RIdes : Ford details how it will fix recalled fire-risk 2013 Escape and Fusion models

Ford announced today that it has determined the problem and has worked up a fix for the engine fires that have resulted in recalls for 2013 Ford Escape and Fusion models equipped with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine. Ford says the fires are being caused by an issue with the cooling system software that fails to properly manage engine temperatures during "unique overheating conditions," which are allowing the engines to get hot enough to start a fire while running. This is the third explanation for the engine fires with faulty fuel lines being the culprit back in July and leaking coolant in September – both of these could potentially be caused by extreme engine overheating.

To prevent the overheating, Ford will be updating the software for the cooling system, but until then, the automaker says that owners of affected vehicles should not drive their vehicles and contact the dealer to arrange alternative transportation. According to Automotive News, this means that 73,320 owners are still in rental cars costing Ford up to $55 per day. None of the other engines used in these vehicles are involved in the recall.

 

Press Release

Ford Produces Fix in Voluntary Safety Recall of 2013 Escapes, 2013 Fusions with 1.6-liter Engines

-Ford today announced a corrective action to address potential engine overheating that could result in engine fires in 2013 Ford Escape SE and SEL models with the 1.6-liter engine and 2013 Ford Fusion SE and SEL models with the 1.6-liter engine

-Ford will make updates to the cooling system software to better manage engine temperatures during a unique overheating condition. Original cooling system design was not able to address a loss of coolant system pressure under certain operating conditions. The new software will resolve this issue

-Escapes equipped with the 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines are unaffected as are Fusions equipped with 2.5-liter and hybrid engines

-Ford remains absolutely committed to continuously improving and providing the highest-quality vehicles to its customers. When a potential issue is identified, Ford acts promptly on behalf of customers

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 10, 2012 – Ford Motor Company today announced a corrective action to address potential engine overheating that could result in engine fires in SE and SEL models of the 2013 Ford Escape and Ford Fusion models equipped with 1.6-liter engines. The vehicles were subjects of a voluntary safety recall announced Nov. 30.

An intensive, cross-discipline engineering team at Ford worked to identify the root cause of the extreme engine overheating condition.

To fix the condition, Ford will make software updates to the cooling system of the 1.6-liter engine available in the SE and SEL models of the 2013 Ford Escape and 2013 Ford Fusion. The software updates will better manage engine temperatures during a unique overheating condition that could occur under unique operating conditions. The original cooling system design was not able to address a loss of coolant system pressure under certain operating conditions, which could lead to a vehicle fire while the engine was running.

"We remain absolutely committed to continuously improving and providing the highest-quality vehicles to our customers. When a potential issue is identified, we act promptly on behalf of our customers, as we did this time," said Raj Nair, Ford Group Vice President, Global Product Development.

Ford is now working to deliver the software and repair procedure to its dealers. The company will begin notifying customers so they can schedule service appointments with dealers.

Beginning early next week, customers will be able to get the software update at their dealer. The time needed for this repair is less than one-half day. However, due to service
scheduling requirements, a dealer may need the vehicle for a longer period of time.

Until the cooling software is updated, customers driving 2013 Escape vehicles equipped with the 1.6-liter engine and 2013 Fusion models equipped with the 1.6-liter engine have been advised to contact their dealer to arrange for alternative transportation at no charge.

Some drivers who have experienced high engine temperatures followed by engine fires have said that their clusters have shown the message "Engine Power Reduced to Lower Temps" or "Engine over temp, stop safely." Some also indicated that their instrument clusters sounded a chime and illuminated a red light.

Ford advised drivers who see any of these indications to safely pull off the road as soon as possible, turn off the engine and exit the vehicle.

Notifications have been sent to customers affected by the recall. Customers also can see if they are affected by the recall by:


-Checking their 17-digit VIN, located on a label on the driver door opening, at the base of the windshield on the driver's side of their vehicle, or on their vehicle registration. In vehicles with 1.6-liter engines, the eighth character will be "X" on Escapes or "R" on Fusions;
-Logging onto Ford.com, click "View Notices and Recalls" in the "Support" tab and inputting their VIN;
-Calling 866-436-7332 in the U.S. or 888-222-7814 in Canada;
-or Contacting a Ford dealer

2013 Escapes equipped with 2.0-liter and the 2.5-liter engines are unaffected. 2013 Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter and hybrid engines are also unaffected – as are all Titanium models.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 172,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

 

Credit : Autoblog

Rides : Ford Launches Ad Campaign to Increase Interest in Lincoln

Ford will launch a new ad campaign to increase interest in its upscale Lincoln brand.

