistance
• Tire Change Assistance
• Lock-Out Service Assistance
• Fuel and Fluid Delivery

(cost of gas, other fluids or key replacement not included)
*towing available for accidents and vehicle disablements

Roadside Assistance Details
Available for up to $75 US for 4 months. If your vehicle becomes inoperable in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada, it will be towed to the nearest qualified service center. You do not pay the service provider for the first $75 US of services listed above (per event, limited to two events).

Call us now to schedule your needed BG Products service.

Freedom Automotive: 281-499-4797

Snow Country

Winter sports are very popular and many of us will take a trip to the land of snow to ski, snow board, sled, hunt, or just enjoy the clear crisp air of the high country. Living in a climate such as Houston's does little to prepare us for the special needs of extreme cold. Before you pack your skis, your parka, and your silk long johns, you may want to give some thought to preparing your vehicle for the trip.

Houston has a couple of very light freezes a year, and some years not even that. As a result we have grown a little lax in the care of our car when it comes to winter weather. The most obvious and overlooked area that we need to give attention is the cooling system. Most manufacturers have what they term as lifetime coolant in the engine, but it still needs to be checked and, if found low or weak, serviced. Even these so called super coolants break down and lose the ability to prevent freezing and stop internal corrosion.

Other things that we need to remember for the trip include:

• Be sure that the engine oil is fresh and rated for the temperature in the area that you will be visiting. The colder climates require a lower viscosity oil.
  
• Replace the water in you windshield washer bottle with a anti-freeze and de-icing type. Windshield washer fluid sold in most stores in our area have no anti-freeze ability and at 32 degrees will ice up. The de-icing solvent will also help to clear the windshield of the ice that will form on it.
• Pack a good, long handled, windshield scraper. If you can find a spray bottle of windshield de-icer, pack that as well. You will need to clean all of the windows, not just to the front glass. You will also want to clean the snow off the roof so that the first time you stop it doesn't all slip off the roof and onto your windshield.
• Replace your wiper blades unless they are nearly new. The extreme cold will affect old wipers causing the rubber blades to become hard and ineffective.
• Most cars today run the air conditioning any time that the defroster is on. If you have an a/c problem, you may end up with no defroster, a broken fan belt or an overheated engine. I know it seems odd to check your a/c in the middle of the winter, but if you haven't had the system checked in a couple of years it would be wise to have it looked at.

As long as you are staying on the main roads and in the more popular areas, you shouldn't have a problem getting assistance if you need it. However, if you are going wandering off the main routes and alone, you will need to be well prepared.

Planning ahead can keep the fun in your trip.