3 Things About The 2010 Ford Taurus [VIDEO]

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The Ford Taurus was thoroughly redesigned for 2010. Those who remember the midsize family hauler from its genesis in the mid-1980’s might be shocked to see how it has grown over the years. It’s now the large “standard Ford,” a full-size sedan that occupies the space above the midsize Fusion in Ford’s model lineup.

The big story is that Taurus is now as fully featured as most any car on the road, with options like adaptive cruise control, blind spot information system and cross traffic alert. This high-tech safety equipment is made possible by radar sensors, of which there are three, one for cruise and two for the other systems. Adaptive cruise adjusts your speed both by cutting the throttle and applying the brakes, and can slow the car to below 20 mph before the driver has to take over. Blind spot information system lights up an indicator in the side-view mirror anytime a car pulls alongside. And cross traffic alert sounds an alarm if you’re backing up and it detects a car coming from the side.

A fully loaded Taurus is as plush and luxurious as even the best luxury sedans of a few years ago, yet it has a starting MSRP of just $25,170.

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3 Things Drivers Do To Make Us Mad

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Certain aggressive driving maneuvers may make other drivers mad, but will they get you ticketed? (jupiterimages)

It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world. And by that we don’t just mean angry -- we also mean crazy. You can see it on the road, daily.

We have a problem with aggressive driving, one that manifests itself in many disturbing and dangerous ways, from road rage to fatal traffic accidents. It’s gotten worse in recent years, as the population has increased -- leading to more cars on the road, leading to greater traffic congestion, leading to shorter tempers and more flat-out aggression.

The fact that we’re in the worst recession in 80 years doesn’t help, either. So many people are so stressed out these days about lost jobs, making ends meet, and general financial strain, that getting on the freeway can seem akin to gladiatorial combat.

“Aggressive driving has definitely become more of a problem,” says Saul Gomez, a public information officer for the California Highway Patrol who was previously a patrolman. “Part of that is because we spend more time in our vehicles, in stop-and-go traffic, and it takes longer to get to where we’re going.

“So, people get reckless. They get this notion that if they drive more aggressively, they will get to their destinations more quickly, but that’s obviously not true. You might save two seconds, but you’re just increasing your stress level, and often putting yourself and other drivers in dangerous situations.”

Russ Rader, vice president of communications for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, notes that speeding -- an obvious form of aggressive driving – accounts for about one-third of all of the fatal car crashes in America. And, running traffic signals -- another form of ‘aggro behavior – is one of the most common causes of accidents in metropolitan areas.

In these cases of aggressive driving that clearly qualify as traffic violations, Rader says that law enforcement has the tools to more effectively enforce these laws – like mounted or mobile cameras that can catch drivers in the act of speeding or running traffic lights. But “they are not deployed very efficiently, because government officials often let vocal minorities dictate traffic safety policy.”

The use of such cameras have reduced the rates of speeding red-light running in European nations and Australia, where they are widely used, says Rader.

Gomez just wishes motorists would have more respect for one another. “Selfish driving, selfish parking -- those kinds of behaviors are just going to create problems for everyone,” he says. “I think the daily driving experience would be a lot less stressful if everyone would just extend the same courtesy to others that you would want them to extend to you.”

While driving over the limit and blowing through a red light are both clearly against the law, what about examples of aggressive driving that, in the minds of many motorists, may fall into a gray area? While many drivers wouldn’t describe their behavior as “road rage,” we’re willing to bet that most have engaged in one of the three behaviors identified below.

Jackrabbit Starts

For example, we’ve often seen macho types punch the pedal and explode away from a stoplight as though they were launching a rocket from a lift-off pad. If this particularly obnoxious maneuver does not cause them to exceed the speed limit, does that constitute a violation? And how dangerous is it?

“If that driver accelerates so quickly that the tires break traction with the road, that is definitely an example of driving at an unsafe speed, and is so reckless and aggressive, that he’s probably violating one law or another,” says Gomez. “He can be cited for reckless driving, or depending on road conditions or traffic congestion, that could get him a ticket for driving at an unsafe speed for those conditions.”

And, adds Rader, “any time you do something like that, whether out of anger or just showing off, that kind of sudden acceleration reduces your margin of error, if something you were not anticipating suddenly appears in front of you, like a bicyclist or pedestrian darting out in front of you, or the vehicle in front of you doing something you didn’t expect, [it] can lead to someone getting hit.”

