[Elizabeth]

Have to say one of the worst features of the 2012 owner's manual is it has no visual cues of the stuff it mentions.
Like the passenger cabin air filter. The vague 'in the passenger footwell' Only due to another member searching and actually FINDING the filter, does anyone have a clue where it actually is hidden.
Plenty of stuff like this.
It is as if a different deparment makes to book, and they NEVER see the car. They just have to write up stuff with no idea how it works or looks like.
Why don't they actually maake a booklet one can use?
Stuff like a pic of the oil drain plug.
How to change the air filter,
How to change the wiper blades,
WHERE the rear wiper switch actually is. Nope the book does not actually tell you it is at the end of the wiper switch as a rocker switch.
All sorts of stuff.

 

[BetaDnB]

I don't recall ever having an owners manual loaded with diagrams. That's what shop and repair manuals are for.
Posted via FF Mobile

 

[BetaDnB]

I'm not going to go through the whole manual for you, but the second printing (pg. 136) clearly shows where your rear window switch is. And a couple months ago I'm pretty sure I read in there how to change the wipers, since there's a special way to do it on this car. Why do you need a pic of the oil drain plug?[dunno]

 

[elwood125]

If you think thats bad (and it is!) you don't ever want to attempt to work deciphering Fords various parts catalouges. It will drive you batty, I am proof ! lol

 

[scottjl]

i agree. i think you're confusing an owner's manual, which is more about driving/operating the vehicle, and a maintenance/repair manual. There aren't any of the latter out yet to my knowledge, hopefully soon.

 

[Bill3rAIL]

What is wrong with this request? If there is something vague like the cabin filter "in the passenger footwell" it should either give specifics, or a picture!
I accidentally found the rear wiper by hitting it and saying "Oh, found the rear wiper!"

 

[scottjl]

nothing wrong with the request. just setting expectations. companies make big money selling proper repair manuals.

instructions, including a picture (highlighted even) on the rear window wiper is on page 136 of the owner's manual.

 

[Strix]

Maybe the people who created the manual are paid by the word.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, including photographs and illustrations would lead to a substantial pay cut.

 

[BetaDnB]

instructions, including a picture (highlighted even) on the rear window wiper is on page 136 of the owner's manual.

Sometimes I think my posts are just completely passed over.

 

[Nutty 5.0]

Sometimes I think my posts are just completely passed over.

Don't feel bad. It happens to several of us on here! [rant] []

 

[scottjl]

maybe some people just need to be told more than once..

might as well complain about people who post the same questions over and over because they didn't use the search feature..

 

[cuke2u]

Hi, I've had the same, I think it is because some get so 'blinkered' by what they feel is right they just aren't able to see anything else.
Chris

 

[Elizabeth]

I looked at the owners' manual and yes the switch for the rear wiper IS highlighted in a line diagram.
yeah, they little shaded bit on the edge of the line diagram is sort of like the rocker switch on the wiper control.
So chalk up one for the manual.
IMO an OWNER's guide should have some basic maintenace info in it.
Those Chilton's guide are half useless too, as they get really technical on a complete engine teardown, but leave out 50% of any other stuff an owner might try to dabble with. mainly by failing to mention the little stuff that, unless you ALREADY know it, is hard to figure out from scratch.

Don't mind me, i am 62 years old, and don't know Jack about cars...
I DO change my own oil.. only because ii have BEEN doing it for years and years and years...
I STILL am worried I will hit the "Passenger seat eject" by accident....
(like the James Bond movie...)
and my little old lady friend will be blown straight out the sunroof...... [ohcrap]

 

[Dgc333]

I thought my new Focus's owners manual is very complete. Anything I have wanted to know about how the car and features work has been covered throughly.

The only thing that struck me as different was the pages and pages of tables with the maintenance schedules that are typically in an owners manual aren't there. BUT, that is one of the advantages of this car the routine maintenance requirements are so small they can cover it in a couple of paragraphs.

 

[RDJTX]

It is pretty typical of a manual no matter what the manual is for (yes there are a few exceptions). The problem stems from two things 1. cost of printing pictures vs. the printed word and 2. Those that review the manuals are usually people who worked on the car and likely that particular part of the car and they gloss over stuff that a noob would not know/see because it is second nature to them.

to ME a better way to do it would be to have pics of everything in an online manual and give the Buyers an option to pay a nominal fee for a printed manual or get it online complete with pics for free by downloading it.

 

[focus12black]

Mine is 1wk old and the binding separated. It's sad, but I do prefer the searchable PDF on my phone.

 

[RDJTX]

Mine is 1wk old and the binding separated. It's sad, but I do prefer the searchable PDF on my phone.

LOL for real. I don't even have mine yet and I have a full set on 2 computers and my IPAD