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I'm using the blue 02 today to do some quilt shop hopping well away from home. It's a sunny day, and I have to get gas before heading out on the road. Getting in the car, I note that the window drop didn't work. No big deal, it's been doing that for a while off and on but thought it was odd since we had the car out last evening for a long dinner run so should have worked as it has done in the past. (this is clue #1 that something is not right).
I proceed to the gas station and fill up. While writing down the mileage, I turn off the auto headlights so I can read the mileage, normal procedure when the sun is out and I forget to turn them back on..
Get out on the road and take off for 1st destination which is 100 miles down the road. speed limit is 75. Get to my destination and note that the window drop still didn't work. (clue #2) Quilt Shop is not open when it should be so I ask the business next door to it if he knew of any problem they were having. He was unaware. So, I decide to get back in my car and route my next destination on the GPS. (window drop still didn't work and I had the door shut). When I'm done with the GPS, get ready to start car. (BIG Clue #3) Car wouldn't start. not even a click. steering wheel barely moved. darn. Only got door to open a crack, not enough to push it open. Windows are all shut, trapped in the softtop. I realize the battery is dead (it was 6 years old). Dilemma. It's getting hot inside the car. No one on the street and I'm starting to sweat. No horn to honk. nothing. After about 10 minutes, I see the shop owner that had the shop next to the QS come out. He waves and I frantically wave back to come over. He's puzzled and comes over and I explain my dilemma thru the glass. He says he'd call a business kitty -corner to where I was. Meanwhile I notice the the Quilt Shop owner has arrived, late to her shop. I try shoving the door one more time. This time I got the window to pop out of the soft top without breaking. whew, relief from the building heat. btw, isn't the soft top supposed to be able to be opened manually? Couldn't get it to budge.
Called spouse and told him about dead battery so get him to get the battery out of the IG (that battery is 12 years old, still running and serviced us well on our trip this month) and drive out to where I'm at.
At least the key worked to get the trunk open. I went to the business kitty-corner across the street which has an auto service to see if they could test the battery. No sense jump starting it if it's bad. They had a portable tester, it showed that the battery is not in good shape. I told him that I'd call the local Ford dealer to see if they had a battery and that I'd handle it from here on out so he left to go back to work, no charge. Called the Ford dealer, they had none in stock (rural town). Suggested that I contact an O'Reilly's store that would have the battery. I decided to just wait for spouse to arrive.
So I spend the next hour at the Quilt Shop, got some fabric I "needed" and cooled off. Spouse arrives, exchanges batteries. What a bear to remove the battery. Spouse ended up having to take the tire out to get the last hold down back on after putting the other battery in.
I think we will be replacing both batteries.
I proceed to the gas station and fill up. While writing down the mileage, I turn off the auto headlights so I can read the mileage, normal procedure when the sun is out and I forget to turn them back on..
Get out on the road and take off for 1st destination which is 100 miles down the road. speed limit is 75. Get to my destination and note that the window drop still didn't work. (clue #2) Quilt Shop is not open when it should be so I ask the business next door to it if he knew of any problem they were having. He was unaware. So, I decide to get back in my car and route my next destination on the GPS. (window drop still didn't work and I had the door shut). When I'm done with the GPS, get ready to start car. (BIG Clue #3) Car wouldn't start. not even a click. steering wheel barely moved. darn. Only got door to open a crack, not enough to push it open. Windows are all shut, trapped in the softtop. I realize the battery is dead (it was 6 years old). Dilemma. It's getting hot inside the car. No one on the street and I'm starting to sweat. No horn to honk. nothing. After about 10 minutes, I see the shop owner that had the shop next to the QS come out. He waves and I frantically wave back to come over. He's puzzled and comes over and I explain my dilemma thru the glass. He says he'd call a business kitty -corner to where I was. Meanwhile I notice the the Quilt Shop owner has arrived, late to her shop. I try shoving the door one more time. This time I got the window to pop out of the soft top without breaking. whew, relief from the building heat. btw, isn't the soft top supposed to be able to be opened manually? Couldn't get it to budge.
Called spouse and told him about dead battery so get him to get the battery out of the IG (that battery is 12 years old, still running and serviced us well on our trip this month) and drive out to where I'm at.
At least the key worked to get the trunk open. I went to the business kitty-corner across the street which has an auto service to see if they could test the battery. No sense jump starting it if it's bad. They had a portable tester, it showed that the battery is not in good shape. I told him that I'd call the local Ford dealer to see if they had a battery and that I'd handle it from here on out so he left to go back to work, no charge. Called the Ford dealer, they had none in stock (rural town). Suggested that I contact an O'Reilly's store that would have the battery. I decided to just wait for spouse to arrive.
So I spend the next hour at the Quilt Shop, got some fabric I "needed" and cooled off. Spouse arrives, exchanges batteries. What a bear to remove the battery. Spouse ended up having to take the tire out to get the last hold down back on after putting the other battery in.
I think we will be replacing both batteries.
VIN#16336
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