Archive for the ‘F-150’ Category

It's obvious from the comments on this site and others in the High Gear Media family that Cash-for-Clunkers remains a hot-button issue, and new data about the program is likely to fuel the fire: according to stats from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most car buyers used Cash-for-Clunkers to swap out their domestic ride (frequently a Ford Explorer or F-150) for a foreign model. The notable exception: Michigan, where over 81% of Cash-for-Clunkers trade-ins went toward the purchase of a domestic automobile. Other states along the Rust Belt leaned slightly in Detroit's direction, but on the whole, 57% of Americans ditched...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has opened an investigation regarding inadvertent airbag deployment on some Ford F-150 pickups.

In the eight consumer complaints that prompted the investigation, the driver airbag had deployed unexpectedly, either when starting the engine or shortly thereafter.

Five of the eight F-150 owners who experienced the issue suffered injuries from the airbag deployment. The investigation summary says that one tech attributed wire chaffing as the cause or potential cause.

So far, the investigation covers only the 2005 Ford F-150, but if you've experienced this...

Fun fact: about 39% of all Ford F-150 Raptors have been sold in Molten Orange. And 10% of all 2010 Ford Mustangs have been bought in Grabber Blue. But 25% of all North American new car buyers drives home in a silver ride. Says Jane Harrington, manager of color styling, automotive coatings for PPG Industries: "Silver looks great on any car, shows off all of the lines and helps people blend into the crowd". Which is obviously not what Raptor fans are trying to do. [DetNews]