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.

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.

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 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.

There is also a speculation that by 2011, Lincoln will be releasing a small crossover using the Ford platform. This compact crossover may change the image of the brand in the market giving consumers a hint that they can supply smaller cars with better fuel economy and lesser environmental impact.

Some of the current units like the MKZ sedan will have a redesign by 2012 or 2013. The MKS will have a facelift as early as 2011 and a major architectural overhaul is expected 3 or 4 years after.

The future of the Lincoln Navigator remains uncertain at the moment. It is not yet clear if it will get some revamp in design or whether the company will still retain it for its future lineup.

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.

The fleet leaders which brought about the turnaround is the Ford Fusion up by as much as 66%, Ford Escape (94%), Mercury Mariner improved by 71%, and Mercury Milan (60%). The hybrid vehicle of Ford unsurprisingly brought a 323% performance magic for the gas-electric units. Fuel efficiency and green cars are key words in today’s car market!

Ford was able to leverage the cash for clunkers program with appropriate preparations of their products and dealers. The car manufacturer was able to get the increase in sales even though they cut off some spending for consumer incentives.

The month of July also marked the roll out of the Transit Connect and the Ford Taurus.

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.

With this particular model Ford had been able to provide the world with an affordable auto. Another popular model that was manufactured prior to this car is the Ford Model N that is also referred to as the Ford Model R. this too was a successful model and nearly 7000 of them were sold worldwide. Costing just $500, this model was a highly affordable car. This car was introduced in 1906 and production of the same was stopped in 1908. The car that followed the Ford Model T was the Ford Model A.