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NHTSA probes 2014 Ford Edge Sport 22-inch alloy wheels

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation into the 2014 Ford Edge Sport for the possibility its 22-inch wheels could break while on the road. This affects an estimated 20,000 examples of the crossover, according to NHTSA. The case that instigated this evaluation was submitted to NHTSA in November 2014. The driver reported that the front, right corner of the vehicle suddenly dipped, and the Edge went into a field. No one was harmed, but upon investigation, the wheel had broken into two pieces, according to The Detroit News. When this happened, this crossover had been driven an estimated 8,500 miles. NHTSA's preliminary evaluations are meant "to assess the scope, frequency, and safety-related consequences of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles." If a problem is discovered during the investigation, this process can lead to a recall. Ford spokesperson Kelli Felker told Autoblog, "We will cooperate with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do." INVESTIGATION Subject : Wheel Separation Date Investigation Opened: MAY 20, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15020 Component(s): WHEELS All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) FORD EDGE 2014 Details Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company SUMMARY: On November 29, 2014, ODI received a complaint (ODI No. 10661278) reporting the sudden failure of an original equipment 22-inch alloy wheel rim that failed on a model year 2014 Ford Edge. The right-front corner of the vehicle suddenly dropped while driving, causing the vehicle to drive off the road and into a field. The right-front wheel rim was found to have broken into two pieces. The owner said that there was no prior warning or wheel related problems with the vehicle. The vehicle had been driven approximately 8,500 miles at the time of the incident. A preliminary evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and safety-related consequences of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. Related Video:

Hands on with Ford Sync 3

It's kind of funny (not funny) how the infotainment systems in our vehicles seem to lag behind the consumer products in our pockets. Long after we had easy-to-use touchscreens on our phones, the glass panels in the center stack of our cars remained obstinately mired in the muck of technology past. We are happy to report it's getting better. We had a chance to go hands-on with the new Sync 3 system from Ford at a technology event. Not once were we struck by the urge to reach out and offer a bit of knuckled encouragement. The processors kept swiping smooth, and the voice recognition could understand even our mumbly mouthings. The voice prompts were certainly fewer and less frustrating than in times past. Ask for the nearest Indian restaurant, and it quickly brought up a list to choose from, ready to offer directions. Want to listen to NPR, just say the word. Sync 3 also improved its ability to get along with others, by which we mean it nicely integrates a range of apps from your phone and can incorporate their individual areas of expertise. With Pandora installed, we could ask for a particular playlist and it would begin streaming. If we wanted a certain artist, it would pull it from the phone's memory upon request. To get a sense of what how the new system functions, check out the video above for a quick look at the improved layout and a demonstration of its smoothness and smarts. To get a look at how it integrates with music streaming services, scroll down for a Pandora-centered Short Cut below.

GM, Ford, Honda winners in 'Car Wars' study as industry growth continues

General Motors' plans to aggressively refresh its product lineup will pay off in the next four years with strong market share and sales, according to an influential report released Tuesday. Ford, Honda, and FCA are all poised to show similar gains as the auto industry is expected to remain healthy through the rest of the decade. The Bank of America Merrill Lynch study, called Car Wars, analyzes automakers' future product plans for the next four model years. By 2020, 88 percent of GM's sales will come from newly launched products, which puts it slightly ahead of Ford's 86-percent estimate. Honda (85 percent) and FCA (84 percent) follow. The industry average is 81 percent. Toyota checks in just below the industry average at 79 percent, with Nissan trailing at 76 percent. Car Wars' premise is: automakers that continually launch new products are in a better position to grow sales and market share, while companies that roll out lightly updated models are vulnerable to shifting consumer tastes. Though Detroit and Honda grade out well in the study, many major automakers are clumped together, which means large market-share swings are less likely in the coming years. Bank of America Merrill Lynch predicts the industry will top out with 20 million sales in 2018 and then taper off, perhaps as much as 30 percent by 2026. Not surprisingly, trucks, sport utility vehicles and crossovers will be the key battlefield in the next few years, Car Wars says. FCA will launch a critical salvo in 2018 with a new Ram 1500, followed by new generations of the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra in 2019, and then Ford's F-150 for 2020, according to the study. Bank of America Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy said the GM trucks could be pulled ahead even earlier to 2018, prompting Ford to respond. "This focus on crossovers and trucks is a great thing for the industry," Murphy said. Cars Wars looks at Korean (76 percent replacement rate) and European companies more vaguely (70 percent), but argues their slower product cadence and lineups with fewer trucks puts them in weaker positions than their competitors through 2020. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2016 Chevrolet Silverado View 11 Photos Image Credit: Chevrolet Earnings/Financials Chrysler Fiat Ford GM Honda Nissan Toyota study FCA