My Car is Fixed and It's FRIDAY!!!!

We have been a one-vehicle family for the past several weeks, and though we've enjoyed some family bonding ("Are we there yet?" "Don't forget to pick me up at..." "What time do you need to be there?"), my car is now fixed. Hallelujah! I should have blogged about it stranding me on the hill going up to school/work. Read on if you want to hear THAT story!

A couple of weeks ago, my vehicle just quit going. It didn't die; it just wouldn't go. When I pressed the gas, nothing. Of course I'm going uphill in my behemoth-bus-of-an-SUV (the photo is not my actual SUV but one like it but in a different color that I found online to post here). By the time I realize there's a problem (I was rockin' to the radio and getting near the stop), I have very little forward momentum (remember the hill?) to get off the road. (I did get partly off the road before I quit coasting.) I decide that since I couldn't go forward but my power steering/brakes seem to be working (no fun when they're out!!!), I will have to back down the steep hill. First the cars behind me have to get out of the way, but they can hardly see me waving them on because of the angle my car is pulled off the road and the big behemoth behind in the road (the car's not mine, thank you very much!). I finally get a break and start coasting downhill but then have to stop for the cars coming up the hill (who I'm sure think that a lunatic is on the loose). I managed to back into the parking lot of the restaurant at the bottom of the hill and call hubby. He thinks it's probably a fuse (similar problem w/his truck once) so he will finish getting the girls ready and be right along. (He takes the girls to school anyway and has to drive right by where I am parked.) I let my co-teacher know that I'm running a bit late. She offers to come get me but I just knew DH would be there soon (yeah, right) and I have too much stuff to carry to hike up the hill. (Now if you know where I'm talking about then you know the wisdom in not hiking up the hill fully loaded with school gear sans hiking boots.)

It turns out it's not a fuse but the accelerator pedal. The entire thing. That's why I had power but couldn't "rev" the engine. Turns out this is an electronic sensor problem and the entire pedal system will need to be replaced. The better news? Ford will *maybe* release about 500 of these things from the factory on 9/9. I might be customer #501 and seriously out of luck.

Fortunately, you already know this tale has a happy ending. The part arrived yesterday (only two weeks after it was "released") and $300 later I have a shiny new accelerator pedal. Too bad the brake pedal is looking so shabby... I guess I'll drive it some more anyway.