Ford recalls Focuses over engine stalls
Ford is recalling nearly 1.5 million Focus compact cars in North America because a fuel system problem can cause the engines to stall without warning.
The recall covers cars from the 2012 through 2018 model years with 2-liter four-cylinder engines.
Ford says a valve in the fuel system can stick in the open position, causing too much vacuum, and an engine control computer may not detect the problem. Excessive vacuum can cause the gas tank to deform, as well as other problems.
The recall came after the U.S. government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration presented owner complaints to Ford. About 1.3 million of the recalled vehicles are in the U.S.
Dealers will reprogram the computer with new software that will detect a stuck valve, which the company says will take care of the problem in most cases. They’ll also inspect the valve, a carbon canister and gas tank and replace them if needed.
Ford says owners should keep the gas tank at least half full until repairs are made.
The company says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries caused by the problem.
The recall is expected to begin on Dec. 10.
UK fines Facebook for privacy scandal
British regulators slapped Facebook on Thursday with a fine of 500,000 pounds ($644,000) – the maximum possible – for failing to protect the privacy of its users in the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
At the same time, European Union lawmakers demanded an audit of Facebook to better understand how it handles information, reinforcing how regulators in the region are taking a tougher stance on data privacy compared with U.S. authorities.
Britain’s Information Commissioner Office found that between 2007 and 2014, Facebook processed the personal information of users unfairly by giving app developers access to their information without informed consent. The failings meant the data of some 87 million people was used without their knowledge.
“Facebook failed to sufficiently protect the privacy of its users before, during and after the unlawful processing of this data,” said Elizabeth Denham, the information commissioner. “A company of its size and expertise should have known better and it should have done better.”
Mortgage rates edge up; 30-year at 4.86 percent
Long-term U.S. mortgage rates edged slightly higher this week amid continued anxiety in financial markets as interest rates rise.
Home borrowing rates remain at their highest levels in more than seven years, with the key 30-year rate approaching 5 percent. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the rate on 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages ticked up to an average 4.86 percent this week from 4.85 percent last week. A year ago, it stood at 3.94 percent.
The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate loans rose to 4.29 percent this week from 4.26 percent last week.