2002 Ford Excursion Airbags

My 2002 Ford Excursion Limited recently developed a problem with one of the notification lights in the instrument cluster.  Ever since I acquired this Excursion, the trip odometer hasn't worked.  In addition, the engine temperature gauge doesn't work even though the temperature sender works just fine.  The cost of rebuilding the engine cluster is very expensive -$200+.  The other problem is that to get it repaired requires disassembling the dash and shipping it out of state.  This means my primary driver would be unavailable for a week or more.

Anyway, back to the story about the driver side airbags.  During startup the power on self test (POST) for the air bags lights up the airbag dash light.  When the POST is complete and the system is operational, the light goes off.  While driving the light is intended to come on when there is a problem with the airbag system.  In my way, the light started intermittently going on and off and eventually never went off.  I had my favorite diesel shop Electronic Injector Service, diagnose the problem.  They reported the likely cause as the steering wheel clock spring.  A little research indicated the part price was somewhere in the $188 to $516 range.  Even using the vehicle identification number (VIN) on the Ford Parts web site didn't narrow the part to the exact one I needed.  I ended up using their service chat session and shared the VIN with the support person on the other end.  For my Excursion, the part number I needed is 2C3Z-14A664-CB.  This part is one of least expensive since it only supports connections for:

• Airbags
• Horn
• Cruise control

I acquired the part at Landmark Ford and had the part installed by another favorite car shop of mine - Advanced Automotive.  Once installed, the airbag POST has never failed and the light has never come back on.  I only hope that the airbags themselves, being 14 years old, still work if I need them to.

Free State of Jones - Movie

On Saturday July 9th, my wife Ruth and I saw the movie Free State of Jones at Bridgeport Theatre in Tigard Oregon.  The film was only showing in a limited number of theaters and an even more limited number of times at those theaters.  I don't really know what the films success has been in terms of the usual metrics - dollars earned.  I read a modest amount about the history of Jones County, Mississippi the movie seems to be reasonably historically accurate.

The movie is centered around the actions of Newton Knight from 1862 to 1865.  There are many aspects from military, racial, and historical that make the film interesting and intriguing. The events of the Civil War are huge and broad and have left an intense influence on this county. This is but one of thousands and thousands of such stories that have come responsibly to the big screen.  I highly recommend seeing this movie before it is out of theaters, which will be soon.

Some additional resources:

• Smithsonian article: The True Story of the ‘Free State of Jones’
• Civil War - Vols I-3 - Shelby Foote, On Amazon
• History vs Hollywood - Free State of Jones
• Mississippi History Now article - really interesting.

Map of counties in Mississippi: