Ford's 10-Year, 14 Million Vehicle Recall

If you purchased a car from Ford Bethlehem, then you may be at risk of your car catching fire spontaneously.  There have been several recalls issued regarding cruise control switches that leak, and 14 million vehicles were affected.  If your car is from Blue Springs Ford Dealer or any other Ford dealership and is a model between 1999 and 2009, then you need to make sure you got your repairs taken care of.  While the vehicles from Bill Dube Hyundai Financing have excellent safety ratings and records, so do Ford Motor Company vehicles.  However, recalls and defects happen to everyone at one point or another, and Ford really just wants owners to get their vehicles properly repaired. 

Ford has been incredibly diligent and proactive in trying to get owners to bring their vehicles in for repairs.  It is estimated that 30% of recalled vehicles don’t make it into the repair shop within a year and a half.  Because there is a ten year time span of vehicles that are affected, used Ford owners are urged to visit a Ford website to check.  All you have to do is enter your VIN number and the website will tell you if the car was recalled and repaired.  There are still 8.4 million vehicles out there that have not been repaired yet!

There were a series of eight recalls from Ford Motor Company regarding the same defect; when you add it all up, it is the largest U.S. recall to date!  A total of 14 million vehicles from one defect is larger than even the Toyota debacle.  If you own an E-Series from 1992-2003, an F-Series from 1993-2003, an Explorer from 1995-2002, a Ranger from 1995-2003, or a Windstar from 1995-2003, then you need to check if your vehicle has been repaired.  The cruise control switch will leak fluid into the antilock brake system and cause a fire, even in an unattended vehicle.  Signs of a fire about to start include your dash lights indicating low brake fluid, warning lights about the brakes, or if your cruise control or brake light stops working. 

ford 14 million vehicle recall, ford recall, ford VIN recall site

Mulally's Nameplate Goal: 20

It would hurt your brain to think of all the different vehicles that are produced across the globe, there are so many!  Right now if you visit Minneapolis Ford you will get to choose from their 36 different vehicle nameplates currently in production.  That number might seem high, but you have to remember that Ford also owns Lincoln and Mercury, as well as the different vehicles that are only in global markets that the U.S. never sees.  Ford isn't the only company to produce cars solely in other markets; Chicago Chevrolet has their American car line up as well as other models aimed specifically at the European market.  The CEO of Ford Motor Company wants to downsize their nameplate count to 20 or 25.

Some of the current Ford models are direct competitors for the vehicles found at Fort Lauderdale Sprinter Vans.  When CEO Alan Mulally took control in 2006, there were 97 different nameplates associated with the Ford name.  That is mainly due to the fact that Ford was the parent company of the Premier Automotive Group, which was an assortment of luxury lines from the prior CEO Jacques Nasser.  Mulally quickly dismantled the Premier Automotive Group, selling off Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Land Rover.  Just last month Volvo was sold to China for $1.3 billion, the last of the group to go.  Just like gardening, it doesn't make sense to waste your energy reviving something when you could put that energy into supporting your current growth and success.

It has already been made public that the Mercury line up will be phased out completely by the end of this year and there are also rumors swirling that Lincoln may soon follow suit.  Nonetheless, Mulally wants to trim off the dead weight and will be discontinuing the models that aren't as popular as others.  Also, he will be consolidating some of the global car designs so that productions costs will be less. 

alan mulally, ford nameplate downsize, ford nameplates, ford vehicles, mercury phase out

Ford 250 PS Focus ST: 2012 Arrival

American auto maker Ford is setting themselves up to be global auto leaders.  Their Ford SYNC Technology can be found on the cars at San Diego Ford, and the infotainment system has set standards across the auto industry.  Just as Chattanooga Nissan is putting in-dash navigation systems in their vehicles, Ford has already upped the ante and released new technology.  While the My Touch feature isn't available in all models yet, the SYNC technology is a standard feature while other brands charge a pretty penny for the system. 

The latest news from Ford has to do with their Ford Focus model choices.  Sacramento Nissan offers some great cars for people who are interested in a smaller and economical car, but the Focus has won the hearts of many drivers.  Now, it is being promised as being faster, more fun to drive, better fuel economy, and improved technology.  All of this great stuff will be available in early 2012, all wrapped up in the 2012 250 PS Focus ST.  Ford Motor Company has been working hard to become a global household name, and they hope that their Focus can make that possible. 

At the upcoming Paris Auto Show, Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally along with Ford of Europe CEO Stephen Odell will reveal the design of the new car.  Additionally, the car will be presented in its sporty five door hatchback version, the sedan style four door, as well as the family friendly and functional wagon.  Ford has created a vehicle platform for the Focus that has 80% of its parts coming from across the globe.  This will help keep the Focus an affordable option for consumers.  Plus, the platform will also be used for ten other cars worldwide.  This auto show will be a huge step towards Ford's goal of becoming a truly global company.

