Category Archives: Ford

News about Ford automobile manufacturer. News about Ford recalls, technical service bulletins (TSB), and problems regarding Ford vehicles.

CTS Corporation Supplies Toyota Pedals

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In the auto industry, it is expensive for each auto manufacturer to design and build every component for their vehicles. As a result, they go to automotive suppliers who build OEM parts that are bought by many different auto manufacturers. The gas pedal assembly at the center of Toyota’s stop sale and recall are one of these OEM parts. It was designed and built by a company called the CTS Corporation. They are a leading designer and manufacturer of electronic components and sensors and a provider of electronics manufacturing services in the automotive, communications, medical, defense, aerospace, industrial and computer markets. CTS manufactures products in North America, Europe and Asia. They also sell assemblies to Honda, Ford, GM and Chrysler.

Honda spokeswoman, Christina Ra reassured their customers by saying, “We use the same supplier for a small number of vehicles sold in the U.S. We do not use the same components as are involved in our competitor’s recall. We directly confirmed with CTS that it is not the same component.”

Ford, also a CTS pedal customer, has halted production in China of its Transit Classic diesel van, which is the only Ford product to use a CTS pedal assembly. The van is sold only in China. “Ford has its own unique design and engineering for its accelerator pedals globally,” Said Deep, a Ford spokesman. “In a review, we determined that none of our other vehicles worldwide use the CTS pedal.” ” 1,663 Transit Classic vans with the CTS pedal had been produced, and the company was investigating how many had reached customers. “We are constantly monitoring performance, and we have not seen any design issue related to unintended acceleration in Ford vehicles,” Mr. Deep said.

Alan Adler, a spokesman for G.M., said that the automaker has “no direct contractual supplier relationship” with CTS, though he said the company could be supplying components through other suppliers.

Chrysler said the pedals CTS makes for the company are different from Toyota’s. “Accelerator pedals produced by CTS Automotive for Chrysler Group LLC vehicles are a different specification and design and are manufactured using different production tooling and materials than the pedals produced for Toyota,”

You can CLICK HERE to view CTS Corporations press release of the Toyota accelerator pedal recall.

Auto Industry Aids Haiti Victims

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Even with all the turmoil and uncertainty in today’s auto industry, auto makers and a large financial institution banded together in an effort to send funds to the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

GM gave $100,000 and provided direct online access to the red cross so its employees could make personal contributions as well. “As one of the world’s largest car companies, doing our part to contribute aid to Haiti is not about business but our obligation to our fellow man,” explained GM chairman and chief executive officer Ed Whitacre. “There is remarkable compassion among GM employees, and I know that same spirit will make a difference in helping the Haiti relief effort.”

Toyota Motor North America Inc. is donating $500,000 to the American Red Cross, Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders. “Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders have been working in Haiti for a long time”, says Michael Rouse, vice president of philanthropy and community affairs at Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc.

In addition, Toyota North America, Toyota Motor Sales, Toyota Financial Services and Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America will match employee contributions and provide four-wheel-drive Tundras and Tacomas to the Red Cross.

Nissan donated $30,000 in cash to the Red Cross and plans to provide more than $100,000 for the Haitian earthquake relief effort. The automaker will match the first $25,000 in employee donations, for a combined contribution of up to $50,000. They will also give $52,000 to Habitat for Humanity International to construct 13 houses in Haiti as rebuilding programs get under way.

Ford’s Ford Fund & Community Services said it will match all individual employee contributions up to $50,000, which will be donated to the American Red Cross. It also is working with Behrmann Motors, a Ford dealership in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to identify critical needs on the ground.

Eaton, an engine parts supplier, pledged $100,000 to the Red Cross fund. Eaton also will match employees’ donations to the United Way Worldwide Disaster Fund that supports long-term recovery efforts such as financial and health-related challenges.

Bank of America executives donated $1 million with half of that sum going to the American Red Cross. The remaining $500,000 will go toward the long-term recovery efforts to restore basic medical services and fund the rebuilding of homes, schools and other structures critical to the affected communities. Bank of America also plans to match donations made by its employees.

