Latest news with #FordExplorer
NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Minnesota shooting targeting political figures renews calls for online privacy laws in the US
When police searched the Ford Explorer that belonged to the suspect in last weekend's fatal shooting of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, they found in a notebook with the hand-scrawled names of more than 45 Minnesota state and federal officials, according to a criminal complaint in the case.
Auto Blog
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Seat Glitch Prompts Major Ford SUV Recall
Another Day, Another Ford Recall Ford's recall record in recent years has been extensive, with safety campaigns covering everything from engines and electronic glitches to improperly secured parts. Earlier this month, the automaker issued a recall for nearly 500,000 older-generation Ford Explorers due to an issue with the exterior trim that could cause it to come loose. While seemingly innocuous, the loose body panel could pose a potential hazard to other road users, which warranted a voluntary recall from the Blue Oval. Now, there's another recall notice, and this time it affects more than 300,000 units of two of Ford's most important SUVs: the 2020–2025 Ford Explorer and its luxury sibling, the Lincoln Aviator, manufactured between October 19, 2018, and November 4, 2024. At the center of this new safety issue is something that seems minor at first – second-row seat switch bezels – but the consequences could be serious. An Incorrectly Installed Easy-Entry Switch According to the recall document published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week, the voluntary safety recall stems from a defect of the second-row seat easy-entry switch bezel. The document says that the trim around the switch may have been installed incorrectly, creating interference that can cause the button to stick in the down position. If that happens, the seat may unexpectedly fold or slide forward, even while the vehicle is moving. Needless to say, that kind of unprompted movement poses an obvious safety risk, especially to passengers seated in the second row. A seat that folds or shifts without warning during driving could result in injury, and in the event of a crash, the consequences could be compounded. While Ford has acknowledged nearly 100 reports of the issue across affected models, the automaker says there have been no known accidents or injuries tied to the defect so far. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Ford will begin notifying dealers and affected customers later this month. Owners of affected Explorer and Aviator vehicles will be advised to visit a dealer for a free inspection of the switch bezel. If it's damaged or improperly installed, it will be replaced. Dealers will also test and confirm proper function of the switch to ensure the issue is fully resolved. The repair process will be carried out at no cost. To check if your Explorer or Aviator is affected, Ford's VIN lookup tool is already live. About the Author Jacob Oliva View Profile
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Faulty Seat Switch Triggers Recall of Ford Explorers, Aviators
Ford's recall record in recent years has been extensive, with safety campaigns covering everything from engines and electronic glitches to improperly secured parts. Earlier this month, the automaker issued a recall for nearly 500,000 older-generation Ford Explorers due to an issue with the exterior trim that could cause it to come loose. While seemingly innocuous, the loose body panel could pose a potential hazard to other road users, which warranted a voluntary recall from the Blue Oval. Now, there's another recall notice, and this time it affects more than 300,000 units of two of Ford's most important SUVs: the 2020–2025 Ford Explorer and its luxury sibling, the Lincoln Aviator, manufactured between October 19, 2018, and November 4, 2024. At the center of this new safety issue is something that seems minor at first – second-row seat switch bezels – but the consequences could be serious. According to the recall document published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) this week, the voluntary safety recall stems from a defect of the second-row seat easy-entry switch bezel. The document says that the trim around the switch may have been installed incorrectly, creating interference that can cause the button to stick in the down position. If that happens, the seat may unexpectedly fold or slide forward, even while the vehicle is moving. Needless to say, that kind of unprompted movement poses an obvious safety risk, especially to passengers seated in the second row. A seat that folds or shifts without warning during driving could result in injury, and in the event of a crash, the consequences could be compounded. While Ford has acknowledged nearly 100 reports of the issue across affected models, the automaker says there have been no known accidents or injuries tied to the defect so far. Ford will begin notifying dealers and affected customers later this month. Owners of affected Explorer and Aviator vehicles will be advised to visit a dealer for a free inspection of the switch bezel. If it's damaged or improperly installed, it will be replaced. Dealers will also test and confirm proper function of the switch to ensure the issue is fully resolved. The repair process will be carried out at no cost. To check if your Explorer or Aviator is affected, Ford's VIN lookup tool is already live. