A mix of Ford vehicles mainly composed of vans and SUVs are being recalled due to a faulty switch which can eventually lead the vehicle to overheat and catch fire. Among the notable Ford models include the Ford Windstars, Ford Explorers and Ford Rangers. The cruise-control deactivation switches were said to be the culprit of these potential fire hazards when brake fluid leaks onto them. They reportedly stay hot even if the car has been turned off. There has already been one casualty, Al Gavegan Jr. who died in August 14, 2007 when his 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis was parked in his garage and caught fire in San Antonio.

As a remedy, affected vehicle owners are advised to park their cars outside their garages to avoid potential fire accidents. This is not a new problem. Here are the affected vehicles for your reference:

• 1995-2003 model year Ford Windstars
• 2000-2003 model year Ford Excursion diesels
• 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 Ford F-Super Duty diesels
• 1992-2003 Ford Econolines
• 1995-2002 Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers
• 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Ford Rangers
• And 1994 Ford F53 motorhomes

(Source) Injury Board

Tags: 2002 ford explorers, brake fluid, cruise control, culprit, deactivation, duty diesels, econolines, fire accidents, fire hazards, fluid leaks, ford excursion, ford explorer, ford models, ford rangers, ford vehicles, ford windstars, mercury grand marquis, motorhomes, windstars ford

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Ford gets the nod of Kelly Blue Book as two of its vehicles have been included in the Top 10 Green Cars list. Today, editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com named the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid to its 2009 list of “Top 10 Green Cars.”

“This recognition says strong things about Ford as a hybrid manufacturer,” said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com. “What we really like about both the Fusion and Escape Hybrids is that they do everything great hybrids should do – in terms of providing excellent fuel economy – but at the same time, they drive like conventional vehicles.”

Nerad says fuel economy was just one of the factors editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com took into consideration when selecting this year’s list of “Top 10 Green Cars.”

“We go beyond fuel economy and powertrain, and we look at things that people generally look at when buying any car, such as comfort, convenience, safety and value for the money,” he said.

Ford Hybrid Marketing Manager David Finnegan says winning two of the 10 spots on kbb.com’s “Top 10 Green Cars” list for 2009 demonstrates Ford’s versatility as a hybrid manufacturer.

“We are continuing to expand our portfolio to offer consumers a wider range of alternatives,” said Finnegan. “Not only do we have the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet with the Ford Escape Hybrid but we also are committed to being a leader in the car segment. The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid provides 41 mpg in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway, making it North America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan.”

(Source) Press

Tags: car segment, ford escape, ford escape hybrid, ford fusion, ford vehicles, fuel economy, fuel efficient suv, green cars, hybrid marketing, hybrids, kelley blue book, kelly blue book

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To show how confident they are on their new heavy duty Belt Tensioner, Ford has announced a lifetime guarantee on their Mustang Aluminum Billet Belt Tensioner. After months of design and testing, Thump RRR Racing LLC released the latest version of its heavy duty belt tensioner suitable for most modular motor equipped Ford Mustangs & other motor equipped Ford vehicles using 3 bolt tensioners.

The belt tensioner’s strong construction consists of heavy duty CNC machined billet aluminum bracket & pulley. The internal components consist of 2 heavy duty thrust bearings to ensure high performance & stability & one high grade needle bearing which rides on a hardened shaft that is pressed on the base of the tensioner.

High quality materials are used throughout for long service life and high performance. The strong idler pulley is constructed to allow for the option of using an 8 Rib set up or a 6 Rib set up depending the owner’s needs.
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Tags: aluminum billet, aluminum bracket, belt tensioner, bolt tensioners, ford mustangs, ford vehicles, Mustang

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