ray...
The happy Nada Farmer, finding new ways to make the same mistakes for 58 years.
Keep coming back , I'm sure I'll screw up something else soon.
New technologies, unintended consequences?
My new car, a 2006 Ford Escape has quite a few features that are good, the headlights for example. Very bright. Work great on these country roads, really light the way. The automatic four wheel drive, seems to work great, have no idea when it isn't working and can't tell if it shifts into or out of operation at all. I would say it has full time four wheel but I am assured it shift in and out when needed. If it is shifting, it is seamless. Pretty impressive. Now that I paid to have the brakes fixed properly, rather than relying on the warantee that covers the least for the most... the brakes work well also.
So where is the catch? On my daughters, Mazda 3. And it's a tire thing, actually a sensor thing. This is weird, we went to Sam's club to get the tires changed, seems simple enough. I'd have done it in the garage, but I can't balance them, and she needs well balanced tires, she drives at highway speed for hours in a day, and even a slight wiggle gets real annoying when it can be fixed, so we went to get her tires changed. They were very competent, had the tires, and were willing to do the work right there and then.
GREAT! except... and it seems in my life there is always an except, there was a little problem with one of the tire valves. OK, so pop a new one in and let's go, I mean a tire valve costs less than a buck a piece, I have a bag of them at home. It should have been included in the basic price of changing the tires. It always is.... well this car, and my Escape and many other new cars, are carrying technology to make your life better, and safer, that is going to really screw you down the road... literally. The valve stem on the left is the modern, precision cast Aluminum version. For comparison, on the right, is a brass valve stem, from the 1946 farm tractor. Over 70 years old. The aluminum one is less 
than 3 years old. And look what happened. Now this isn't too much of an issue except, that instead of costing about $5.00 to replace it, it costs over $70.00 And why? Read on, my friend, read on.
There is a little light, on your dash, or in your instrument cluster, that alerts you to a low pressure situation in a tire. I'm sure you read your owners manual when you got your new car, and you made note of all the information related to your "idiot lights", what they mean, and when they activate, and what to do if any of them light up. RIGHT!!!!!! I didn't, that's why they call them idiot lights, as soon as one lights up, you realize what an idiot you are!
Back to the story: The dealer where she got the car, seems unable to keep caps on the valve stems. She always was good about such things, but the dealer has told her, "hey don't worry about them, they are only plastic, and don't hold the air in anyway, Ha ha" MORONS! So the new improved valve stems are made of a precision cast aluminum, that corrodes to the steel valve insert, because the valve stems ride in salt water all winter long, on the city streets. And the lack of a plastic cap allows the salt water to enter and corrode the precision cast aluminum valve stem, which is not all that it is. It is an expensive mounting post for a more expensive battery powered radio transmitter/sensor. That is going to drive you nuts, when you start realizing they are there. And I say they, because there are 4 of them. 
Each one an additional $60.00 to $80.00 addition to a future tire change. So just add another $240.00 to $360.00 or more to your tire operations in the future, because you aren't smart enough to check your tires, and the Manufacturer is tired of being sued, because you aren't smart enough to regularly check your tire pressure. So now, the car checks it for you. So how does this work? Well one system has a sensor radio transmitter that is strapped in the drop center of the rim. The guy changing your tire is suppossed to "NoT cRuSH" this sensor, while peeling the tire off the rim. No problem if they realize it is there, and remember to avoid it, or remove and replace it. And yada yada yada, you will loose one to a tire change soon enough. The other system, which I had the pleasure of dealing with, is mounted to the bottom of the tire valve stem, "precision cast aluminum, remember" and is to be released into the tire by removing the "capture nut" which holds it in place, and needs the seals replaced at each tire operation. So we have graduated from, a "less than a dollar rubber valve stem" to a "seal and capture nut replacement kit " that costs $10.00 per wheel. And that is just if everything is in good shape, and you take it where they are trained, and cognizant, of the process.
Next issue, is the fact that they are battery powered. They are estimated to last for 10 years, well the cars are estimated to get 30 MPG and get 20 at best, so if that's any indication. They might last 7 years. If you can be sure to unload your car in 7 years or less then fine if you can guarantee your kid won't end up with a car that is 7 years old then fine. But let's be realistic, this is going to be a real pain in the ass. Some cars" ding" when any light comes on to let you know there is a light on, on your dash. A safety item requireing your attention. Some might even refuse to start, if the problem isn't remedied in a timely manner. I don't know, you have the book, look it up!
I'm just here to warn you, and get you to read the book!
Man, are we happy out here!