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Down to Business: Relief on a customer's face the fun part for Naperville junk removal company owner
Business: The Junk Removal Dudes Address: Naperville Phone/website: 331-444-7070; Owner: Alex Broches, 37, of Sycamore Years in business: 12 What does your business do? 'We are the Dumpster alternative. We do all the work. You point. Before you can blink, the dump truck is gone with all the stuff. You don't have a Dumpster sitting outside for a week,' Broches said. Why did you start this company? 'I started the business as a way to make extra money. I graduated from (Northern Illinois Unversity), had an incredibly hard time finding a job. I was a geography major, which has nothing to do with anything I'm doing now. I was delivering pizzas, doing landscaping, some Internet businesses. 'I borrowed my grandpa's SUV. It was a busted-up Ford Explorer, on its last legs. I gave him my old SUV because it couldn't handle a trailer and his was more durable. I told him, 'I have this idea, I know it sounds weird, but I'd pick up junk for extra money.' He said, 'Yes,' because in his retirement years he had fun Dumpster diving. … I made a wooden trailer with my own hands. Started off, here and there, a part-time thing. 'It was me and a friend. The first month we made a couple hundred bucks. … My grandfather (the late Chris Deligiannis) was the only person in my friends and family who didn't laugh at me. He encouraged me.' When did you know you made the right move? 'The game-changer was I had a customer in Naperville. It looked like a barn, out by Costco. A gentleman called me, he saw my little sign on the corner that read 'junk removal.' … I threw him a number, $6,000. He jumped at it. I know now that should have been a $10,000 job. After several days of back-breaking work, I was thinking, 'I'm getting the hang of it.'' How big is your fleet? 'We have three new Dodge Ram trucks to do estimates. We have four dump trucks we use with a fifth on the way.' How many employees do you have? 'Twelve. Once we get that fifth truck, it will go up to 17. I was on the truck seven days a week the first 10 years. … I have destroyed both my ankles. My lower left back is messed up. I've had a hernia. … Now, I'm off the truck.' How does it work with a new client? 'They send us photos or a video. One of our managers gets back to them with an estimate. If it's a hoarding situation or commercial, we send someone out to quote it. A couple things in your garage, it's pretty quick.' What's your area? 'Rockford. Crystal Lake. Schaumburg. DeKalb County. McHenry County. … Ninety percent of our business is Naperville and Aurora. … When I started, it was two to three (jobs) a month. Now, 300 to 400 a month. … We can get it bigger. It's just getting warmed up.' What do you like about your work? 'I enjoy seeing the relief on customers' faces. Financially, it's better than what I was doing before. I have met so many wonderful, great clients, many I'm friends with. A lot of employees, I've seen them get married, have kids, buy their first houses. That, to me, is so special.' Can you walk me through a job? 'We call you an hour before we show up. They're ready. … We do everything. Fridge? Gone. Pool table? Gone. Crawlspace with 80 years of stuff? Emptied. … We sweep up, leave things spotless. … One thing I'm proud of is our reviews on Google. People say how crazy it is, how everything is done the next day.' Any memorable stories? 'Moving couches, sometimes mystery cell phones fall out. … Our workers have dumped boxes at the landfill, a bunch of guns and drugs fell out. … We once cleaned up an island in the Fox River for the Fox Valley Park District. There were hundreds of shopping carts. Homeless people who lived there had moved. … A fun job was 700 to 800 basketballs. The workers would shoot them into the truck.' Any competition? 'There's quite a bit. … It forces me to step up my game.' Where do items go? 'Goodwill. Salvation Army. Churches. What we don't donate goes to a landfill.' What's your advice for someone starting a business? 'You have to figure out how to bring so much value to the customer to the point where they tell everybody. If you do that, you're going to be successful. Stop focusing on being rich right away. That does not work.'
