Ford Car Talk

Ford will be recalling over 270,000 units of 2001-2002 MY Ford Escape due to risks of catching fire. They have also advised owners not to park these vehicles inside their garages at home until the problem is resolved.

The recall also involves 274,368 Ford Escape units which has problems with an electrical connector for the anti-lock brake module. The car manufacturer though disclosed that replacement parts for this may not come until after several months.

The recalls will be implemented after a two year investigation of the NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on the car’s risk for catching fire using some recalled units of Ford Escape.

According to the agency, there were 86 cases of fire reported with Ford Escapes which had been recalled before and serviced. NHTSA details the problem with the potential leaking of the brake fluid to the electrical connector of the ABS module which may lead to corrosion and eventually start a fire.

The root of the problem actually started back in 2007 when the car company had to recall 2001-2004 Escapes because of a misplaced or missing seals for the wiring connector to the ABS module. Ford relates that these vehicles might have not been properly serviced with electrical grease which was part of the recommendation before , and that the vehicles might have not been inspected properly.

Ford has not received reports of injuries caused by the problem. There were also few instances of damages to property due to the faulty Ford Escape.

Ford had major recalls in the recent years for fire risk issues.

Back in August, the company recalled about 1.2 million units of their popular tracks sold in the US and Canada due to fuel tank problem which potentially may hit the ground and spark and cause a fire. Back in 20120, 4.5 million units were also recalled due to cruise control problems also linked to fire risks.

Ford temporarily stops production in their factories in Thailand at least thru October 24 because of flooding in the country which affected the supply chain for automotive production.

The car manufacturer suspended their production line at the AutoAlliance Thailand which makes passenger vehicles for them from 19 to 22 October. This factory is also operated jointly with Mazda Motor Corporation. Ford will reassess the situation and see if they can resume operations by 25 October which also follows a downtime maintenance schedule coinciding with a long weekend holiday. The truck production which was suspended earlier continues of be offline.

The Ford factory in Rayong is not affected by the floods but its suppliers mainly based in the province of Ayutthaya are struggling with the rising flood levels.

A big region of Thailand has been affected by flooding including the industrial centers where a lot of Japanese carmakers are operating and where a lot of automotive suppliers are based. Several Japanese car manufacturers like Mazda have also suspended operations.

General Motors confirmed that their Rayong factory is also safe from the flood waters. GM though continues to monitor the flow of their supplies which primarily come from local parts makers who might be struggling with the floods.

The annual capacity of the affected Ford car plant is around 275,000 units. The company did not confirm the volume of production affected due to the floods in Thailand. The Thailand production line makes Ford Range and the BT-50 Mazda pickup. It also makes the Ford Fiesta, Mazda3, and Mazda2. None of these units are sent to North America.

Great news for all muscle car fans! One of our most reliable sources about the Mustang project just confirmed that the Mustang GT500 will not get a twin-turbo overhaul. Yes, muscle car fan, the Mustang GT500 will still be equipped with a supercharger! To further whet your appetite for more muscle, the 2014 Mustang GT500 is expected to roll onto showroom in all its flexed glory by early 2013. But that’s not all. The 2014 Mustang GT500 will roll out not with its current 550 horsepower but with more to go head to head with its competitor Chevy’s Camaro ZL1.

The war between the Supercharger vs. Twin-Turbo has kept the online and publishing automobile communities busy for more than a year. While most rumors favored on the side of supercharger, the rumors about the Mustang GT500 getting a twin-turbo engine just won’t cease to end, until now.

The 2014 Mustang GT500 that will roll out early in 2013 will surely get more than 550 horsepower, which then confirms that its competitor, Chevy’s Camaro ZL1 will get more than that too. Perhaps a 570 horsepower?

Now while the 2014 Mustang GT500 will be released early, the fully redesigned Mustang GT500 won’t see the light of the showrooms until 2014. Engine design, lightweight materials, and design overhaul specifications are still all speculations with lots of suggestions thrown by experts and enthusiasts alike.

All ears are tuned in for the showdown between the 2014 Mustang GT500 and Chevy’s Camaro ZL1 but for now, let’s be content that the former will still carry a supercharger.

Lincoln is looking in a different direction and aims to produce smaller vehicles as sales figures of large units and the Navigator drop over time. You might be seeing the smallest cars donning the Lincoln badge in the near future. It will be a very bold move as other luxury car makers have veered away from rolling off small cars to a U.S. market which might not be ready for them yet.

Lincoln might have some surprises for its market in the near future to push the brand back to prominence. There is a loud buzz that the car maker is planning to release a compact which will be deriving its DNA from Ford. There hasn’t been any confirmation though if it will be used as the global platform for the Focus.

The car manufacturer have concept cars exploring the idea of providing smaller cars for consumers but these vehicles still need to go into production. Experts are not sure if Lincoln will roll the dice and take the risk to assemble these vehicles.

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As sales reports come in this August, the auto industry is expected to report not more than 10 million sold units. Ford recently announced that its total sales are up by 2% and year-on-year jumped by as much as 9%. The improvement in the performance is partly attributed to the government’s Cash for Clunkers program.

The numbers of Ford looks solid and a lot of experts want to be as optimistic as possible to see a turnaround for the whole of the auto industry.

The 9% increase in retail sales from August 2008 to this year marks the first recovery of the figures since November 2007. Aside from citing the CARS, Ford also looks to the new and more fuel efficient members of their fleet.

What gives perspective to the jump up in sales figures is the projected 10 million units rolling out of dealerships. The volume prediction is about a 40% drop from the 2008 figures. The overall figure is seen to have risen 2% from the November 2007 sales reports.

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When Henry Ford founded the Form Motor Company in June 16 1903, few people might have guessed that this organization was going to provide the world, over the years, with some of the best automobiles that humankind has ever seen. There are no doubt other automobile manufacturing organizations, but few has been able to provide the public with so many different models of cars that have formed a special bond with the user.

As they say, `once a ford user, always a ford user’. This saying has not been coined for nothing. Check out any part of the world and you shall not be able to find a place where Ford cars are not available. Ask any auto enthusiast about the Ford model T and see the glimmer in their eyes. This is one car that ruled the world from 1908 to 1927 and was also affectionately called as Tin Lizzie and the Flivver.

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