Agreed, we have all the right as the end user of these vehicles to complain about what we bought with our hard earned money lol.

 

As an engineer, I can tell you that although you have valid complaints, it's not so black and white. Do you think the engine design team spoke to the frame design team about the oil filter location? Maybe, since there's a plastic gutter to funnel the oil to one spot instead of dripping off multiple spots on the cross member. The requirement for the fuel filter was probably to locate it as close to the tank as possible. Maybe the shock mount was design prior to locating the fuel tank, so is the suspension team responsible? I'd like to know who designed the floor console, and incorporated the most mechanical complex dual folding cupholder in the world history. They designed it so that it could be bent when the 2nd row seat was folded down with the cupholder deployed. Who missed the buffeting sound when the 2nd row windows are open and the 1st row windows are closed? Who forgot to make it easy to load and secure items on the roof rack? Who design the front disk brakes so that pads are only good for 23K miles? We could go on and on, but remember that engineers don't always get to design things the way they want.

 

As an engineer I know we rarely get what we want. Compromises have to be made to satisfy the technically illiterate bean counters that run American business. These compromises also have to take into consideration all the mandatory EPA and NBS requirements. This significantly decreases the number of part placement options. Some of these hard to service parts are placed to increase throughput during assembly. A slow assembly line equates to a higher sticker price. I do agree with an earlier mentioned comment that all engineering graduates should spend the first year or two working the factory floor.

 

quote: "I do agree with an earlier mentioned comment that all engineering graduates should spend the first year or two working the factory floor.'

Thats B.S....they need to spend about 5 years trying to work on these things before getting a chance to design anything.

 

While I can see bean counters perhaps accounting for the lack of a key lock on the passenger side door, let's just say thad dumb decision was penny wise pound foolish. When it comes time for a new car, if if don't have that lock, it don't get bought. (Fool me once...)

And I really have to give credit (Darwin award) to the engineer (?) who came up with the '05 Escape ww lever - let me suggest a place he should have put it - talk about a danger to highway safety. I've driven the car many many miles, and I still have to stop and think which way to move it to do what.

 

Must be the same guy who put the oil filter on top of the diff

 

I dont think its the SHOCK engineer your looking for...it was
the rear TANK placement engineer...apparently he's got promoted
and some other engineer put the tire there on the trucks.

 

Don't forget, while 'engineering the trucks' they are not thinking, 'how can we make this as easy as pie for the home mechanic to fix'. The longer it takes to fix the more money the service dept. can charge.

How come no one brought up the blend door that takes 8 hours to gain access to a $5 part?

 

quote: "All of this is in the DESIGN to allow quicker initial instillation at the factory."

Yeah, I knew that the first time I changed my fuel filter.

 

If I got a lift like that, I'd loose my hiding place from the kids.

 

Yeah, and you have to buy that ridiculous scissor tool, and then let the gas flow all over your hands. One day someone will burn and sue Ford for that.

 

The quick disconnect was probably designed for quick installation, not removal.

 

Engineers may not always get what they want, and they may not all get to talk to teams that are designing other parts, but....


Why is it that when I was changing out my door lock actuator, that there were THREE different kinds of screws holding the door panel on. Two torx screws, one Phillips screw, and two screws with a hex head that required a socket.

Just pick one. I don't care which one, just make a decision.

 

To scare away the 'home' mechanic.

 

There is nothing wrong with having a bad idea. Engineers do it all the time, but they have a lot of good ideas too. The real problem is with the guy who signs off on the bad ideas the automotive design engineer had. It's the bean counters job to tell the engineer "Hey dummy go back and mod this thing", but he's less of a mechanic than the engineer. Why should you have to remove the entire steering assembly and entire dash board assembly to change the heater core on an F-150? Why should you have to remove the motor mounts and jack up the block to change the spark plugs on a Chevy Monza? The list is endless. I don't really believe it is a conspiracy for the dealerships to make more money by making it so hard that Joe Six Pack can't fix his own car(which he can't do since OBDII). The dealers have to fix them under warranty and the trend now is to extend the warranties so they have to keep these vehicles running for more years now than they ever did in the past. The latest thing is all these plastic covers over the engine compartment. It makes you think they have something to hide, but all it does is hold the heat in which ain't good.