Spot on Iceman,
One of the main issues with the electronics in lift truck, construction equipment, automobiles that are installed is having access to the training, manual and diagnostic software to more accurately & timely trouble shoot the issues. Without these essential tools random parts replacement is common.
The engineers don't sit around and think of new was to "trick up" the 'ride". All those littel black boxes are added to finer controls the tail pipe emissions to met those mandatory EPA standards - like Tier I, II, II, etc. etc. This adds cost to the forklift. A primary responsibility of any engineer is to reduce the costs of products through "value engineering" (aka cost reduction - thrudesign changes, implementing ne technology, materials, etc. to meet end user needs, improve safety, increase productivity, resolve custome issues at a target cost to meet a given market price that produces a profit for the company.
I grew up in DownRiver Detroit and I recall the the US side ofthe Detroit River was a chocolate brown but the Canadian side was a nice blue and lake Erie was near dead and all the US side beaches were closed. I was jealous oforu Canadian friends as they had good fishing & swam in there blue waters Today that river is blue on both sides Lake Erie is alive for great fishing, walleye, steelhead, lake perch, people can swim in the water once again etc. No need to be jealous of our friends from Canada any more (except for their Labatts' Blue).

PS: I have 1998 Ford Explorer w/270K miles (uses 1/2 quart of oil every 3K mils, still running, replaced the heater blower once otherwise all original - it is now my "Town Car" (jsut drive it around town & to Home Depot an trailer my boat to the lake). Sure beats the heck out of my first car a 1951 Ford w/a flat head V-8.