After encountering 30 incidents involving cracked wheel studs and steel wheels separating from the vehicles, Ford will be recalling 128,616 2010 and 2011 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans to fix the issue.

An investigation by NHTSA led to the recall, though no injuries have been reported. Ford will notify owners of the affected vehicles, inspect them at dealerships and replace any components free of charge. Check out the official article below the jump for more information.

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
FORD / FUSION 2010-2011
MERCURY / MILAN 2010-2011

Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Mfr’s Report Date: DEC 05, 2011

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V574000

NHTSA Action Number: 2 Investigations found

Component: WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS

Potential Number of Units Affected: 128,616

Summary:
FORD IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 FORD FUSION AND MERCURY MILAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 17 INCH STEEL WHEELS AND BUILT FROM APRIL 1, 2009, THROUGH APRIL 30, 2009, AND FROM DECEMBER 1, 2009, THROUGH NOVEMBER 13, 2010. THE WHEEL STUDS MAY FRACTURE, POTENTIALLY CAUSING A WHEEL TO SEPARATE.

Consequence:
WHILE DRIVING, MULTIPLE STUD FRACTURES COULD OCCUR AT THE WHEEL LOCATION, AND THE OPERATOR MAY EXPERIENCE VEHICLE VIBRATION AND/OR WHEEL SEPARATION, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy:
FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR BRAKE DISC SURFACE FOR FLATNESS AND REPLACE THE DISCS AS NECESSARY. ADDITIONALLY, THE WHEEL LUG NUTS WILL BE REPLACED ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 24, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332.

Notes:
FORD’S RECALL NUMBER IS 11S23. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has upgraded their investigation into consumer complaints that the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles are affected by wheel stud fractures that cause the wheels to come off.

The initial investigation of 317,315 Ford mid-sized sedans has been upgraded to an engineering analysis after more than 29 complaints and 128 warranty related claims were filed because of these fractures. ”We’ll fully cooperate with the government as they review this matter,” Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said. “We are not aware at this point of any allegations of injuries related to this matter.” The current engineering analysis investigation does not always lead to recalls, but that situation has not yet been ruled out.

[Source: Automotive News]

Ford has issued a recall for 3,000 2007 Ford Five Hundreds and Mercury Montego sedans due to faulty fuel tanks. The tank may not have been properly welded between the fuel tank and fuel filler neck. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has posted that in the event of a severe rear impact, a faulty weld could lead to a crack in the joint which may cause a fuel leak.

Ford has stated that there have been minor fuel leaks in a small number of warranty claims. However, most of the tanks in question have been replaced due to dashboard warning lights being triggered by evaporative emission leaks. The affected vehicles were built at the Chicago Assembly Plant between September 5 and September 11, 2006. Ford will notify affected owners beginning on August 15 and will give them until August 31 to respond for full reimbursement of the costs associated with the recall.

A Bugatti Veyron costs over $2 million, not exactly in the price range for the majority of people on this planet. So what happens when you really want to rock a Bugatti Veyron but can’t afford it? Convert your existing car to look like one, that’s how. This enthusiast in Palm Bay, Florida did exactly that, taking his ultra-dull Mercury Cougar and fabricating a whole new body onto it to resemble a Bugatti Veyron.

Based on the photos, we’re pretty darn impressed by the craftsmanship that went into the project, even if the idea is ridiculous. The builder states that a one-inch tubular steel-frame was glassed onto the Cougar along with plenty of composite and fiberglass to construct the Bugatti body. Along with the Veyron body conversion, the owner had it repainted in Ferrari red and black, with a two-tone scheme found on genuine Veyrons.

Other than the 20-inch staggered wheels, the rest of the car is stock. That means you’ll get to look the part of sporting a Bugatti, but miss out on the performance that the Veyron is notorious for. The stock Cougar 2.5L V6 is packing 120,000 miles too, so we hope whoever ends up buying it off eBay gets themselves a motor swap… maybe one from a Veyron? Nah, that would just be silly; who would want to do such a thing?

GALLERY: Mercury Cougar Converted Bugatti Veyron

[Source: eBay]

Speed Channel is gearing up to release The Car Show, a talk show led by Adam Carolla, Dan Neil, John “Spider” Salley and AutoGuide contributor Matt Farah.

The show hits the air on July 13. In the short clips released, the hosts tell us about their very first vehicles and driving experiences, ranging from a Honda 400 Four in the case of Adam Carolla to Matt Farah’s 1993 Mercury Villager LS. Oh Matt, look how far you’ve come.

Check out all the hosts stories of their first cars after the jump!

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[Source: AutoBlog]

General Motors has officially announced pricing for the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The sedan has been priced to start at $14,495 and the five-door model will start at $15,395.

At that price, the Sonic will come with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine producing 138-hp and 125 lb-ft of torque. The car will also come equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, 10 airbags, remote keyless entry and power locks. The automatic transmission will cost $1,070 more. A second engine option featuring a fuel-efficient turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine and six-speed manual transmission will cost $700, and is part of the pricier LT and LTZ trims.

The Sonic’s rivals include the Ford Fiesta S sedan retailing at $13,995 and the Honda Fit hatchback will cost $15,870. The Toyota Yaris is also competing costing 13,915 and the cheapest of the pack is the Nissan Versa costing just $10,750.

Check out our first drive of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Gallery: 2012 Chevrolet Sonic

Car owners are more satisfied with independent shops for maintenance, according to a latest Consumer Reports Annual Survey. The survey was based on more than 92,000 reports on service visits to independent mechanics and 230,000 service visits to new car dealerships.

