1999 Ford Explorer Xlt Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Ford recalls nearly 200,000 Expeditions and Navigators for fire risk

Ford is recalling 2015-2017 Expeditions and 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigators because the front blower motor could fail and cause a fire. In total, 198,482 Expeditions and Navigators will be recalled. In the official recall documents posted by NHTSA, Ford says that it “has not identified the cause of this condition.” However, Ford also says it is currently aware of 25 fire allegations related to the blower motors on these vehicles. Despite not strictly identifying the cause of blower motor fires, Ford put forth a theory in its fieldwork analysis of the issue.  “In June 2022, based on component analysis, Ford Engineering theorized that a mispositioned blower motor brush holder spring could cause an internal short or localized heating of the brush spring or holder. It is believed that when a fire initiates on the blower motor, it does so at the positive brush holder location. The variable blower controller would remain operational and there would be no signs of an overheated relay. Field data indicates that this concern typically occurs at a higher time in service, and on vehicles with higher mileage.” Since the blower motor is located on the passenger side interior behind the glovebox, the fires that start are interior fires. Ford isnÂ’t aware of any accidents related to this issue, but there is one claim of burnt hands and fingers as a result of a fire. According to Ford, warning signs of an impending fire or failed blower motor include an inoperative fan, burning smell and/or smoke from the instrument panel vents while the vehicle is on. To remedy this situation, Ford is recalling the affected SUVs and replacing the blower motor assembly with a revised part. The new part uses a blower motor assembly design utilized on other applications. If folks with these SUVs experience any symptoms of blower motor failure before the new part becomes available, Ford says they can take their vehicle to the dealer to have it replaced with a part of the same design. Once the redesigned part becomes available, the dealer will then swap it in. Owner notification letters are expected to begin on September 12 this year. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ford 'working very hard' on F-150 hybrid

The lighter, aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford F-150 gets (at best) 26 miles per gallon. That's not bad for a truck that size – and we should always remember that improving gas guzzlers can make a big difference – but what if the popular truck came with a gas-electric hybrid powertrain? How efficient would that be? We heard Ford talking about such a vehicle last year, and now we learn that Ford is still "working very hard" to make a F-150 hybrid happen. You want details? Well, we all want details, but those will not be coming for quite some time. Last year, Ford's global product development chief, Raj Nair, said that the company was planning to have hybrid pickups and hybrid SUVs on sale by 2020. With fuel prices dropping, Nair is now saying that a hybrid F-150 makes more sense, financially, than a diesel, but Ford could make both options available, depending on customer demand. The diesel wouldn't require all that much work, Nair said, since "we've got diesels in the portfolio." To date, the only hybrid F-150s we've seen have been conversions, often PHEVs, like this example from HVET or this one from Quantum. Pickup trucks from other manufacturers haven't been greeted with huge sales numbers. General Motors stopped making its big two-mode hybrids and cancelled the next-gen program.

11 vehicles from Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas worth watching

This weekend will see the world's collector car crowds descend on Las Vegas, NV for one of the biggest shows on Barrett-Jackson's popular auction circuit. There are hundreds of vehicles up for bidding, ranging from a brand-new Lamborghini Aventador to a spattering of Art Deco classics and a huge swath of classic muscle cars.
While it's virtually impossible to assemble an inarguable list of the best cars coming during the three-day, 700-plus vehicle auction, we've sifted through the listings for this year's show - it was a tough assignment, we promise - and assembled a list of what we think will be some of the most interesting lots. We'll admit, it's a bit heavy on American iron, but if you browse BJ's listings, you'll come to a similar conclusion. Still, scroll down for our list of what we think will be the most interesting vehicles at the upcoming auction.