NHTSA Probes 2010 Ford Fusion Over Wheel Stud Fractures

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA] today announced that it has opened a preliminary investigation to assess a possible safety concern on certain 2010 Ford Fusion models, following four complaints that allege wheel stud fractures.

Three of the four Fusion’s exhibiting the claimed defect belong to the same 22-vehicle strong fleet and were assigned to different drivers who experienced the alleged flaw on three different occasions. The safety agency said at least one complaint alleges wheel stud fractures on multiple wheels.

All four cars clocked up between 5,000 and 11,000 miles and were originally fitted with steel wheels and decorative wheel covers. According to the report, each wheel was attached using five lug nuts and wheel studs and has never been serviced prior to the incidents.

The agency said the wheel stud fractures could potentially result in wheel separation and loss of vehicle control.

The probe covers an estimated 281,250 vehicles from the 2010 model year.

America's Top 10 Selling Vehicles in 2010

The U.S. auto sales numbers for 2010 are out and once again, Ford's F-Series pickup truck has been crowned the best-selling vehicle of the year, a title which it has held for 34 years in a row. According to Autodata Corp., the Dearborn-based brand moved 528,349 units of its F-150 light-duty and F-250, F-350 and F-450 heavy-duty trucks in 2010, recording an impressive increase of 27,7 per cent over 2009.

The Chevrolet Silverado took second place with 370,135 units, or some 158,000 less than the F-Series. Sales of GM's pickup truck were up 16,9 per cent from the previous year. Despite Toyota's recall debacle, the Camry finished third overall earning the title of the best-selling passenger car in the States with 327,804 units, posting an 8.1 per cent drop from 2009. The Honda Accord and Toyota Corolla followed in fourth and fifth positions respectively.

Overall, U.S. automakers had four vehicles on the Top 10 list, while Japanese carmakers took six spots. For more details check out the complete list below that includes percentage changes from 2009.

1. Ford F-Series------------- 528,349 (+27.7%)
2. Chevrolet Silverado ------370,135 (+16.9 %
3. Toyota Camry ------------327,804 (-8.1 %)
4. Honda Accord-------------282,530 (-1.7 %)
5. Toyota Corolla------------ 266,082 (-10.4 %)
6. Honda Civic---------------260,218 (+0.2 %)
7. Nissan Altima-------------229,263 (+12.6 %)
8. Ford Fusion---------------219,219 (+21.3 %)
9. Honda CR-V-------------- 203,714 (+6.5 %)
10. Dodge Ram-------------- 199,652 (+12.6 %)

VIDEO: Ford Fusion Accident Leads to an Epic Landing

Now here's a scene you don't see every day. In fact, even if you tried to do it on purpose, we seriously doubt that you'd manage to pull it off no matter how hard and how many times you tried. The truly epic landing and vertical rest of this silver colored Ford Fusion (or at least it looks like a Ford') in the snowbank is the result of a multiple vehicle accident that took place on I-93 South bound just before Exit 3 in Windam in New Hampshire on Tuesday. Video follows after the break.

VIDEO: Chrysler Promo Compares New 200 with Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion

In what may be a sign of the times, the Chrysler Group is using bloggers, and members of social media sites and forums to promote its newest models on film. Here we see the company's latest promotional clip showing off the restyled and upgraded Sebring sedan, which as most of you know, has been renamed to 200.

The video hosts a number of people from various websites as well as one of its own marketers, and compares the mid-size sedan with Chevrolet's soon-to-be-replaced Malibu (see the official drawings here) and the Ford Fusion. Being a Chrysler made / edited promotional video, we'd take everything said with plenty grains of salt. Follow the break to watch the short clip.

Ford Issues Warning on Phishing Scam Claiming 2010 Fusion Hybrid is up for Sale at $15,000

It seems that scammers are targeting FoMoCo once again as the American automaker issued a statement concerning a 'phishing' email claiming that Ford is offering 2010 Fusion Hybrids for $15,000 a piece as part of a special program. "The email sender does not represent Ford and no such program exists. We recommend people receiving the email delete it without opening the attachment," said Ford in an official statement. For the record, the base sticker price for the new Fusion Hybrid is $27,270.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Ford Fusion vs Herd of Bison: Fusion Wins, American Buffaloes Die, Ford Celebrates

This is the kind of tale you expect to read on a random forum and not on the official media site of Ford, but apparently times are changing and automakers are leaving no stone unturned in order to create some buzz around their products. Ford released this photo along with the story the owner of the 2007 Fusion sedan, Maureen Edgerton, 51, from Montana, who had an unfortunate encounter with a heard of bison near Yellowstone Park as she was driving home on April 11, 2009.

According to Ford, the 55-mile-per-hour (about 90km/h) impact killed several of the migrating "American buffalo" on the snowbound highway but Edgerton managed to leave the scene with only minor scrapes and bruises, all thanks of course, to the "tough 2007 Fusion", as FoMoCo proudly claims.

"While Ford Motor Company does not have specific requirements to protect customers in collisions with bison or other animals (so you don't say...), all of the company's vehicles are designed and tested to meet rigorous crash safety requirements," said Ford in a statement released to the press. "These requirements help protect occupants in all sorts of collisions, even with bison, which can grow to more than 6 feet tall, 11 feet long and more than 2,200 pounds."

And if you're curious to find out what Edgerton had to say about the incident, here's what she stated: "The crash was like a war scene. By the time it was over the hood was smashed in, the mirrors were ripped from the doors and the windshield was shattered, but the interior of the car wasn't affected whatsoever. And the car was still running and not leaking fluid. Not even the tires were deflated. Everyone who came to the scene asked 'what kind of car is this?' because they couldn't believe it was possible to walk away from such a crash."

Unfortunately, neither Ford nor Carscoop managed to contact any of the surviving the members of the family of the American Buffaloes that were involved in the accident.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com