Highway Courtesy

Another frequent and obnoxious expression of behind-the-wheel aggression is speeding up on the highway so that another driver cannot change lanes in front of you. Or, worse, speeding up in a way that impedes other drivers from safely merging onto the freeway from an entrance ramp.
“That’s very common,” laments Gomez. “I’ve seen it in my own vehicle, and I’ve seen it while on patrol. In fact, that’s probably the most common example of aggressive driving I see -- refusing to let someone else get ahead of you.

“And by speeding up like that, you are not doing any service to yourself. Again, you might end up two seconds ahead, but you’re potentially causing a collision, because the driver trying to merge doesn’t have much room to work with, because the ramp is ending.

“And if, by speeding up like that, you end up following the car ahead of you too closely, that’s definitely a violation.”

Rader concurs: “When people behave like that, you’re just egging the other driver to anger. It’s happened to me, and it’s definitely a safety hazard.”

Blocking The Road

Sometimes, there is such a thing as “passive-aggressive driving.” Put another way, selfish driving that just plain violates common courtesy, among other things. In this instance, we’re talking about the clueless narcissist who stops his car in the middle of the road – typically a side street – and starts talking to a friend or acquaintance he’s spotted on the sidewalk, or emerging from a parked vehicle.

“You definitely don’t want to be stopped someplace where another driver could come up behind you and not be expecting a stopped vehicle,” asserts Rader. “We’ve found that this scenario is a factor in a lot of crashes in urban and metro areas.”

Gomez confirms that this is more than just evidence of self-absorption, it’s also unsafe, and it’s also a violation. “That is obstructing the flow of traffic, plain and simple,” states Gomez. “And if a police officer spots something like that, the driver is definitely going to end up in a conversation with the officer. Depending on the traffic conditions, and how nice the officer is, the driver may end up with a ticket, or just a verbal warning.”

What To Do?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests five things to do if you’re confronted by road rage or aggressive driving:

1. Get Out of the Way. First and foremost, make every attempt to get out of their way.
2. Put Your Pride Aside. Do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to hold-your-own in your travel lane.
3. Avoid Eye Contact. Eye contact can sometimes enrage an aggressive driver.
4. Gestures. Ignore gestures and refuse to return them.
5. Report Serious Aggressive Driving. You or a passenger may call the police. But, if you use a cell phone, pull over to a safe location.

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5 Dumb Things That Can Void Your Car Warranty

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Nobody in their right mind would want to void their car warranty. Yet, there are thousands (perhaps millions) who worry that one small thing will crumple their precious warranty up and throw it into the waste basket. A portion of those people have written to me lamenting the fact that they did something that voided it. So what are the most common actions that result in a voided car warranty?

What Is A Car Warranty?

First of all, in order to understand your part in the warranty relationship, it is vital that you understand what a warranty is and what it is not. A new car warranty is an agreement between the carmaker and the consumer. It outlines what you must do to keep your warranty in force, and a warranty can be voided in part or whole. For instance, if you don't have the oil changed in the engine according to the suggested maintenance schedule and the engine fails as a result, the carmaker has the legal right to void the warranty on the engine. The rest of the warranty remains intact, providing nothing else was affected by such negligence.

There are also warranty issues related to the installation of aftermarket products and/or services on a vehicle that is still under a new car warranty. Often people install aftermarket products for adding customizing features or they use certain services for vehicle maintenance. The Magnuson Moss Warranty Act addresses such issues. This law states that if a customer installs an aftermarket product (it could be a fluid, filter, hard part, software...virtually anything that was not installed on or in the vehicle from the factory when it was new) and if the vehicle fails as a result of the installation or use of the aftermarket product/service, the carmaker cannot arbitrarily deny a warranty claim and/or void the new car warranty because of the installation or use of the aftermarket product, but must prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the failure was indeed caused by the installation or use of the aftermarket product. The reason this law was put into place is because carmakers were arbitrarily voiding car warranties and refusing warranty service because the customer had installed an aftermarket products/services. Since there was no required burden of proof on the carmaker, consumers were hung out to dry. The Magnuson Moss Warranty Act forced the carmaker to prove that the failure was due to the aftermarket product. The law still stands today within the U.S.