Buick and Lincoln were among the leaders with a score of 93, on a scale from 0 to 100, including service experience. Independent shops received 93 and 94 points for maintenance. Cadillac, Land Rover and BMW followed closely, each earning 92 points for dealership service experience.

The overall consensus was that respondents were more satisfied with service from independent mechanics compared to service from new car dealerships for maintenance-only service.

The top ranked brands for dealership service satisfaction include: Lincoln, Buick, Land Rover, Cadillac, Mercury, BMW, GMC, Chevrolet, Lexus, and Ford.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

NHTSA is investigating the 2010-2011 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner for a rear window that could potentially shatter. So far, the government agency has received 18 complaints regarding the rear window shattering when the tailgate is opened or closed.

200,000 Escape and Mariner vehicles will now be investigated, and Ford has issued a service bulletin regarding the problem. One woman and her 10 year old son were reportedly injured by glass shards. Ford and NHTSA have not issued recalls yet, but a Ford spokesman told the Detroit News that they were “aware of the investigation.”

[Source: Detroit News]

It’s official, the very last Mercury has now left the building. On Tuesday, January 4th at 8:00 am, said vehicle, a 2011 Grand Marquis, finally rolled off the line at the St. Thomas plant, which has been building these body-on-frame behemoths for 25 years.

Originally the car was slated to be completed before the new year, but delays in parts shipments, caused by severe weather in Southwestern Ontario, pushed production into the first days of the new year.

Even until the very end, the Grand Marquis remained a highly profitable vehicle for Lincoln-Mercury dealers as well as the best selling car in the lineup. As was probably expected, there was little fanfare or celebration, as the car was rolled on to the transporter, to be delivered as part of a fleet order.

Although the Merc represented the last Grand Marquis built at St Thomas, it isn’t quite the end of Panther chassis production. Ford Crown Victorias will continue to be assembled there, primarily for police and taxi fleets, until September, when the plant is scheduled to close.

[Source: Autoweek]

After 71 years of acting as Ford’s middle child, the final nail in the Mercury coffin was pounded in, as dealers removed all remnants of Mercury logos and signs from their dealerships, marking the end of the brand’s existence once and for all.

Mercury vehicles ended production in October, although a final order for government agencies continued to be produced. Although Mercury produced some iconic vehicles, such as the early sedans used in the hot-rodding community, and the Cougar muscle car, the brand became little more than cosmetically enhanced Ford products throughout the 1980′s and 1990′s, giving consumers scant reason to purchase a Mercury vehicle.

[Source: Detroit News]

The very last Mercurys might be rolling off the assembly lines as this blog is posted, but the brand will likely have a long future yet, at least in classic car circles.

If marques like Edsel, Plymouth and Studebaker are anything to go by, then Mercurys will likely resonate with collectors and car enthusiasts long after the name becomes a distant memory amongst regular consumers. Mercury also has a number of cars produced in it’s 72 year existence  that will likely attract more collector attention than most.

The 1940s ‘woodie’ wagons and convertibles are highly prized among collectors, while the 1949-51 ‘Bathtub’ Mercurys have long been a favorite with custom car fans. Cars like the Cyclone, Cougar (shown) and Marauder also rank among the best of the muscle car era.

And prices seem to reflect a growing demand for Mercurys on the auction circuit. Not too long ago, a 1969 Cougar (a luxury XR7, not a performance oriented Eliminator), went under the gavel for almost $100,000 at one of Mecum’s Auctions, while RM sold a 1946 Mercury Sportsman Woodie for a staggering $368,000.

But there are those that believe it will be tough for Mercury to perhaps resonate with tomorrow’s collectors who might have little idea of the brand’s storied history. However, Garry Bennett, V-P of Consignment for Barrett-Jackson, believes that the brand will follow in the manner of some other ‘orphan’ makes, with certain cars especially, attracting a following. Not too long ago he said, “the fact that they’re going to discontinue [Mercury], it’s going to create new awareness.”

[Source: Autoweek]

It’s official. Ford has announced that production of Mercury vehicles for retail customers will end on Sunday, October 10 this year. It’s not entirely the end of Merc manufacturing – vehicles will continue to roll off the assembly lines for a few more months, but they will be aimed strictly at fleet buyers – rental car companies, government agencies and the like.

But even as production winds down, there actually seems to be fewer deals to be had – including the loss of bonus cash offers – quite extraordinary, since sales of Mercury vehicles have spiked recently. In August, the brand sold 9,039 vehicles for the month, comprising 2,976 Mariner SUVs, 2013 Milan mid-size sedans, 651 Mountaineer SUVs and, get this, 3,399 Grand Marquis full-size sedans – proving that even on its deathbed the old body-on-frame rear drive mastadon is just as much a gravy boat now as it ever was.

Although production will be ending on Sunday, Mercury dealers will still be selling cars as long as inventory remains available. So if you fancy getting yourself one of the last examples of Ford’s original medium priced brand, better get your skates on. Here’s some of the offers currently being pedaled by dealers and good at least through Monday next week.

• 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis: 0% for 36 months, plus $1,000 bonus cash and two years of free maintenance, or $4,000 in total cash back .
• 2010 Mercury Mariner: 0% for 60 months and two years of free maintenance, or $2,000 in total cash back .
• 2010 Mercury Mountaineer: 0% for 36 months, plus $1,000 bonus cash and two years of free maintenance, or $3,000 in total cash back .
• 2010 Mercury Milan: 0% for 60 months and two years of free maintenance.
• 2011 Mercury Milan: 0% for 60 months, or $2,000 cash back.
• 2011 Mercury Mariner: 0% for 60 months, or $2,000 cash back

[Source: USA Today/Drive On]