Your vehicle’s heating a cooling system can easily fall by the wayside. It is, however, imperative to maintain in order to allow your car or truck to perform at maximum potential. Performing a radiator flush is the necessary way to fully clean the system out. This is most easily done by a certified mechanic, but not impossible for the average car owner.

If you have decided to take on the task on your own make sure you know exactly what you are getting into. There would be nothing worse than to get hung up halfway through the process and end up without a drivable vehicle. I would advise consulting with as many people you can find who are versed in this particular area. Make sure you have the necessary tools and reference guides to perform the task successfully.

Be sure to work with a cool radiator system only. Drain the radiator of its contents. Catch the contents in a container that will be used solely for this job. The used antifreeze can be a very dangerous material, especially for pets. In fact, all it takes is a small amount to have a negative impact on an animal.

Be sure to follow specific direction closely. Obtain these from literature or other certified persons. Be sure you have completed the process in its entirety before operating the vehicle. Be sure your vehicle is free from any leaks or weak points prior to vehicle use.

On the other hand, do not use any wax or polish that contains any abrasives that could potentially harm your clear coated wheels. A chrome polish, rubbing compound, or ordinary wax that is designed for ordinary painted finishes, will contain abrasives that could damage your alloy wheels. If, for some reason, your wheels do not contain a clear coat or the clear coating is worn away in places, you can use fine steel wool to remove any dirt or surface oxide. After doing so, apply a clear coat epoxy or paint designed for repainting aluminum wheels.

If your vehicle’s aluminum wheels are unprotected they will quickly corrode and pit if exposed to excessive moisture or common road salt. If left unprotected for an extended period of time, the damage may become irreversible.

The inside of the aluminum wheel is also at risk of corrosion when mounted against a steel brake drum or rotor. The combination of the different metal compositions can lead to electrolytic corrosion on the wheels. This combination will cause a reaction that will result in the wheel actually welding itself to the rotor or drum. This will make removing the wheel extremely difficult. There is a way to prevent this type of corrosion. Painting the outer face of the rotor or drum will give added protection from unnecessary damage. In addition, you may want to apply a thin coat of lithium, silicone, or synthetic brake grease to the back of the wheel at the possible point of friction. This will provide further protection from corrosion or damage.

The worst case scenario would be that the test was your first clue that your vehicle was in great need of unanticipated repairs. Not to mention the fact that you could spend a lot of money on repairs and still be unable to pass the emissions test. In many states, your vehicle must be able to pass the test or meet the “waiver” requirements to be able to obtain registration.

A “waiver” is the loophole to the test. It allows a vehicle past the emissions test that wouldn’t necessarily meet all of the emissions test requirements. These were created by politicians that recognized the fact that many car owners cannot afford the repairs that may be required to pass the test. It requires the driver to make a concerted effort towards making the repairs up to a fixed amount. Once this effort has been made, and the vehicle still fails the test, it is given a waiver.

The cost limit to earn the waiver varies from state to state. Some go by the model year of your vehicle. Typically the spending limits range anywhere from about $75 up to $150. If you are driving a newer vehicle this cost can reach as much as $450. If you are in need of a waiver ask the technician at the testing facility what the limit would be for your vehicle. Yes it is most responsible to have all necessary repairs made to legally pass the test, but there is really no reason to have to pay more than you have to at the actual time of the test.

Ford deems it necessary to ask this of their car owners for their own safety. They would like to replace the software that is responsible for operating the car’s brake system. Ford reports that while the cars maintain full braking ability, the operator may experience a strange feeling while braking on occasion. Though it is not something that has posed a significant problem, Ford has chosen to make necessary modification in an attempt to avoid any possible negative ramifications in the future.

The brake systems in hybrid vehicles work very differently from those in a normal, gas powered vehicle. Commonly, the brake system for a hybrid utilizes the standard brake pad depression for slowing the car. In addition to the normal system, the electric motor of the vehicle is used to also slow the vehicle. This action also generates more electricity, consequently charging the battery.

Ford recognized that in some cases the initial “regenerative braking” phase may be bypassed in the Fusion Hybrid, in particular. During this phase the electric motor is working to slow the vehicle. When this is skipped the vehicle is relying only on the conventional braking system. The driver may feel the pedal going further down towards the floor under this circumstance. It basically gives the illusion that the braking system may be faulty.

“While the vehicles maintain full braking capability, customers may initially perceive the condition as loss of brakes,” Ford said in a statement.

The action taken by Ford is their way of insuring drivers that, though there is no compromise to the car actually braking, they are willing to make necessary changes to uphold the quality standard that Ford car owner’s expect and deserve.

Ford recently made modifications to reduce the time and effort spent on purchasing and product development. These areas seemed to overlap so much that it was a natural progression to this point. The company is hoping to reduce the overlapping work and duplicated efforts by reorganizing the processes of the two. This action, in turn, will allow for speedier creation of new vehicles and cost reduction, at the same time, enhancing quality and improving overall efficiency.

“We have successfully shared technologies across many of our product lines in the past,” says Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of global product development. “These changes will allow us to fully leverage our global product development and purchasing organizations to create more customer-focused vehicles faster.”

The repositioning of senior leaders at Ford, beginning in December 20065, has resulted in the recent changes in processes. They aim to integrate purchasing and product development as closely as possible, to eliminate duplication of several facets of production.

“Better alignment of our resources not only helps Ford — it will also improve the way we do business with our global supply base by simplifying our sourcing process,” says Tony Brown, group vice president of global purchasing. “This is consistent with the principles of our Aligned Business Framework, which is strengthening collaboration with our key suppliers.”

In addition to the changes, Ford is putting together teams, on a global scale, which will be responsible for the company’s core engineering and purchasing functions.