The ad campaign includes its first-ever Super Bowl commercial and it is aimed at drawing on the brand’s heritage. The campaign is to be launched today, December 3rd, and it has a 60-second TV commercial. The ad will open with an image of an actor playing the US president Abraham Lincoln, after who the brand is names.
Lincoln, which is the second-largest US automaker, plans to attract younger customers and show a different side of its vehicles. Ford is sure that Lincoln’s glossier showrooms, fresh designs and the more personalized service will help boost sales.

“This is how Lincoln started. This is how we will become great again,” the automaker says in one print advertisement that will appear in major newspapers and online media Monday.

By the end of November the new Lincoln MKZ sedan will reach Ford’s dealerships and other new models will be introduced by 2015. Ford plans to introduce the brand in China by 2014, to be able to take advantage of the increasing appetite for luxury vehicles in this market. Ford wants to lower the average age of the brand’s customers from 65 to 57 and increase the annual income by 50% to almost $160,000

 

 

 

Rides : Ford recalls 150k Fiestas over airbag concern

Ford has issued a recall for a segment of 2011 to 2013 model year Fiesta subcompacts that concerns improper deployment of the side curtain airbags. Cars recalled were manufactured between November 3, 2009 and September 21, 2012 – 154,604 units in total.

The Fiesta models affected by the recall will not deploy their side curtain airbags, which cover both front and rear passengers, during a side impact collision if the front passenger seat is empty. This means occupants in the rear on the passenger side won't be protected by the side airbag in a collision if the front passenger seat is empty. These side curtain airbags were actually designed not to deploy in a scenario where the front passenger seat was empty (why that is is unclear), but that information was not properly presented to Fiesta owners in the manual.

Ford is currently notifying Fiesta owners whose vehicles are covered under this recall, and reprogramming the vehicle software to allow the side curtain airbags to deploy during the aforementioned side impact situations. 

 

Press Release

Report Date : October 16, 2012 at 08:27 AM

NHTSA Campaign ID number : 12V488000

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
FORD / FIESTA 2011-2013

Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company Report Receipt Date: OCT 05, 2012

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V488000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: AIR BAGS

Potential Number of Units Affected: 154,604

Summary:
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Fiesta vehicles, manufactured from November 3, 2009 through September 21, 2012. The vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." The passenger side curtain air bag will not deploy in the event of a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty. Although the side curtain air bag system was designed to suppress the side curtain air bag under this scenario, that information is not explained in the owner's guide for these vehicles as required by FMVSS No.208.

Consequence:
An occupant in the right rear seating position will not have coverage from the side curtain air bag in a side impact collision when the front passenger seat is empty, increasing the risk of injury to the right rear occupant.

Remedy:
Ford will notify owners and dealers will reprogram the vehicle's software free of charge so that it no longer suppresses the passenger side curtain air bag when the front passenger seat is empty, and consistent with the description in the owner's guide. The safety recall is expected to begin shortly. Owner's may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332.

Notes:
Ford's recall campaign number is 12C26. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Credit : Autoblog

Rides : Check Out The 2015 Ford Mustang GT

The future generation of the Ford Mustang GT, which will wear the 2015 model year in its name, has been recently spied on the roads, with no camouflage on its body.

Even if the next generation of the Ford Mustang should have gotten a revolutionary new design, based on the Ford Evos as recent rumors said, the North American based automaker is apparently struck by a financial crisis, because the upcoming muscle car seems to be more like a facelift than a future generation. For the images posted below, we must thank the guys at autoblog.it, and even if we don’t have a photo with the front fascia, our source is saying that there are no changes compared to the current Mustang GT.
As a quick reminder, the 2015 Ford Mustang is expected to hit the market in 2014 and initial rumors were saying that the muscle car will be based on the Ford Evos concept, which was officially presented to the public last year in September, during the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Ford Evos concept was a plug-in hybrid with a 2.0 liter petrol engine and an electric motor, which allowed the model to travel up to 500 miles on a single “tank”. The Ford Evos Concept is 4.5 meters long and 1,97 meters wide.

Rides : 2013 Ford Fusion does the techno sound collage music thing

If you're wondering what the 2013 Ford Fusion has to do with techno music... well, join the club – we have no idea. We'll defer to an expert, musician Joshua Harrison:

"Techno music, by its nature, is very similar to the makeup of a car... In both cases, there are lots of little pieces mechanically put together. Just like a car, a Techno song has many elements that serve their own small purpose, and the masters of the craft are those who can put it all together and make everything work as one solid piece."

Who are we to argue?