Ford Shines At The Detroit Auto Show

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Based on the Detroit Auto Show, the automobile industry may be undergoing a huge transformation. There are dozens of hybrid vehicles and countless pure battery-powered cars. The market for energy alternative cars remains weak, but if strict emissions standards are imposed, demands could soar.

Ford Motor Company had a very strong showing, winning North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year Awards. The car award went to the Ford Fusion Hybrid and in the truck category, Ford’s Transit Connect van. This is the sixth win in the truck category for Ford, the most of any automaker.

The awards recognize the vehicles that are “benchmarks” in their category based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. Vehicles must be new or “substantially changed” to be considered.

Some other memorable displays are: General Motors with their new Chevy Volt, Mercedes B Class pure hydrogen fuel cell car, Audis A8 which won the eyes on design and Chrysler’s Gem which has sold more than 40,000 since 1999 and reportedly owns about 70 percent of the electric vehicle market.

Desktop On The Dashboard

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Even after all the talk about distracted drivers and products developed to make less distractions, Intel and Google are hoping to bring your desktop to the dashboard. At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, they displayed 10 inch screens above the gearshift displaying high definition videos, 3-D maps and web pages. These “infotainment systems” will hit the market this year and are likely to become standard equipment in a wide range of auto’s before long. They prevent drivers from watching video and using some other functions while the car is moving, but they can still pull up content as varied as restaurant reviews and the covers of music albums with the tap of a finger.

Nicholas A. Ashford, a professor of technology and policy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology says “This is irresponsible at best and pernicious at worst. Unfortunately and sadly, it is a continuation of the pursuit of profit over safety — for both drivers and pedestrians.” The technology and car companies say that safety remains a priority.

Ford Sync’s New Rival Kia UVO

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Earlier I talked about Fords new hands free infotainment service, ‘Sync’, and how it is going to make our roads a little safer by giving drivers less distractions. Next week, Kia Motors Corp. will introduce ‘UVO’, a North American competitor to Ford Motor’s Sync. Ford’s exclusive contract with Microsoft expired at the end of 2008 and in May of that year, Microsoft announced that Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group would develop a voice-controlled infotainment system for the North American market. Fiat Auto Group also uses Microsoft technology to power its infotainment service, called Blue&Me.

Like Sync, UVO is based on the Microsoft Auto software platform, known as the Windows Embedded Auto Software Platform. Spokesmen for Kia and Microsoft say the Kia version will have features unique to the South Korean automaker. UVO will debut on an unnamed Kia vehicle sometime in 2010. The automaker will not release specifics until it formally introduces UVO at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Ford and Microsoft In ‘Sync’

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With concerns about distracted drivers causing automobile accidents, Microsoft has created Sync, a voice controlled in car system where there is no LCD screen distracting you from the road. Push a button on the steering wheel, tell the system what you want and your request is confirmed by a robotic female voice.

Sync is Ford’s voice-controlled in-car system for wireless hands-free operation of a cell phone and for playing music from a connected MP3 player. Automated calls for 911 assistance in the event of an air bag deployment are also part of the Sync package Ford has been adding features to Sync since its introduction. The latest version includes built-in GPS navigation with spoken turn-by-turn directions; traffic updates; recorded news and sports articles; and vehicle health reports.

There is no monthly fees for the first three years (Ford has not determined whether fees may be applicable after that), and drivers do not need to pay extra for a data cell phone plan. The system sends information over a voice channel of the driver’s phone.

Though the system is quite simple to use, drivers do need to learn Sync’s preset commands which means either reading the manual or waiting for prompts from the interactive voice menu. People who have tried the system say they are never 100% comfortable with only voice commands and having passengers in the vehicle make it difficult to have a conversation and follow directions at the same time. Like all new technology, Sync has it’s glitches but hopefully with more testing it can become a tool in making our roads a little safer.

Tax Credits For Batteries

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Automakers will be receiving $220 million in tax credits to help develop battery packs for hybrid and plug in hybrids vehicles. The credits, which include $100 million for battery manufacturers and $120 million for battery pack assembly, are designed to benefit Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and Dow Chemical Co.

