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NHTSA will investigate some Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ models for power steering issue

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening an investigation into the 2010-2012 Ford Fusion, Fusion Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ, the 2012 MKZ Hybrid and 2011 Mercury Milan because the agency has hundreds of complaints of electric power steering failure in these models.
According to NHTSA's data, it has received 508 complaints of the power steering allegedly suddenly malfunctioning and resulting in increased effort to turn the wheel. In four incidents, these failures resulted in loss of control and crashes. According to the reports, in some cases a power steering warning message came on as the fault occurred, and other times the system restored itself by turning off and then restarting the vehicle. NHTSA said it has also received further field report data from Ford, but that information hasn't been publicly released yet.
For the moment, there isn't a recall for this failure on these models. NHTSA is just investigating them to "assess the scope, frequency and safety consequences of the alleged defect," and the agency says an estimated 938,000 vehicles could potentially be affected.

MKC Concept is the real fresh start for Lincoln [w/poll]

We were admittedly bullish about the Lincoln MKC Concept when we introduced it to you yesterday, as we were taken aback by how cohesive the C-platform crossover is in the metal. As it turns out, so were you, dear reader. With hundreds of comments booked on our original Deep Dive story, the overwhelming temperature of the Autoblog Commenteriat is one of surprise and delight - quite an accomplishment for a marque that many had written off for dead. The reception here under the bright lights of the Detroit Auto Show appears to be no less positive, but we thought you might want a second, closer look afforded by these live photos.
Lincoln remains mum on production MKC drivetrain specifics (we're thinking it will start with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder out of its similarly sized Ford Escape relative, or maybe the midlevel 1.6-liter), but we shouldn't have to wait too long. The showcar is expected to closely mirror the production model (due as early as later this year), so much so that Ford global marketing boss Jim Farley explicitly told the press conference masses, "When you see the MKC, do not think concept." That's good news, as the MKC is pivotal to Lincoln's effort to rebuild awareness and consideration on the back of its MKZ sedan, a model just now going on sale. In fact, with the small crossover segment exploding, the MKC could very well turn out to be more important to the brand than the MKZ.
After seeing these new photos, are you more or less enamored with Lincoln's new concept? Leave a comment after voting in our poll below.

2018 Ford Expedition spied looking stylish

The Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator got a cool reception for their 2015 warmed-over redesign. But with big, high-riding vehicles once again in vogue, Ford is pushing ahead with a ground-up redesign of its biggest SUVs. Based on these spy shots, the Expedition will continue to serve as the Navigator's more affordable twin. Yes, that's a bold prediction, considering we still haven't spotted Lincoln testing the new Navigator, but study the greenhouses on this Expedition prototype and the Navigator Concept from New York – from the arrow-straight belt line to the extra-long rear window to the aggressively raked windshield, this Expedition's overall profile is broadly similar to what Lincoln previewed earlier this year. While our spies claim the new Expedition will look to the F-150 for design inspiration, we see a departure from past Expedition tradition. Unlike the supposed Expedition spy shots we showed you nearly a year ago – which was nothing more than an SUV with an F-150's nose grafted on, this prototype's front-end styling looks softer and more aerodynamic, with a smaller grille and headlights, almost like an Escape or Edge. This kind of change would explain the additional front-end camouflage. In back, our spies rightly point out that Ford fitted a faux rear end to disguise the rear window's rake – expect the real thing to feature the angled rear window previewed on the Navigator Concept. Look at the last image in the gallery for a better idea of how the Expedition's rear window will actually look. We can't say a lot about the taillights, because of the camo, but non-LED taillights are present. We'd expect Ford to offer LEDs on higher trim levels. While the F-150's styling might not make the transition to the Expedition, its powertrains and emphasis on lightweight aluminum will. Our spies report the biggest SUV will ride on a new T3 platform and feature an aluminum body, with the F-150's 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Expect a ten-speed automatic transmission and start/stop tech for sure, while the smaller 2.7-liter, twin-turbo V6 could slot in as the Expedition's base engine – we're less sure on that one. And we're even more uncertain of the rumors of an Expedition Hybrid. Our spies report it could mate a 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor(s) and battery packs for a more economical full-size SUV. Expect to see the 2018 Expedition debut in January, at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show.