In any case, Ford has used an old trick in a somewhat new way in conscripting artists to create techno tracks using sounds made by its Fusion, in this case a 2.0-liter Hybrid model. Listen to the three resulting tracks, then scroll down below to watch a video explaining the process and showing the musicians working their magic.

Even if you don't like techno, it's at least interesting to hear how each track is so wildly different from the other two. And if you do like what you hear, maybe you should consider attending the Movement Electronic Festival in Detroit, May 26-28.

 

 

Press Release

Techno Music and Midsize Sedan Features Create a Fusion of Sound

Detroit-area Techno artists Joshua Harrison, Keith Kemp and Tom Newman sampled sounds from the 2013 Ford Fusion – both natural noises like windows going up and down, and digital creations from the car's sound bank like the welcome chimes – to make original electronic music

All sounds produced by Fusion are painstakingly inspected and are designed to provide a specific driver or passenger response

The musicians were provided by Paxahau – organizers of the Movement Electronic Music Festival in Detroit – continuing a relationship between Ford and the festival

DEARBORN, Mich., May 24, 2012 – In an unusual blend of automotive and musical worlds, three Detroit-area Techno musicians used a 2013 Ford Fusion to make original tracks using the sounds produced by the car. They recorded everything from doors slamming to the soft back-and-forth of the windshield wipers.

The musicians took the sounds back to their studio along with a sound bank of Fusion chimes and tones and got to work. Using loop machines, synthesizers and their own creativity, each artist composed an original song featuring Fusion as an instrument.

Ford was there to capture each artist putting the songs together and explaining his respective process.

The results are tunes that groove with the same drive and energy that thousands of Techno fans who descend upon Detroit this Memorial Day weekend will hear. Each Fusion musician, provided by Paxahau – organizers of the Movement Electronic Music Festival – produced a unique song that transformed the everyday sounds of the car into a work of art. The trunk slam was looped to mimic the iconic kick-drum popular in Detroit Techno, the strong hum of the 2.0-liter hybrid engine is used as an overtone that wails with meditative resonance and the seat belt reminder plays as a melodic syncopation.

"This project worked so well because Techno music, by its nature, is very similar to the makeup of a car," explains Joshua Harrison, contributing musician and a performer in the upcoming festival. "In both cases, there are lots of little pieces mechanically put together. Just like a car, a Techno song has many elements that serve their own small purpose, and the masters of the craft are those who can put it all together and make everything work as one solid piece."

The Fusion music is ripe for melodic composition thanks in part to the dedication of Ford engineers who work painstakingly to ensure the smart technology of the car's sounds is specific and evokes appropriate responses from the driver and passengers.

Engineers write two to three note tones and conduct studies with listening groups to determine the correct sound for potential situations.

Alexander Petniunas, Ford sound quality technical expert, says that audible warning is intended to prompt the operator to respond the right way. Engineers work with four grades of severity. The high pitch staccato sound, for example, is considered the most severe, whereas the three note welcome chimes are meant to deliver a comfortable greeting. The sounds are designed to conjure an emotional response. The project worked out so well, said Petniunas, because music does the same thing.

Petniunas says some sounds are designed to be harsh to the human ear, like the loud warning that plays in cross-traffic alert technology, while other sounds like the reverse alert are softer in order to prompt action on the part of the driver but not cause alarm. Hundreds of sounds are analyzed.

"I love that the musicians were so infatuated with the sound of the Fusion's door slams," says Ramita Chawla, Ford sound quality engineer. "It's a testament to all the hard work that went into engineering a solid 'thunk' from the doors over the past few years.

"The level of detail that goes into developing sound quality in several of the vehicle components is often overlooked," she adds, "though subconsciously, these sounds significantly influence customers' perception of quality. I think it's pretty cool to hear pleasant sounds from various parts of the car coming together harmoniously to create these musical tracks."

Ford and the Movement Electronic Music Festival have a friendship spanning more than a decade – beginning when the festival was still in its infancy.

"Detroit inspires the world with its Techno music and cars," says Jason Huvaere, director of the Movement Festival. "Techno music is engineered and manufactured by skilled innovators, much as a vehicle is. When Ford does something like this, it's exciting. And it definitely says to us Ford gets it."

To hear each song, go to facebook.com/fordfusion, and to learn more about the Movement Electronic Festival go to facebook.com/movementdetroit.

# # #

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

 

 

Rides : Ford, Dow Chemical partner on carbon fiber composites, hope to shed up to 750 pounds

Ford is getting religion when it comes to light-weighting its vehicles. The company has entered into a new partnership with Dow Chemical to develop carbon fiber that can be manufactured at affordable prices for high-volume applications. That, of course, is the holy grail of weight reduction, which is why other manufacturers like General Motors are also partnering with suppliers to try and achieve the same ends.