Common Ways People Void Their Car Warranty

At this point, you know that a new car warranty is an agreement where both parties have obligations. And you know that, as a consumer, you have certain legal safeguards against arbitrary decisions on the part of the carmakers. Now let's take a look common errors people make that can void their warranties.

Fluids: Use the proper fluids specified by the carmaker
Carmakers dump millions of dollars into research and development to determine the best fluids to put into their vehicles for maximum performance and longevity. So why do people continue to use what they think are the best fluids for their new vehicles? For example, a woman called my national radio show a couple of years ago crying on air that, when her husband changed the oil in her new Ford Taurus (3.0 liter V6 engine), he used straight 30-weight, non semi-synthetic motor oil and the engine had failed. When the oil was analyzed, it was found that the oil didn't provide proper lubrication to the engine and was the cause of the failure. Lack of proper rod and main bearing lubrication was cited as the key cause for the engine failure. Ford specifies using 5W20 semi-synthetic oil in that particular engine; hence the warranty claim was denied and the engine warranty voided. The point? Use whatever fluid the carmaker specifies in your car to keep your warranty intact. In this case, Ford was completely within their rights to void the engine warranty.

Receipts: Make sure you keep 'em (All)
Keep all receipts on any maintenance work done at facilities other than the dealership while your car is under warranty. Some people do not return to the dealer for service after buying a new vehicle. They have their vehicles serviced at quick lubes, their local repair facility, and/or anywhere they can find a deal. It's okay, as long as the service provider uses the specified fluids and OEM (original equipment) quality filters. So what's the problem? A lot of folks don't keep records and receipts. They have no documentation proving that the services were done according to mileage intervals as specified by the carmaker. When it comes time to file a warranty claim, the carmakers will ask for proof that the services were done. No receipts? No warranty coverage. This is one benefit of going to a dealer for regular maintenance while under warranty; the carmaker requires that they keep meticulous records. When and if a warranty claim becomes necessary, the dealership simply transfers all vehicle records electronically to the proper people for processing.

Tires and Wheels: Don't use non-conventional tire/wheel combinations or modify the suspension
One of the major crazes these days is installing "Dubs," (aka twenty-inch wheels) and making dramatic suspension modifications using extreme lift or lower kits. Base vehicle designs are compromised by such modifications. These include conventional alignment angles, vehicle undercarriage components, and drivetrain components such as axle bearings (due to extreme offset of the wheel hub on some wheels). Such compromise can result in steering, suspension, and drivetrain problems. In the event of a warranty claim related to these systems, the carmaker will scrutinize the modifications. If the failure is due to the installation, the warranty claims are denied.

Performance Modifications: Don't modify or "chip" your car
A few years back, Ford issued a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) regarding blown head gaskets on 6.0 Powerstroke turbo diesel engines in F series pickups (2005 and up). A rash of pickups were coming into shops across the country with blown head gaskets. The common thread? Power chips were installed to boost engine output. According to the TSB, on trucks with blown head gaskets, techs were to check for the installation of a power chip, which increases engine power by modifying the drivability and engine management parameters. Part of the programming modification on these vehicles included increasing turbo boost (which increased combustion chamber pressures), thus blowing head gaskets. In such cases where the vehicle was under warranty, claims were denied and engine warranties were voided. In this case, the carmaker confirmed that head gasket failure was indeed due to installation of the power chips. The carmaker was well within their right to deny claims and void engine warranties.

Towing: Don't tow a trailer with a vehicle that is not designed to tow
In order to tow a trailer, a vehicle must have an increased cooling system capacity, auxiliary trans oil cooling, beefed up rear frame area to support the hitch receiver, beefed up suspension to handle the additional weight, heavy duty brakes to stop the increased load, and special wiring to power the trailer lighting. Typically, vehicles used for towing that are not properly equipped experience an overheated engine, overheating of the transmission (and internal damage), frame damage, suspension damage, excessive brake wear, and compromised wiring (causing electrical shorts and malfunction of lights). Oh, and let's not forget the poor handling and safety hazards an overloaded vehicle presents to both the driver and other motorists on the roadways. If any of these issues arise as a result of towing with a vehicle that is not designed for it, warranty claims will be denied.

Obviously this is a complex topic, and there are many other actions that would result in voiding part or all of your new car warranty. My advice? Follow this rule of thumb: Before doing ANY modification or using ANY products or services other than OEM recommendations, as specified by the carmaker, check with your car dealer before proceeding.

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