Town Car Limousine - 8 Passanger on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford issues six recalls covering 101,000 vehicles for multiple issues

Ford is announcing six separate recalls for a variety of issues affecting a dozen models and a total of 100,610 vehicles in North America. However, according to Ford spokesperson Kelli Felker, "None of them have caused accidents or injuries." Half of them cover fewer than 1,000 cars.
The largest recall covers 92,022 North American examples (about 83,250 in the US) of some models of the Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS, Ford Interceptor, Flex and Lincoln MKT from the 2013 and 2014 model years; the 2012-2014 Edge and the 2014 Lincoln MKX. All of them have a potential issue with the halfshaft on the right side that might not be fully seated and could move outward over time. If it shifts too far, the models may no longer be able to drive, and the condition could also allow the vehicles to roll away, even when in Park. Dealers will inspect the shaft to make sure it's seated and will replace the part if necessary.
The next-largest recall covers 5,264 North American examples (4,867 in the US) of the Ford F59 Commercial Stripped Chassis from the 2011-2014 model years. It's possible that an electrical junction box can corrode in areas with salty roads and short circuit. The problem could potentially cause a fire. Dealers will replace the box with an improved design.

2023 Lincoln Navigator makes changes to trim lineup and color menu

Lincoln has been doing its thing out of the way of the big headlines at Ford. The brand hasn't put out an official press release for the Navigator since August 2021, the 2023 Navigator whispering into the new year so quietly we barely noticed. The big SUV got refreshed for the 2022 model year, gaining the brand's ActiveGlide hands-free driving system, Lincoln Enhance over-the-air update capability, a larger 13.2-inch infotainment screen, two new themes for the top-tier Black Label trim called Central Park and Invitation, tweaked front and rear fascias, and a few other bits. For 2023, the changes are mostly decorative and financial. The base extended model known as the Navigator L is gone. The stretched Navigator now comes in Reserve and Black Label only. Flight Blue is no longer on the exterior palette, but Diamond Red Tricoat can be ordered for the base Standard trim as well as the Reserve and Reserve L. The sole powertrain is unchanged, that being a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 with 440 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque sending power through a ten-speed automatic to either the rear wheels or all four. 2023 Navigator prices after the $1,895 destination charge, and their increases from 2022, are: Standard: $81,620 ($3,215) Reserve: $93,830 ($4,730) Reserve L: $96,860 ($5,090) Standard 4WD: $84,620 ($3,215) Reserve 4WD: $96,530 ($5,090) Reserve L 4WD: $99,555 ($5,090) Black Label 4WD: $111,150 ($6,475) Black Label L 4WD: $114,195 ($6,475) As you can see, there are some healthy bumps compared to launch pricing for the 2022 model year. In 2022, the base model dropped by $5, three other trims rose by a few hundred, one trim rose by $1,760, and five climbed by almost $5,000. For 2023, a $5,000 increase is effectively the norm. Getting a Navigator seems to be a little easier than around this time last year when Lincoln made the model custom order only. Now the warning text reads, "Some models, trims and features may not be available. Please contact your local Lincoln Retailer for updates and assistance." Bring money. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

BMW, Hyundai score big in JD Power's first Tech Experience Index

While automakers are quick to brag about winning a JD Power Initial Quality Study award, the reality, as we've pointed out before, is that these ratings are somewhat misleading, since IQS doesn't necessarily distinguish genuine quality issues. JD Power's new Tech Experience Index aims to solve that problem. The new metric takes the same 90-day approach as IQS but focuses exclusively on technology – collision protection, comfort and convenience, driving assistance, entertainment and connectivity, navigation, and smartphone mirroring. It splits the industry up into just seven segments, based loosely on size, which is why the Chevrolet Camaro is in the same division (mid-size) as Kia Sorento and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class is in the same segment as the Hyundai Genesis (mid-size premium). It makes for some screwy bedfellows, to be sure. Still, splitting tech experience away from initial quality should allow customers to make more informed and intelligent decisions when buying new vehicles. In the inaugural study, respondents listed BMW and Hyundai as the big winners, with two segment awards – the 2 Series for small premium and the 4 Series for compact premium, and the Genesis for mid-size premium and Tucson for small segment. The Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact), and Nissan Maxima (large) scored individual wins. Ford also had a surprising hit with the Lincoln MKC, which ranked third in the compact premium segment behind the 4 Series and Lexus IS. This is a coup for the Blue Oval, whose woeful MyFord Touch systems made the brand a victim of the IQS' flaws in the early 2010s. But Ford and other automakers might not want to celebrate just yet. According to JD Power, there's still a lot of room for improvement – navigation systems were the lowest-rated piece of tech in the study. Instead, customers repeatedly saluted collision-avoidance and safety systems, giving the category the best marks of the study and listing blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras as two must-have features – 96 percent of respondents said they wanted those two systems in their next vehicle. But this isn't really a surprise. Implementation of safety systems from brand to brand is similar, and they don't require any input from users, unlike navigation and infotainment systems which are frustratingly deep.