Would you fix your own Mach-E

How many of you would attempt to work on your MME?


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OttawaGuy

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Where did you see about battery replacement? I've had to replace my 12V battery every 3 years, like clockwork.
Think he's talking about the battery coolant, not the battery itself

Speaking of battery, the 12V battery in the Mach E, anyone knows if it's a standard car battery or a deep cycle one?
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shutterbug

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Why do you say they are more frequent on an EV....

On an ICE we usually look at 6 to 8k miles...what's the recommended schedule on an EV?
Manual says Every 12 months or 10,000 mi.
 

Dmcerm

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So i already mentioned before that I tend to work on my own cars whenever possible. I believe that I would attempt to do the same with the MME but I do think that this car might be a bit more difficult since there is a lot more electrical work which I am sure requires specialty tools other than maybe the brakes. How many of you would attempt to work on your MME?

The direct competitor to the MME doesn't want you touching anything on the car so would something like what this video below discusses stop you?

Why Does Tesla Have An Anti Right-To-Repair Stand? We Suggest Some Reasons - YouTube
The battery and motors, and other 'EV specific' items would be off-limits (not that I wouldn't get on here to ask you fine Folks!) but I think switches, window motor/regulators, lights, and some other odds and ends, I'd at least try to give on my own.
And just a totally unrelated side-note, I am very anxious to see if the after market releases a light-up front Pony for the MMEs which aren't GTs which have that feature. I think it'll be interesting to see the after market with this car too, like body kits (front fascias etc.), wheels, etc. See www.americanmuscle.com for reference!

Great Poll!
 

OttawaGuy

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And just a totally unrelated side-note, I am very anxious to see if the after market releases a light-up front Pony for the MMEs which aren't GTs which have that feature.

Would be nice to see a front pony lighting up... and being either interior ambient color driven or again matched up to the driving mode (whisper, engaged or unbridled)!!!
 


Dmcerm

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What do you guys think about companies blocking all repairs and even blocking aftermarket or jobber parts?
It would be a bad move by Ford if they did this... Mustang is thee, if not one of the most customized cars and the after market thrives off of Mustang. I can see the proprietary drive train, motors, software, being off limits, but computer mods (eventually) body stuff, suspension stuff, wheels etc, it would be a shame if we didn't at least have the ability to mod a little if we chose.
 

Davedough

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Fixing it? Not while its under warranty. After the warranty, I won't touch anything drivetrain or any part of the user interface. I'll probably do general maintenance myself instead of pay the dealer.

What I absolutely will do is modify it. I've heavily modded every car I've ever owned, so I'll definitely be putting my own personal touches on it which will absolutely include taking major components off and putting them back on again for various reasons.
 

TheLight75

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Why do you say they are more frequent on an EV....

On an ICE we usually look at 6 to 8k miles...what's the recommended schedule on an EV?
Hyundai recommends tire rotation every 7,500 miles on the Kona EV. I’m not seeing a shorter rotation distance compared to any ICE vehicle I’ve owned.
 

TheLight75

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Like others said, not much things that will need to be repaired, fixed, changed on an EV.

But the usual wipers, rotating tires, doing the Summer to Winter tire swaps, etc...

One thing I wonder, brakes on the MME (and other EVs) are they hydraulic or electric (like on trailors)???
Most, if not all, EV's will have hydraulic brakes. However, they are different because of regeneration. Compared to an ICE car's brakes, the calipers keep the brake pads just off the rotors while the car is braking from regeneration. This allows a very quick changeover to the hydraulic brakes (in theory) if the EV needs more braking than what regeneration can offer.

I've had my Kona for 18 months and put 32,000 miles on it. Here's the list of maintenance that I've done to it:
  • Refilled the wiper fluid a few times
  • Rotated the tires every 7,500 miles
  • Semi-annual swapping of all-season/winter tires
  • Brought it to the dealer for 3 different recalls:
    • A faulty coolant pump cover
    • 2 different battery management system software updates
That's it!

For anyone who lives in a cold winter climate, I *HIGHLY* recommend swapping out the all-season tires for winter tires once the temp is consistently below 55 F! EV all-season tires are designed to have less traction (low rolling resistance) in order to improve range. Once the temp drops in the winter, the all-seasons will slide around in rain and snow. A good set of winter tires works wonders with the car's hefty weight to keep gripping the road. Last winter, I had no problem driving 55 mph during a blizzard with a set of Michelin X-ice Xi3's on. I only noticed a 0.3 mi/kWh loss which isn't bad at all.

Beyond the powertrain & braking systems, working on an EV is just like working on any other car. I installed gas struts on the hood and a 1-1/4" hitch receiver (Kona isn't rated to tow, but the chassis is the same as the ICE version) for my cargo shelf & bike carrier.
 
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kdryden99

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Most, if not all, EV's will have hydraulic brakes. However, they are different because of regeneration. Compared to an ICE car's brakes, the calipers keep the brake pads just off the rotors while the car is braking from regeneration. This allows a very quick changeover to the hydraulic brakes (in theory) if the EV needs more braking than what regeneration can offer.

I've had my Kona for 18 months and put 32,000 miles on it. Here's the list of maintenance that I've done to it:
  • Refilled the wiper fluid a few times
  • Rotated the tires every 7,500 miles
  • Semi-annual swapping of all-season/winter tires
  • Brought it to the dealer for 3 different recalls:
    • A faulty coolant pump cover
    • 2 different battery management system software updates
That's it!

For anyone who lives in a cold winter climate, I *HIGHLY* recommend swapping out the all-season tires for winter tires once the temp is consistently below 55 F! EV all-season tires are designed to have less traction (low rolling resistance) in order to improve range. Once the temp drops in the winter, the all-seasons will slide around in rain and snow. A good set of winter tires works wonders with the car's hefty weight to keep gripping the road. Last winter, I had no problem driving 55 mph during a blizzard with a set of Michelin X-ice Xi3's on. I only noticed a 0.3 mi/kWh loss which isn't bad at all.

Beyond the powertrain & braking systems, working on an EV is just like working on any other car. I installed gas struts on the hood and a 1-1/4" hitch receiver (Kona isn't rated to tow, but the chassis is the same as the ICE version) for my cargo shelf & bike carrier.
Here in quebec we have no choice but to have dedicated winters by law. With all that weight I am wondering how well the suspension will hold up. If i see anything wearing out over time it's definitely the suspension (shocks, tie rods, ball joints, bushings)
 

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Here in quebec we have no choice but to have dedicated winters by law. With all that weight I am wondering how well the suspension will hold up. If i see anything wearing out over time it's definitely the suspension (shocks, tie rods, ball joints, bushings)
What weight? winter tires?

I've done the test on my last 3 vehicles, the combo wheels+tires had the exact weight as my stock summer sets

Given I was using one size down wheels
 
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kdryden99

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What weight? winter tires?

I've done the test on my last 3 vehicles, the combo wheels+tires had the exact weight as my stock summer sets

Given I was using one size down wheels
Im talking about the car weight
 

Stacey

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What do you guys think about companies blocking all repairs and even blocking aftermarket or jobber parts?
And turn a perfectly good repairable car into a disposable commodity like a smartphone ?
Disrupt multiple industries, small businesses and livelihoods?
Screw lower income people out of a way to get affordable transportation?

Hell no.
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