2008 Ford F-450 Super Duty Lariat Crew Cab Pickup 4-door 6.4l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

NHTSA investigating 250k F-150s for possible power brake failure

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation into the 2011-2012 Ford F-150 with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 because of potential failure of the power braking assist. If a recall is required, it could affect an estimated 250,000 of the trucks. This investigation is prompted by NHTSA receiving 32 complaints about the electric vacuum assist pump allegedly failing in these trucks, which then causes the power braking assist to stop working. Drivers claim having no warning beforehand. There are also two reports of crashes that are purportedly linked to the problem, but the government agency lists no injuries. According to NHTSA, the issue may be getting worse because 60 percent of these allegations are from the past nine months. A preliminary evaluation doesn't necessarily lead to a recall, though. NHTSA uses them "to assess the cause, scope and frequency of the alleged defect." Ford spokesperson Kelli Felker tells Autoblog: "We will cooperate with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do." Related Video: INVESTIGATION Subject : Brake Vacuum Pump Failure Date Investigation Opened: JUN 22, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15026 Component(s): SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) FORD F-150 2011-2012 Details Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company SUMMARY: The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has identified 32 complaints alleging electric vacuum assist pump failures resulting in loss of brake power assist and increased brake pedal effort in model year (MY) 2011-2012 Ford F-150 full-size pickup trucks equipped with 3.5L GTDI engine. None of the complaints reported any warning indicators to alert the driver of brake power assist loss or the potential of increased stopping distance. Two reports alleged crashes due to increased brake pedal effort required to stop or slow the vehicle. The complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with approximately 60 percent of complaints received within the past nine months. A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the cause, scope and frequency of the alleged defect.

Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R named Road & Track Performance Car of the Year

With a 526-horsepower, 5.2-liter V8 that roars to 8,250 rpm, it's really hard to consider the 2016 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350R an underdog in any fight. However, the Shelby held the lowest as-tested price and was only middle of the pack in terms of power in Road & Track's 2016 Performance Car of the Year challenge. The 'Stang's numbers clearly didn't tell the whole story about the potent coupe because Ford's muscle car grabbed the title in this year's test. A model needs to be new or significantly updated to be eligible for the honor, and R&T found an impressive slate of eight candidates this year. The challengers included the Bentley Continental GT3-R, Cadillac ATS-V Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper ACR, Mercedes-AMG GT S, and Porsche Cayman GT4. The Ferrari 488 GTB was the most expensive of the bunch with an as-tested price of $347,942, which is five times more than the Shelby. Once the group was together, R&T hustled them over curving roads and on the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park. There was a lot to love about the Shelby, even in this impressive crew. "With a flat-plane crank and Sport Cup 2 tires, the GT350R is a Mustang turned up to 11," editor-in-chief Larry Webster said in the announcement of the results. The GT350R joins some great company. Past winners include the Porsche 911 GT3 last year and the Corvette in 2013. For some fantastic photography and the complete appraisal of these performance machines check out R&T's website for the full story. Related Video: ROAD & TRACK NAMES THE FORD MUSTANG SHELBY GT350R THE 2016 PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR New York, NY (November 9, 2015) – Road & Track today named the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R the 2016 Performance Car of the Year, beating out seven of the world's best new sports cars. The article appears in the December/January issue, on newsstands November 17, and on RoadandTrack.com. "With a flat-plane crank and Sport Cup 2 tires, the GT350R is a Mustang turned up to 11," said Larry Webster, editor-in-chief of Road & Track. "Not only does the car have soul and harness so much firepower with such ease, but the real achievement here is that it's so approachable. It's a car you can't help but love." The Mustang Shelby GT350R was the winner by a runaway vote.

Ford board pushing Mulally for decision amidst fears story is drowning out other news

Automakers and their executives rarely like to divulge information regarding future goings on, but the board of directors at Ford sound like they're getting a little antsy about chief executive officer Alan Mulally and his plans for 2014.
According to Reuters, as news of Mulally's possible departure to Microsoft continues to swirl, Ford's board is looking to push the affable executive to make a decision about his future sooner rather than later. Apparently, the board is growing concerned that this will-he/won't-he drama may end up distracting the media from covering Ford's other big news events next year - items like the debut of key all-new products like the Mustang and F-150.
So far, the picture for Mulally's eventual successor remains fuzzy, but it's understood that the leading candidate remains the company's chief operating officer, Mark Fields. Just recently, we heard that Mulally will stay until the end of 2014, but a few months ago, Ford seemed open to the idea of him stepping down earlier than that.