DC-Chicago Road Trip - Worth The Risk?

[Hammered]

Hello, all. Looking for second opinions.

I want to take a road trip from the DC area to Chicago to visit some friends, and of our three vehicles, I most want to take my GTPE. Per ABRP, it's 750-800 miles door-to-door, with 8-9 charging stops each way.

As you may recall, I had the dreaded HVBJB failure early in 2022...sadly, early enough that it was replaced with the original "A" variant of the part. So, in my mind, I'm driving a ticking time bomb. If I make this trip in spring/summer, while the route is mostly flat, we're talking a lot of back-to-back DCFC events, and I'm afraid of being stranded at a non-local Ford dealer for a month-plus repair timeline, along with the added stress of having to get home and then back to pick up my car.

So, if you were in my shoes, would you do it? Or would you just fly and rent a car?

Quite a few chargers on that route so go for it. Just be sure to check the chargers before you leave (plugshare). Have alternates and be sure to nav to DCFC to minimize charging time.

Don't be afraid to use the car!

 

[Logal727]

I’d be more concerned about parking it in Chicago

 

[21st Century Pony]

Hello, all. Looking for second opinions.

I want to take a road trip from the DC area to Chicago to visit some friends, and of our three vehicles, I most want to take my GTPE. Per ABRP, it's 750-800 miles door-to-door, with 8-9 charging stops each way.

As you may recall, I had the dreaded HVBJB failure early in 2022...sadly, early enough that it was replaced with the original "A" variant of the part. So, in my mind, I'm driving a ticking time bomb. If I make this trip in spring/summer, while the route is mostly flat, we're talking a lot of back-to-back DCFC events, and I'm afraid of being stranded at a non-local Ford dealer for a month-plus repair timeline, along with the added stress of having to get home and then back to pick up my car.

So, if you were in my shoes, would you do it? Or would you just fly and rent a car?

Many of the original contactors have failed... But definitely not all of them. As I read the news and this forum, it's a significant number yet still a minority of them.

There's an open question on my mind whether the failures of this significant minority were due to a weak design, or a substandard quality control variance by the (probable) sub-component manufacturer, or some other reason.

If the failures were caused by reason #2, then IMHO most or almost all of the functioning contractors are unlikely to ever fail under normal use.

 

[RickMachE]

I

When was your part fixed? Just asking to find out how you know it was was the old part. Because if it was fixed after the recall, then the old part should not even be available to ship.

Early in 2022 was the old part being replaced.

 

[RickMachE]

I wonder if all the people commenting "do it" have gone through the headache and anxiety related to the hvbjb failure. I have a job 1 2021 and I was driving 2 hours home this summer with a car full of friends when I got the dreaded "service vehicle soon" message while going 80 mph on the freeway.

I knew that my car was at risk (based on the countless posts in this forum) but I took the car anyway. Would I be able to get home? What happens if we get stranded? Will I cause an accident?

Luckily I did make it home and into the dealer...for almost a month. Now ask yourself if you want to deal with this but hundreds of miles away?

I think you already know the answer but you really want people to change your mind and say "just drive it". But until you get the part properly fixed then it's extremely imprudent to take it on such a long trip.

Here's some facts:

- No one knows if all pre-May 25th junction boxes will fail, or even if they are likely to fail.
- If they are going to fail, no one knows when.
- They have not been recalled. As of now, unless they fail, they won't be replaced.

So, are you going to not drive your car on trips, ever, because it MIGHT fail? Like it MIGHT get a flat tire?

No one here knows how many have failed. Is it 2%? 5%? 10%? More? Ford knows.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Here's some facts:

- No one knows if all pre-May 25th junction boxes will fail, or even if they are likely to fail.
- If they are going to fail, no one knows when.
- They have not been recalled. As of now, unless they fail, they won't be replaced.

So, are you going to not drive your car on trips, ever, because it MIGHT fail? Like it MIGHT get a flat tire?

No one here knows how many have failed. Is it 2%? 5%? 10%? More? Ford knows.

+1.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I wonder if all the people commenting "do it" have gone through the headache and anxiety related to the hvbjb failure. I have a job 1 2021 and I was driving 2 hours home this summer with a car full of friends when I got the dreaded "service vehicle soon" message while going 80 mph on the freeway.
...

I've been in a car when it threw a rod at highway speeds. This was well before cell phones existed and I was days away from home. I know what it's like to have to walk 20+ miles through sleet along a highway hoping simultaneously that nobody would hit us in the dark and that someone would stop to pick us up and take us to the next town to find a place to sleep for the night. I know what it's like to hope that maybe we could catch a ride the next day on to the next town, but knowing we didn't have enough money for a tow so the car was a total loss. Take everything of value we could carry and let the salvage yard have it. There wasn't enough money for a rental car; no phone at home so no help there; no insurance or warranty protection. The vehicle was gone and at that point I was just hoping we could find a way to get past the current crappy situation.

