More Troubles at Ford

Ford in the States now has more problems, this time with the EPA and NHTSA. It seems that the EPA is now discussing the low MPG numbers for C-Max, and Fusion hybrids. The NHTSA is probing problems with the floormats.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stepped up and widened an inquiry into sticking floormats in the Ford Motor Company’s Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles that might cause sudden, unintended acceleration. The probe began in May of 2010 and now is upgraded to an engineering analysis, its highest and most serious level of investigation.

It looks like Ford has some serious explaining to do to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after two of its new hybrids came up short of the company’s fuel-economy claims in an independent Consumer Reports test, according to Bloomberg News reports.

Ford’s Fusion and C-Max Hybrids came up about 20 percent short of the official EPA 47-mile-per-gallon figured Ford has advertised. Ford has allowed that hybrid fuel economy can be swayed far more by driving styles than the fuel economy of conventionally powered vehicles. As reported earlier, Hyundai admitted to a problem and is compensating customers.