Now before you get too excited about the carbon-fiber Mustang in the photos, understand that it was just a limited-production car shown at SEMA in 2009, and it carried a price tag of $135,000. That's the problem with carbon fiber parts – they are expensive because they are much more difficult to manufacture in volume than steel.

But if Ford and other carmakers are going to achieve the sorts of fuel economy improvements required by new regulations, they're going to have to either scale carbon fiber or dramatically shrink the size of most vehicles. Ford says it's targeting a 750-pound weight reduction per vehicle by the end of the decade.

 

Press Release

• Weight reductions of up to 750 pounds on future Ford vehicles are key to meeting fuel economy and electric vehicle range targets
• Ford and Dow engineers and researchers will combine efforts to develop low-cost carbon fiber and component-level manufacturing processes

DEARBORN, Mich., April 12, 2012 – Cutting the weight of new cars and trucks by up to 750 pounds by the end of the decade is a key component of Ford's strategy to improve fuel efficiency. In order to help achieve that goal, Ford Motor Company is partnering with Dow Automotive Systems, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company, to research the use of advanced carbon fiber composites in high-volume vehicles.

"There are two ways to reduce energy use in vehicles: improving the conversion efficiency of fuels to motion and reducing the amount of work that powertrains need to do," said Paul Mascarenas, Ford chief technical officer and vice president, Research and Innovation. "Ford is tackling the conversion problem primarily through downsizing engines with EcoBoost® and electrification while mass reduction and improved aerodynamics are keys to reducing the workload."

Ford is investigating a range of new materials, enhanced design processes and new manufacturing techniques that would enable automotive structures to meet increasingly stringent safety and quality standards while cutting weight.

"Vehicle weight reduction for our customers through intelligent design with a materials focus has been a priority for Dow Automotive Systems," said Florian Schattenmann, director of Research and Development for Dow Automotive Systems. "This partnership with Ford on carbon fiber composites is a logical next step to progress already achieved through the use of lightweight, high-strength polymers and structural bonding technology."

Carbon fiber composites have been used in aerospace and racing cars for decades due to their unique combination of high strength and low mass. Until recently these materials have been far too costly for use in high-volume mainstream applications.

Dow Automotive Systems and Ford have signed a joint development agreement that will see researchers from the two companies collaborate on several fronts. The development teams will focus on establishing an economical source of automotive-grade carbon fiber and develop component manufacturing methods for high-volume automotive applications.

The partnership will seek to combine the best of Ford's capabilities and experience in design, engineering and high-volume vehicle production with Dow Automotive's strengths in R&D, materials science and high-volume polymer processing.

"Reducing weight will benefit the efficiency of every Ford vehicle," added Mascarenas. "However, it's particularly critical to improving the range of plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles."

The joint development effort will also leverage work that The Dow Chemical Company has already begun through partnerships with Turkish carbon fiber manufacturer AKSA and the U.S. Department of Energy Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

If the joint development effort is successful, carbon fiber components may begin appearing on new Ford vehicles in the latter part of this decade as product development teams work toward meeting new fuel efficiency standards of more than 50 mpg and extending the range of plug-in vehicles.

Rides : Ford recalls 140,000 new Focus models over wiper concern

The National Highway Traffic Safety Association has announced on its website that Ford is recalling 140,000 Focus models built between August 1, 2010 and October 18, 2011. The defect in question is a seal in the wiring harness connector to the passenger side wiper motor that may be missing.

If the seal is AWOL, water can build up in the connector, which could over time render the passenger-side wiper useless. And if that happens, visibility could of course be altered, resulting in a higher probability of a crash.

To fix the issue, affected Focus owners need to take their vehicles to a Ford dealer for a free inspection of the wiper connector. A technician will clean and seal any connector that needs it, and any wiper motor that no longer works will be replaced free of charge. 

 

Press Release

Vehicle Make / Model: FORD / FOCUS
Model Year(s): 2012
Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY Mfr's Report Date: APR 02, 2012
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V149000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A
Component: VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
Potential Number of Units Affected: 140,310

Summary:
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 FOCUS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 2010, THROUGH OCTOBER 18, 2011. A SEAL IN THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR MAY BE MISSING.

Consequence:
WATER OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS MAY ACCUMULATE IN THE CONNECTOR, RESULTING IN AN INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR, REDUCING VISIBILITY AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy:
FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND AS NECESSARY, CLEAN AND PROPERLY SEAL THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MOTOR CONNECTOR. ANY INOPERATIVE WIPER MOTORS WILL BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE. FORD EXPECTS TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT MAY 21, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.