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2017-19 Ford Super Duty trucks recalled for tailgates that could open

Ford announced two separate recalls today, though neither has resulted in any known injuries. The first recall, which deals with a tailgate malfunction, affects 261,617 examples of 2017-2019 F-250, F-350, and F-450 Super Duty pickups. The second, which anticipates the possibility of a fuel leak, affects 3,893 units of 2020 Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator SUVs with 3.0-liter engines. Ford says tailgates might accidentally open on some 2017-2019 Super Duty trucks because of a short circuit. If the pickups have an electric tailgate latch-release switch on the tailgate handle, water might get into the wiring. If the water hits the right spots, a short circuit could cause the switch to release the tailgate latch. In a worst-case scenario where the tailgate opens while driving, contents of the truck's bed could fall out and create a safety hazard. Dealerships will fix the problem by modifying the tailgate frame wiring harnesses with jumper pigtails and install a new tailgate handle release switch. Of the lot, 231,664 trucks are in the U.S., and 29,953 are in Canada. The Ford recall number is 19S48.  The second recall is much smaller, involving fewer than 4,000 vehicles. In certain 2020 Explorers and Aviators with 3.0-liter engines, Ford says, "The convolute protective sleeve on the liquid fuel line is not long enough, which may allow for potential hard contact with the convolute-protected vapor fuel line. Over time, with vibration and engine roll, hard contact between the two fuel lines could cause the convolute on the vapor fuel line to rub through the plastic liquid fuel line." If that happens, it could be a fire risk and hazardous for drivers and passengers. Only 35 of those SUVs are in Canada, and the rest are in the United States. Dealers will fix the problem by replacing the defective convolute with a full-length piece and tying it down with a strap. The recall reference number for the Aviators and Explorers is 19S49. The recall adds to what has otherwise been a rocky early production phase for the new Explorers and Aviators.

Ford won't be releasing GT500 lap times for the 'Ring, or any other car

Trucks have towing capacity, EVs have driving range and performance cars have Nürburgring lap times. What do all three have in common? They should all be taken with a grain of salt. Currently, there is no sanctioned way to record lap times or verify production-spec cars - a lesson we recently learned with the 2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo - and until there is a way to do so (and there probably never will be), we'll never officially know the actual time it took for Ford to lap the 'Ring with its ultra-powerful Shelby GT500.
After posting a Ford-made video of a 2013 GT500 running around the 'Ring, the guys over at SVTPerformance.com (an enthusiasts forum not affiliated with Ford or SVT) wanted more answers. They got in touch with Ford's Global Performance Vehicle Chief Engineer Jamal Hameedi, who said until there is a way to verify the times and inspect the cars, Ford will not get involved with lap-time wars. In the email, Hameedi pointed out that the 'Ring is a useful tool in that it allows a wide spectrum of track conditions, but until there is a governed way to record times, there is no way to accurately compare cars head-to-head.
And as much as some may not like it, Hameedi speaks the truth. It really isn't possible to compare times from one car to another, unless those cars were lapping the same track at the same time with the same driver. Not that any of this means there won't be continuous wars by fans and manufacturers alike... in other words, feel free to voice your opinions in the Comments below.

Ford celebrating 80 years of Aussie utes as it prepares to shutter Oz manufacturing

Ford is ending Australian production after 90 years in 2016, and with it may go perhaps the most iconic vehicles in its auto market - the ute. Car-based pickup trucks like the Ford Ranchero and Chevrolet El Camino were always more of a curiosity than a true market force here, but in Australia, they have long proven hugely popular.
As the legend goes, Ford invented the niche after a farmer's wife had asked Ford Australia's managing director for a more utilitarian car. Her request was simple: "My husband and I can't afford a car and a truck but we need a car to go to church on Sunday and a truck to take the pigs to market on Monday. Can you help?"
Ford's design team came up with a two-passenger, enclosed, steel coupe body with glass windows and a steel-paneled, wooden-frame load area in the rear. The sides of the bed were blended into the body to make it look more unified, and to keep costs down, the front end and interior were based on the Ford Model 40 five-window coupe. Power came from a V8 with shifting chores handled by a three-speed manual. Within a year, the new vehicle was ready, and production began in 1934. Lead designer Lewis Bandt christened it the coupe-utility.