2007 Ford F-150 Xlt Extended Cab Pickup 4-door 5.4l on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Ford announces e-bike project, Honda Accord Hybrid availability catches up

Supplies of the Honda Accord Hybrid have apparently caught up with demand. Honda originally launched the Accord Hybrid for the 2014 model year, but lack of availability plagued interested customers and eager dealers alike. Honda cited "component supply constraints" - likely batteries, electric motors and the like - for the lack of available vehicles. Now, "The supply of Accord Hybrids in general is in line with the supply of the regular Accord sedan," according to Honda's Angie Nucci. Read more at Green Car Reports. Apple is seeking a resolution to a lawsuit accusing the company of poaching employees from lithium-ion battery maker A123 Systems. A123 has requested a court order stopping a former employer from breaking an employment agreement, as well as keeping Apple from encouraging the person to do so. Apple has requested more time to respond to that court order. A123 has also filed a suit accusing five employees of breaking nondisclosure agreements and going or trying to go to work for Apple. Insiders say that Apple is developing an electric car that could go into production as early as 2020. Read more at Automotive News. South Dakota's Ethanol Infrastructure Incentive Program is helping retailers fund ethanol storage. The state government has set aside $300,000 as part of the program to fund ethanol storage tanks at gas stations. The program, which originally set out to reimburse retailers for building ethanol flex-pumps, is now helping them expand their ethanol capacities. Retailers can apply for funds for pumps and storage through June 30. Read more at Argus Leader. Ford is expanding its Global Mobility Plan with the Handle on Mobility electric bike experiment. The foldable MoDe:Me e-bike is for personal use and commuting, while the MoDe:Pro is built for commercial duty, with both powered by a 200-watt motor and 9-amp-hour battery. The bikes use an iPhone app called MoDe:Link, which provides various information and controls important bike functions. Through the app, the bikes offer navigation (with traffic data, available public transportation and charging locations included), with handlebar vibrations letting the rider know when and where to turn and automatically activating turn signals. The bike can sense and alert the rider to other vehicles on the roadway. Pedal assist is based on heart rate, allowing the rider to arrive at their destination comfortably. See the bikes in the video above, and read more from Ford.

Ford F-150 Raptor R, Kia Telluride and SEMA highlights | Autoblog Podcast #754

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Associate Editor Byron Hurd. Byron has been sending the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R on the sand dunes of Lake Michigan. John has been off-roading in the updated 2023 Kia Telluride. Greg has been spending time in the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, Chevy Traverse High Country and Volvo V60 Cross Country. Next, they talk about the news, include SEMA highlights and the reveal of the 2023 Ford Transit Trail. Finally, they reach into the mailbag and discuss the Cadillac Celestiq's design. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #754 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving Ford F-150 Raptor R Kia Telluride Toyota Tacoma Chevy Traverse High Country Volvo V60 Cross Country 2023 SEMA Show highlights 2023 Ford Transit Trail revealed Mailbag: Cadillac Celestiq Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video:

Ford announces free brake pad offer if customers stop by dealers

These days, when you buy a new car, it's not unreasonable to expect a certain period of free maintenance to come along as well. Sometimes this is through the life of the warranty, in other cases a little less. But Ford Motor Company is going beyond those deals for at least one part of its cars. As of now, if you buy a set of Motorcraft brake pads for a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury model, you get free replacements for as long as you own the vehicle. The offer is good at Ford or Lincoln dealers and Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers.
"We will replace the pads for as long as you own the vehicle," said Elizabeth Weigandt to Autoblog. She did clarify that the Motorcraft pads are generally for models from the '90s or newer. Also, to take advantage of this program, a person must return to the same dealer each time to get the free parts.
Of course, Ford isn't just handing out brake pads to anyone who walks by; there are certain stipulations. First, the components have to be worn down to less than three millimeters to be eligible, and the buyer still has to pay for the labor to install them. If the model is used as a fleet vehicle for commercial purposes like as a taxi or limousine, this offer also doesn't apply; the same thing for racecars. On the plus side, if you recently bought a set of pads from one of the participating locations, you're still in luck. The deal covers parts purchased as of July 1.