The Ford Transit Connect is a front-wheel drive van, compact in size. Though it originated in Turkey, there were 8,834 Transit Connects sold in the United States last year. The electric powered vehicle is set to go on sale later this year and will be one of four electric powered vehicles by the Ford Motor Company.

Derrick Kuzak, the Ford group vice president for global product development states:

“It will be joined next year by the Focus sedan electric and then in 2012 the next generation of hybrid vehicles, full hybrids as well as plug-in hybrids,” said Kuzak.

The electric powered Transit Connect will have a range of about 75 miles. At its top speed, the vehicle will reach 75 miles per hour and will require six to eight hours of recharging time.

Scott Harrison, Azure Dynamics CEO states:

“Very low, a handful of vehicles, but a handful of vehicles for very significant customers.” Next year, he said, “we think a reasonable expectation is 1,000 vehicles per year.

“We see a growing demand for these technologies in the commercial area. These vehicles drive 12 percent of the miles in our cities, yet they are responsible for 25 percent of all the emissions.”

Harrison also said that the electric version of the Transit will be available at thirty Ford dealers this year. In addition to the electrical modifications to the vehicle, Ford is set to introduce an engine prep package for the gas powered version. This package will modify the Transit’s 2.0 liter, four cylinder engine allowing it to run on propane or natural gas.

Ford has recently made modifications to the Edge. Originally making its debut in 2006, the Ford Edge is seeing its first major modification just this year. They have redesigned its engine into a turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder model that is set to debut on the 2011 model Edge. There have also been some other minor adjustments made to the exterior and interior of the vehicle.

The exterior sheet metal will all be replaced on the 2011 models, with the exception of the roof and doors. As for the interior, it has also received a bit of a facelift. It will be available with additional soundproofing for a quieter passenger compartment, styling changes in order to reduce wind noise, and new acoustic glass. These are fairly minor changes, but Ford Motor Company seized an opportunity to make the Ford Edge even better.

According to Derrick Kuzak, the vice president of global product development for the Ford Motor Company:

“The Edge is another example of our new approach to freshenings,” said Derrick Kuzak. For us, it is not a front-end clip and new wheels. It is a significant and unexpected level of content similar to what we did last year with the very successful Fusion freshening.”

There are many reasons the Ford Edge has been a hot ticket item at your St Louis area Ford car and truck dealer. Some like it for its style, others for its excellent mileage and reliability. There is no doubt that the recent modifications made will only enhance the vehicle, and will then result in a larger demand for the Edge.

Kuzak said the Edge will offer “an unexpected level of technology in this class of vehicle.”

Ford was one automaker, amongst three, to have benefited most from the recent economic past. Ford, Subaru, and Chevrolet have seen a dramatic increase in brand perception. In fact, all three experienced a thirty point increase in overall perception scores, over last year’s scores, according to the Consumer Reports 2010 Car Brand Perception Survey. The survey is a reflection of the way consumers cumulatively perceive the brands in several categories, such as: Safety, quality, performance, value, technology and innovation, environmental friendliness, and design and style.

Ford jumped past Honda giving way to, both, Chevrolet and Subaru. Subaru had the highest point jump, with a total jump of 39 points.

On the contrary end the two lowest scores went to the Hummer and Saab brands. These are two that GM has struggled to sell in the past. Also, luxury brands took a rough hit. Brands with the largest overall decreases were Porsche, Lexus, Cadillac, Infiniti, and Lincoln.

The increases and decreases amongst the brands shows a clear line between which brands have risen more powerful from the recession and which ones were swallowed by the stress. Fortunately, for Ford, the extra time, consideration, and attention to detail has paid off exponentially. It will be interesting to witness what the rest of the year will hold for the brand.

A way to check your charging system is to start your Ford car and turn on the headlights. Dim headlights are indicative that they are running directly off the battery and that there is little to no juice be produced by the alternator. Try revving the engine to see if it has any affect on the brightness of your lights. If they, in fact, get brighter as you rev the engine it may mean the alternator is producing some current, but not enough while in the idle position, to keep the battery charged. If revving the engine has no affect on the brightness of the lights, then the charging system is functioning normally.

Another way to check the charging system of your vehicle is by connecting the leads of a voltmeter to the battery. You should an instant increase in voltage when you start the engine. In fact, when you start it, the voltage should jump to about 14.5 volts or higher. If there is little or no change in voltage when you start the engine, you are looking at a much bigger charging problem.

If you are unsure whether or not you have a true charging problem bring your vehicle into your local Ford dealer to have it thoroughly inspected by a certified technician. They will have the necessary tools and equipment to identify and diagnose such problems. Not to mention, they will have the necessary materials to fix the issue and get you back up and running in no time.

A filter that is completely dirty and plugged will stop your engine dead in its tracks. The engine will either die or not even start at all. This happens due to the choking off of the flow of fuel to the carburetor or injectors. If you’re lucky, your vehicle is equipped with a spring-loaded bypass system. This will allow for continuous fuel flow, even if the filter is completely clogged. The downside to the bypass system is that it will allow for some dirt and debris to pass through, which could result in much bigger problems.

A filter that is just partially restricted should allow enough fuel to flow through and keep the engine running at a low or idle speed. If the engine is asked to work harder to propel the vehicle at a faster rate, the fuel supply will be lacking thus starving key components.

There is a “pre-filter” system that performs much like the fuel filter. If it is clogged, it will display similar signs as that of the clogged fuel filter. It is located inside the fuel tank and is a small screen. It keeps the bigger pieces of rust and dirt from passing into the fuel pickup tube or tank-mounted electric fuel pump.

If you’ve experienced a fuel starvation problem and have recently replaced the fuel filter, check the screen in the fuel tank. It is probably the culprit.