2000 Lincoln Town Car 120" Stretch Limousine on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford issues recalls for Fiesta, Fusion, E-Series, and Lincoln MKZ

Ford has issued two new safety recalls for North America. The first covers certain 2014-15 Ford Fiestas, 2014-16 Ford Fusions, and 2014-16 Lincoln MKZs with doors that might not close properly. The second pertains to 2021 Ford E-Series stripped chassis and cutaway vehicles with a wiring harness that might chaffe and expose important wiring.    Ford is recalling 268,343 Fiesta hatchbacks, Fusion sedans, and MKZ sedans across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with 248,912 of the affected vehicles located in the U.S. The recall says the "latch pawl spring-tab design" could crack in locations where the temperature gets too hot. If the tab breaks, the door might not shut. Or, worse, the door will shut temporarily and reopen once the vehicle is in motion. As a fix, Ford dealers will remove and replace the side door latches. In a separate recall, Ford is targeting 3,631 2021 E-Series stripped chassis and cutaway vehicles. These vehicles could have frame-mounted wiring harnesses that could deteriorate and break due to rubbing on the frame. If the chaffing wears down the harness, wiring for the fuel, trailer tow, and antilock braking systems could be exposed and damaged. In the worst-case scenario, the damage to the fuel pump wiring could cause the pump to stop working, which could stall the vehicle.  Those with affected E-Series vehicles should bring them in to dealerships for inspection. If there is no damage, technicians will add anti-abrasion tape over the area and "ensure clearance to surrounding components." If the harness is damaged, the wiring will be spliced and fixed, then anti-abrasion tape will be added. Ford also issued a third recall, but it is specifically for the Canadian market. On 54,292 examples of 2006-10 Ford Fusions, 2006-10 Mercury Milans, and 2006-10 Lincoln MKZs, a valve inside the hydraulic control unit might stick open. According to Ford, this could result in a longer brake pedal travel, which could possibly create dangerous situations if the driver is unaware. Dealerships will inspect the control units and replace those that are defective. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2021 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport Leaks!!

Junkyard Gem: 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III

The story of the Continental features plenty of fascinating plot twists during its off-and-on 1940-2020 history, and one of the most interesting is the car that resulted from the decisions of the Ford Motor Company's mighty warlord during the 1960s: Lee Iacocca. That was the 1969-1971 Continental Mark III, a car that printed bales of money for Ford. Today's Junkyard Gem is one of those cars, found in a Northern California car graveyard recently. Iacocca wanted a Lincoln to compete with Cadillac's snazzy new Eldorado coupe, and he wanted to do it on the cheap. Since the original Mustang had been so profitable in large part because it was based on the Falcon compact, the same philosophy would be used for the new Lincoln coupe. The Ford Thunderbird, which had become a well-over-two-ton behemoth by 1967, would provide the Mark III's platform; this had the added benefit of using excess production capacity at the T-Bird's assembly plant in Wixom, Michigan. Focus groups disliked the Mark III, but Iacocca and Henry Ford II ignored them and pushed forward with production. This worked out well; Mark III sales beat the Eldorado's immediately and the platform-sharing with the Thunderbird kept costs low and profits fat. Along with the Mustang and the Chrysler minivan, the Mark III stands as one of Iacocca's greatest business triumphs. These cars used to be reasonably easy to find in wrecking yards, but they've been junkyard rarities for at least the past decade. This one lived a hard life. The 460-cubic-inch (7.5-liter) V8, rated at 365 horsepower and 500(!) pound-feet of torque, was gone when I arrived. The chrome received a gold-plating treatment by a customizer at some point. It's possible that this car was once a good-looking lowrider, but that would have been decades ago. About the only remaining hint of its former opulence is the rear seat. The MSRP for this car was $7,281, or about $59,286 in 2023 dollars. The 1970 Cadillac Eldorado cost $6,903 ($56,208 now). Of course, the out-the-door cost for both cars would have been quite a bit higher, after not-so-optional options had been added by the customer. This individually decisive motorcar has no peer.

Ford workers vote to ratify new four-year UAW contract

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union said on Friday that rank-and-file members at Ford have voted in favor of a new four-year labor contract with the No. 2 U.S. automaker. The UAW will now focus on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the sole remaining Detroit automaker without a new labor contract. Talks with FCA are expected to begin on Monday, a UAW spokesman said. The union said 56.3% of Ford's hourly workers voted to approve the deal, which allowed the company to avoid a strike like the one that cost its larger rival General Motors about $3 billion (GBP2.3 billion). UAW leaders said earlier this month that Ford under the deal agreed to invest more than $6 billion in its U.S. plants, and to create or retain more than 8,500 UAW jobs. The deal also includes pay raises and lump-sum payments over the life of the contract, a pathway to full-time employment for temporary employees and unchanged healthcare coverage. Workers at GM approved a deal in late October that ended a contentious 40-day U.S. strike, the longest automotive labor stoppage since 1970. Detailed terms of the Ford deal — released just a week after GM workers approved their new contract — echoed those agreed to with GM, as the union typically uses the first deal as a template for those that follow. UAW leaders managed contract negotiations with Ford and GM, including the lengthy strike, while struggling with an ongoing federal corruption probe. To date, 10 people have pleaded guilty in connection with the criminal investigation into illegal payoffs. Just last week former UAW vice president and former GM board member Joseph Ashton was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. Earlier this month the UAW said that its president, Gary Jones, who had been linked to the ongoing corruption probe, was taking a leave of absence. Rory Gamble, the union's acting head, said last week he will examine every department of the union in response to the spreading federal corruption probe to prevent future misuse of members' dues.