On another occasion, I walked across the southern Arizona desert in the middle of June because of an overheated, seized engine, stopping at broken call box after broken call box. I was eventually picked up by a long-haul trucker even though it was against their company policy to stop.

Come to think of it, I've been in too-many-to-count vehicles that failed at highway speeds or in busy traffic, well before conveniences like cell phones existed: dropped drive shaft; blown tire without a spare; failed suspension; blown head gasket; shredded drive belt; overheated and seized engine; failed water pump; cracked frame; etc., etc., etc. It's really expensive to be poor.

I'm leaving for another long (~1200 mile) road trip in a week or so. I'm absolutely taking the Mustang. The drive will involve six to eight DCFC stops, depending on whether I can get access to a L2 charger when needed. If the Mustang breaks down, I'll pull out my cell phone, call Ford, have them send a tow truck, nap or work remotely while I wait for the tow, get set up with a rental, and go on my way half a day later. Any possible breakdown I could experience with the Mustang in this day and age would be a minor inconvenience compared with what I've experienced in the past.

 

[kltye]

stealth-fighting over the economy class armrest

Hmmm, have I been doing it wrong? I only very-obviously fight over the armrest, not stealthily...

I’d be more concerned about parking it in Chicago

Truer words have never been spoken. Make sure to find a good parking garage while you're here!

 

[Logal727]

Hmmm, have I been doing it wrong? I only very-obviously fight over the armrest, not stealthily...

Truer words have never been spoken. Make sure to find a good parking garage while you're here!

Honestly any big city has me concerned about parking. I used to live in DC and parking was a nightmare there too, luckily our place on Capitol Hill had a space behind it to park.

 

[kltye]

Honestly any big city has me concerned about parking. I used to live in DC and parking was a nightmare there too, luckily our place on Capitol Hill had a space behind it to park.

I don't know about crime elsewhere, but carjackings have really gotten out of control here. And if it isn't carjackings, it's some idiot crashing into your car in the middle of the night. I'm usually not too paranoid about safety, but I definitely make sure to immediately lock the doors after I get into the car.

 

[21st Century Pony]

I've been in a car when it threw a rod at highway speeds. This was well before cell phones existed and I was days away from home. I know what it's like to have to walk 20+ miles through sleet along a highway hoping simultaneously that nobody would hit us in the dark and that someone would stop to pick us up and take us to the next town to find a place to sleep for the night. I know what it's like to hope that maybe we could catch a ride the next day on to the next town, but knowing we didn't have enough money for a tow so the car was a total loss. Take everything of value we could carry and let the salvage yard have it. There wasn't enough money for a rental car; no phone at home so no help there; no insurance or warranty protection. The vehicle was gone and at that point I was just hoping we could find a way to get past the current crappy situation.

On another occasion, I walked across the southern Arizona desert in the middle of June because of an overheated, seized engine, stopping at broken call box after broken call box. I was eventually picked up by a long-haul trucker even though it was against their company policy to stop.

Come to think of it, I've been in too-many-to-count vehicles that failed at highway speeds or in busy traffic, well before conveniences like cell phones existed: dropped drive shaft; blown tire without a spare; failed suspension; blown head gasket; shredded drive belt; overheated and seized engine; failed water pump; cracked frame; etc., etc., etc. It's really expensive to be poor.

I'm leaving for another long (~1200 mile) road trip in a week or so. I'm absolutely taking the Mustang. The drive will involve six to eight DCFC stops, depending on whether I can get access to a L2 charger when needed. If the Mustang breaks down, I'll pull out my cell phone, call Ford, have them send a tow truck, nap or work remotely while I wait for the tow, get set up with a rental, and go on my way half a day later. Any possible breakdown I could experience with the Mustang in this day and age would be a minor inconvenience compared with what I've experienced in the past.

...exactly.

 

[Logal727]

I don't know about crime elsewhere, but carjackings have really gotten out of control here. And if it isn't carjackings, it's some idiot crashing into your car in the middle of the night. I'm usually not too paranoid about safety, but I definitely make sure to immediately lock the doors after I get into the car.

like all cities, it depends on what area/neighbordhood you are in, Capitol Hill has been pretty much gentrified for the past 10 years, but if you head just a little bit further Southeast, yeah, there be dragons

 

[JLee]

It all depends on your road trip habit. Do you prefer driving to your final destination as soon as possible or rather to break up the trip to multiple legs with long stop. If you have ample of time and don't mind searching for a working DCFC, facing possible long charging time, and don't have range anxiety, then you should take your MME for the road trip. If you just want to get to your destination ASAP, then either rent a hybrid or fly. Regardless of driving the MME or a rental, anytime you drive, you always risk something accidental could happen - whether its under your control or not.

 

[MadManMoon]

Welp, my car made the decision for me—had another failure of the HVBJB on February 15, and got her back with new-and-improved part on February 22. So now I'll feel a lot more comfortable taking The Great Pumpkin to Chicago later this year!

Thanks for all the inputs, folks!