Ford plans to move production of battery packs from Mexico to southeastern Michigan and to invest up to $500 million to assemble hybrids and lithium ion batteries there. “This is huge,” said James McBride, vice president of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. “This is the rebirth of the auto industry in this state.”

Despite the recent excitement over electric cars, the National Research Council thinks that it will be a few decades before we see hybrids in “meaningful numbers”.

Recent TSB’s Help Consumers Care For Their Vehicles

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T.S.B’s (Technical Service Bulletins) are not recalls. They let automakers and consumers know about recurring problems experienced with various automobile models. Manufacturers do not offer payment assistance for these repairs beyond normal warranty coverage. Below is a list of some recent T.S.B’s

T.S.B. SB0151-09 issued on Oct. 14
2006-9 Lexus IS 250 and IS 350 models may have a clicking noise from the rear, which requires the rear coil spring assembly to be replaced.

T.S.B. WVL-22 issued on Oct. 13
2005-8 Subaru Foresters and 2005-7 Imprezas may experience a momentary lack of fuel during cornering when the gas tank is below 1.5 gallons. The fuel pump could momentarily draw air, causing the engine to misfire resulting in damage to the catalytic converter. Removal of the one-way valve situated at the base of a small sub chamber in the tank should remedy the problem.

T.S.B. J06 issued on Oct. 12
2009 Dodge Ram 1500s’ a leaky windshield washer fluid reservoir sensor has the potential to leak fluid through to the wiring harness to the temperature sensor. This could damage the temperature sensor, preventing the fluid-level warning lamp from lighting. Replacing both sensors and the harness will stop the leak.

T.S.B. 09-19-15 issued on Oct. 5
2006-10 Focus and Escape models may have defective ignition locks that fail to turn to the start position. The problem is blamed on a bad steering column lock module which causes the keys to bind, but can be repaired by replacing the module.

T.S.B. 09-19-14 issued on Oct. 5
2010 Ford Transit Connects may have a brake knock in the rear. Ford dealers have been instructed to engage the parking brake three notches, and drive forward and then reverse for about 800 feet. If this “voodoo” doesn’t work, you can try swapping or replacing the left and right rear drums.

T.S.B. 09-18-2 issued on Sept. 21
2008-10 Ford Focus models may have problems with the front stabilizer bar, the upper front strut bearing or the lower control arm that may cause popping or clicking noises on turns or bumps. Replacing the affected parts, or tightening them to the factory-specified torque setting, should solve this problem.

T.S.B. SB0342-09 issued on Sept. 21
2006-9 Toyota 4Runners during stop and go driving or heavy acceleration, a smell of sulfur may be noticed. The replacement of the converter will eliminate the smell.

T.S.B. SB0338-09 issued on Sept. 16
2007-10 Toyota Tundras may emit a grinding noise from the front end when in 4 wheel drive. A new differential support should remedy the problem.

T.S.B. 09-023A issued on Sept. 10
2003-5 Q45s and 2004 M45s could have an electrical malfunction that deactivates one or both front side air bags and turn on the warning light. The system should be inspected, and if need be, repaired by adding a coating of epoxy to the wiring connectors and rerouting them slightly.

T.S.B. 0600309 issued on Sept. 4
2008-9 Mazda Tribute crossovers may have a popping or clunking sound from the steering column when turning. Replacing the steering shaft and the coupling joint will remedy the noise.

T.S.B. 0904509 issued on Aug. 17
2007-10 Mazda CX-7 may have a rattling sound from the bumper at highway speeds. Adding washers and new fasteners between the bumper cover and the body will quiet the noise.

T.S.B. 09-02-35-005 issued on Aug. 10
In some 2008-9 Cadillac CTS; 2005-9 Chevrolet Cobalt; 2006-9 Chevrolet HHR,2006-9 Pontiac Solstice; 2007-9 Chevy Equinox and 2007-9 Pontiac G5’s the key is difficult to remove from the ignition. Replacing the ignition lock cylinder will fix the problem.