A real page turner: Owner's Manual

[Winds of Change]

Sombody here gave some great advice one time that answers a lot of the questions asked. So I think the time has come to mention it again. Read the owners manual. Boring yes. A page turner maybe not. But informative. I even did it.

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[Major Kong]

and they thought Catcher In The Rye was spicy

 

[Elegance]

and they thought Catcher In The Rye was spicy

I have never audibly snorted at anything on this forum before now.

 

[Sleddog]

I always read the full manual. Usually before I purchase. I like to be informed so I can test everything before I leave the dealer.

 

[Meanderthal]

and they thought Catcher In The Rye was spicy

That is how I’ve always done it. If you do it into gear, you’re just an animal.

 

[Tigger]

I will read an owners manual when:
1) I am smart enough to understand a word of it
2) when I look under the hood

And to clarify, 1 is impossible as it all goes over my head and 2 has not happened in 50 years nor will it happen in the next 50.

BUT, I do appreciate those who read it and I like being friends with you.

 

[PaulOinMA]

It's available through FordPass on your phone.

I also downloaded it and the Escape owner's manual from Ford's website to my phone and laptop.

 

[MJE]

I’m an RTFM guy (& left a TL;DR worthy post in the other thread). The electronic versions are quite helpful to be able to zoom in & read it easier for those of us with aging eyes now. They’re easy to search. But they’re still ultimately a scanned PDF version of the paper book.

What I’d hope they do one day is cut the manual down to size by getting rid of the ‘if so equipped’ sections & make it specific to my actual vehicle. Surely that can happen when they don’t have to physically print it any longer. More relevancy with better explanation of how to actually use the software features (I’m still pretty certain most know how to do up seatbelts, but the manual will always have to cover that) would go along ways I think towards getting people to read it.

 

[Mark S.]

Here's my pitch for owner's manuals. During WWII aviator Charles Lindbergh was forbidden from serving in the military by FDR due to pro-Nazi statements he made in support of U.S. isolationism. But he was still able to "get in the fight" flying a P-38 Lightning in the South Pacific as a "civilian technical representative." When Army leadership found out he was flying combat patrol missions with USAAF unit they demanded he stop flying altogether.

Lindbergh had taught the pilots in the unit he was flying with how to drastically reduce fuel use and increase flight time from six hours to ten. At Lindbergh's request, those pilots suggested to leadership that his techniques should be taught to ALL units operating in the theater; increasing combat flight time for an aircraft is of great strategic and tactical value, and thus Lindbergh was allowed to continue flying.

Here's the kicker: Lindbergh didn't know anything more about the aircraft and engines than the pilots flying them. He read about the fuel saving technique in the manufacturer's technical manual and used it on his flight from the U.S. mainland to the bases in the South Pacific. He was simply teaching the Army pilots to READ THE MANUAL.

 

[IdahoDirtFarmer]

I miss the old days when the manual had more useful stuff than obvious safety crap for Darwin award winners. Hell the manual for my Willys wagon has an entire section on using it to plow a field.

 

[Mark S.]

What I’d hope they do one day is cut the manual down to size by getting rid of the ‘if so equipped’ sections & make it specific to my actual vehicle. Surely that can happen when they don’t have to physically print it any longer. More relevancy with better explanation of how to actually use the software features (I’m still pretty certain most know how to do up seatbelts, but the manual will always have to cover that) would go along ways I think towards getting people to read it.

Yup, this should be fairly easy. The tech writing tools available today allow users to very easily include/exclude content. It would be child's play to set up a system to do so based on a vehicle's equipment list, which is already produced for the window sticker.

 

[Major Kong]

What I’d hope they do one day is cut the manual down to size by getting rid of the ‘if so equipped’ sections & make it specific to my actual vehicle. Surely that can happen when they don’t have to physically print it any longer.

you might float that idea by Ford
seems easy enough to apply filters
or cut to the chase - VIN
presto
your refined manual
would seem to upscale the product with little effort
Are you paying attention Ford?
many, many years ago
Kong family seated around kitchen table
dessert
jello
maybe a little whipped cream on top
Mrs Kong asks why they don't put vitamin C in Jello?
Mrs Kong being of the direct approach type takes matters into own hands
if you would
please hand me that phone
calls customer service line
why no vitamin C?????
few years later.........
"Now With Vitamin C"
we'll always wonder about that one

 

[CrazyKZ]

and they thought Catcher In The Rye was spicy

Hillarious! Now I need to go look at mine.

 

[Dude]

and they thought Catcher In The Rye was spicy

seems that the web version (not the PDF) has corrected the typo…maybe time to dump (pun intended) the PDF and the hard copy owners manual.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Index?Variantid=8547&languageCode=EN&countryCode=USA&VIN=&userMarket=usa&div=f&buildtype=web

 

[Major Kong]

favorite chapter
magic genie lamp
if icon appears you get three wishes
choose wisely

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