Pair Of 1964 Ford Fairlane Sport Coupes on 2040-cars

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Slew of Ford recalls affect more than a million vehicles

Ford is closing out September with the sad task of alerting owners to five different recalls, two of them camera related. The first is a safety compliance recall affecting 620,246 units of 12 models from the 2020 model year: Edge, Escape, Expedition, Explorer, F-150 and Super Duty, Mustang, Ranger, and Transit, plus the Lincoln Corsair, MKX, and Nautilus. On these vehicles, the circuit board in the rearview camera suffers from insufficient electrical conductivity. The issue can cause the resulting image to not appear or to be distorted, which can lead to an accident while reversing. Ford will begin notifying owners as of November 7 to get their vehicles to dealers for replacement of the rearview camera. The internal Ford reference for this recall is 20C19. The second camera-related issue affects the 2020 and 2021 Ford Explorer, Lincoln Corsair and Lincoln Aviator with the 360-degree camera. Technically, if you own a 2021 Explorer that only has a rearview camera and not a 360-degree camera, neither the above recall nor this one apply to you, but it's probably better safe than sorry here. There are 354,330 crossovers covered by this action. A video output issue could cause the displayed image to cut out, increasing the chances of a reversing accident. Ford will notify dealers starting October 7, the fix being to have a dealer update the Image Processing Module software. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 21V735, Ford’s internal reference number is 21S44.  The F-250 and F-350 Super Duty are in for another recalls thanks to potentially improper welds on the front axle's wheel end yoke. A bad weld could alter steering performance, getting the truck to pull left or right, or change the sensitivity of the steering. There are 9,628 affected trucks in the U.S. and 961 in Canada. Dealers will replace the axle assembly if any bad welds are found. Ford's reference number for this is 20S56. The fourth recall affects 38,005 Mustangs in the U.S. and another 2,873 Mustangs in Canada and Mexico from the 2020 model year. In this instance, the brake pedal bracket might fracture during sudden stopping, which can decrease brake pressure and increase the chances of an accident. Ford's internal reference for this recall is 20S52, the fix being to have a dealer replace the brake pedal bracket assembly. Finally, 126,033 units of the 2011 to 2013 Explorer are being recalled over a potential suspension issue.

F-150 just the start of Ford's aluminum plans

Not only have we been told that the 2015 Ford F-150 is tougher, more durable and up to 700 pounds lighter than the current truck, Ford COO Mark Fields said it's also "CAFE-positive." That means, for the first time in the history of corporate average fuel economy standards, the F-150 would be a positive contributor on Ford's CAFE balance sheet instead of being a vehicle it needs to counterbalance with frugal offerings.
Fields' comments made at the Detroit Auto Show were among quotes from other Ford execs that confirmed the carmaker will be using aluminum for more of its vehicles. CEO Alan Mulally said it would "proliferate across our lineup," with speculation being that we'll see it applied to crossover and sport utility models first, since they'll benefit the most. Even gaining the massive scale of using aluminum on the world's best selling vehicle for its first effort - on average, the company sells two times as many F-150s in a single day as Land Rover sells of its aluminum Range Rover in a month - Ford will be looking to further spread the cost of its five-year development investment in aluminum technology. And that should mean better handling and fuel economy for those of us who don't need to wear hardhats at the office.

Facelifted Ford Focus caught testing in the cold

It's that time in the life of the Ford Focus to get a little work done - a nip-tuck here, some Botox there. Yes, Ford is testing a facelifted version of its global C-segment entry, which first hit markets in Europe and North America in May 2011.
Like the touchup on the Fiesta, expect Ford's gaping grille to make its first appearance on the Focus. Our spy photographers point out that this is likely to be a more comprehensive makeover than previous spy shots suggested, based on the additional camouflage seen here on the front and rear ends of this five-door model. New head and taillights are also likely in order, as are changes to the front and rear fascia.
The interior was also snapped and features a cleaner design with a larger central display. Other than that, it looks like some buttons have been changed, making us think most of the Focus' updates are limited to the exterior.