2012 ford focus, 250 ps focus st, paris auto show 2010

Ford's Police Experience.

When you think of a police car, undoubtedly, the Ford Crown Victoria instantly pops into your mind.  While the Crown Vic stopped being produced to the public from Macon Ford Dealers in 2008 and sales to police departments will end towards the end of 2011, Americans need to be aware of what they can expect to see patrolling the roads.  We have all gotten used to the undercover sports cars that police departments across the country have taken into their fleets.  The Charger from Reading Chrysler Dodge Dealers is a popular make and model, and Dodge has no intentions to stop producing the police version of the Charger anytime soon. 

While the cars at Washington DC Acura Dealers are fast and comfortable, it is unlikely that they will be the bulk of any police squad car fleet; their price is too high for tax payers to afford!  Knowing that the Crown Vic was coming to an end, Ford began supplying squads with versions of the Ford Taurus.  Now, the Ford Explorer, which has the same platform as the Taurus, will also join the force!  Of course, don't think that the Ford Explorer you are driving around is the same as the ones the cops will be driving.

While the engine specifics are the same, some of the other vehicle features have been upgraded.  All the Ford Explorers that are produced have the 3.5 liter V6 that produces 280 horsepower.  The great thing about the Explorer is that even though it is larger, it is about 20% more fuel efficient than the Crown Victoria.  Things that have been changed from the civilian model are bigger brakes, 18 inch wheels, larger radiator, and a tougher alternator.  The backseat has the ability to fold flat and has vinyl upholstery rather than cloth.  Lastly, the shifter is on the steering column to allow for more room up front for gear. 

ford explorer police, ford explorer cop car, ford cop cars

Bill Ford's 5-Year Paycheck!

There may be some great Chevy Malibu Deals going on right now, but the news that Bill Ford can bring to Ford Motor Company might be even bigger and better!  Bill Ford is the great-grandson of founder Henry Ford, who started Ford Motor Company in 1903.  Bill Ford declared in May of 2005 that he would no longer accept payments until Ford Motor Company began churning a profit again.  This happy story makes you wonder how many other executives have done something similar; perhaps at Peoria Volkswagen or Miami Freightliner Trucks?  It is unlikely, but we do know that the CEO of Toyota took a major, major pay cut after the Toyota recalls and many of their higher-up executives refused bonuses and also took voluntary pay cuts.

Bill Ford is the Executive Chairman, and after five years of refusing compensation, he is being given a paycheck in the amount of $4.2 million, which is payment from the beginning of 2008 up until present day.  He refused compensation until Ford was profitable, and with profits of $4.8 billion in 2009, the compensation committee came to an agreement that it was time to start paying the man again!  Bill Ford acted as CEO from 2001 until 2006 when Alan Mulally became chief executive.  For 2009 and 2010, both Bill Ford and Alan Mulally took 30% pay cuts until the business was out of the red.  

So how had Bill Ford been surviving since 2005?  Well, he used personal loans and purchased stock in 2004 and 2005.  According the the U.S. SEC, Bill Ford sold some of his personal shares of Ford Motor Company stock and received $28 million, some of which he used to repay his personal loans from 2004 through 2005.  Bill Ford also made a $1 million contribution to the scholarship he established in 2005 for the children of Ford Motor Company employees.

Ford 2011 Shelby GT500 in High Demand!

The Ford 2011 Shelby GT500 is in high demand for 2010, as the production has been limited to only 5,500 models. Chevy's competing Corvette model and other Chevy models may be found at this Chevrolet Peoria dealership. The Ford Shelby model is a top car for racing enthusiasts and always features excellent performance options and upgrades. Peoria VW Dealer businesses sell Volkswagen models which may not be as sporty as the Shelby but are definitely worth test driving.

Other pre-owned Ford models can be purchased at Kansas City used car lots This limitation is designed to increase demand for the exclusive Shelby model. There have been 3,300 initial vehicle orders of the new model to date, and these orders have been greater than expected from Ford.

The new Shelby is a beautiful, sleek, and very capable sports vehicle that can make even the most laid back racing enthusiast excited. The features on the new model include an aluminum block 5.4 liter supercharged V8 engine with 550 horsepower and 510 feet/lb of torque. This is 10 horsepower more than the 2010 model.

The engine is also 102 lbs lighter than the 2010 engine, which makes it one of the best power to weight ratio engines out of all the sports vehicles on the market. There is a new technology called Plasma Transferred Wire Arc that replaces the cast iron liners that typically are used in aluminum engines. This technology is what was able to save over 102 pounds on the engine's weight.

Other awesome features that the model has include a 2.75 inch exhaust system, a new brake cooling system, an optional glass roof, and a performance package option.

The performance package features several features such as Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires that improve the handling and grip of the vehicle, a unique styling, 19-inch front wheels, 20-inch rear wheels, performance springs and dampers, and lighter wheels. The performance upgrade is a popular option among Shelby buyers with over 60% choosing the option while buying the model.