Fast Company
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fast Company
From slow lane to fast track: Why auto dealers adopting AI are growing faster
Having spent years in the auto retail space, I've seen firsthand how quickly the landscape has changed. What used to be a face-to-face, handshake-driven industry has shifted almost overnight into a digital-first, expectation-driven marketplace. And there's one force accelerating those changes faster than any other: artificial intelligence (AI). AI isn't just some passing fad—it's a strategic lever. For forward-looking auto dealerships, it's becoming the engine behind growth, efficiency, and smarter customer engagement. TODAY'S BUYER IS FAST, FRICTIONLESS, AND PERSONALIZED Today's consumers aren't walking into a showroom as their first step when making a purchase. They're clicking, scrolling, comparing, and making decisions long before they ever decide to talk to a human. In fact, McKinsey reports that 71% of consumers expect personalized interactions, and 76% note that they feel frustrated when that isn't a reality. Ultimately, this tells us everything we need to know about why AI is so important right now. AI allows dealerships to deliver these high-touch experiences at scale, without putting stress on staff or compromising speed. Let's walk through the practical value AI delivers based on what I've witnessed and implemented in real dealership settings. Instant, Personalized Engagement AI platforms track how leads behave online—what cars they browse, which features they highlight, how long they spend on a page—and use that data to generate custom messages harmonized to their interests. Instead of sending a generic 'Are you still looking?' email, the system might follow up with 'We noticed you're interested in the 2024 Ford Explorer with a towing package—let's talk.' These hyper-personalized messages often land within seconds, helping dealerships stay top of mind in a highly competitive market. Scalability Sans The Stress AI adapts in real time. If your marketing efforts bring in a flood of new leads, the system doesn't need to cover overtime expenses or increase staff headcount to respond. It just works harder, allowing you to scale customer outreach without scrambling to hire and train. Profit-Boosting Tactics One technology and AI provider for auto dealers reports that adopting their AI chatbot technology has helped their auto dealers to a whopping 32% surge in lead conversion rate, reduced costs in business development center (BDC), and a noticeable $200 increase gross profit per vehicle sold. Lower Loan Default Rates For dealerships offering internal financing, AI can assess creditworthiness more accurately by analyzing thousands of data points in seconds. That kind of insight has helped some dealers reduce loan default risk by 10%–15%, according to data shared by Fitch Ratings. Real Operational Efficiency When AI handles routine tasks—appointment confirmations, first contact messages, lead follow-ups—your team is free to focus on activities that actually close deals. I've seen sales teams cut their admin time drastically, and that alone can create massive performance lifts. HOW TO INTEGRATE AI AT YOUR DEALERSHIP—THE RIGHT WAY As much as I believe in AI, I also know it's not plug-and-play. You have to align technology with your people and processes. Here are the best practices I've followed when bringing AI into dealership operations: Train Your Team—And Earn Their Buy-In One of the biggest (and primary) roadblocks I've seen with AI is resistance from sales teams who fear being replaced. The key is to reframe the conversation. Demonstrate how AI leads differ from traditional walk-ins. Walk them through the data insights they now have access to. Reinforce the idea that AI doesn't replace salespeople—it makes them more effective. Set Smart KPIs Don't just hope AI will work—track it. Metrics such as response time, appointment show rates, and lead conversion percentages are excellent benchmarks for evaluating whether the tool is delivering a return on investment. Pilot With Purpose Start small. For example, roll out an AI-powered chatbot on your website and monitor the impact before deploying full-scale lead-nurturing automation. These controlled pilots give your team a chance to build comfort and your leadership team time to fine-tune. GROWTH COMES FROM SMART TECH PLUS SMART PEOPLE AI isn't a silver bullet, and you shouldn't view it as such. Rather, it's a powerful amplifier. When you combine cutting-edge AI tools with skilled, customer-focused staff, the results are undeniable. Increased sales, lower overhead, happier customers, and a dealership that's built not just to compete, but to lead. True AI noise can at times be overwhelming, but not if you approach it methodically. For me, the takeaway is simple: Auto dealerships adopting AI are growing faster because they're adapting smarter. The real question isn't whether AI belongs in your dealership—it's whether you're ready to use it to your full advantage.
