02 Ford Taurus Fuel Pump Pump Assembly Gasoline W/ Sending Unit on 2040-parts.com

Ford eyes dandelions as sustainable alternative to synthetic rubber

Ford, in conjunction with Ohio State University, is turning to the humble garden weed as sustainable resource, researching the dandelion's potential use as an alternative to synthetic rubber. While the automaker already makes considerable use of sustainable materials in its vehicles – such as soy foam seat cushions and straw-filled plastic for interior trim – this latest discovery opens up a wealth of new possibilities for automotive applications. According to research conducted by Ford, a milky-white substance that is found in certain dandelion roots can produce a sustainable rubber that could be used to create plastic parts for vehicle interiors.

Mercedes introduces C-Class Estate

Mercedes-Benz introduced a wagon variant of its new C-Class today at its factory in Bremen in northwestern Germany. The C-Class Estate is not only an affirmation of the popularity of the Benz wagon, a popularity that transcends decades as well as engine swaps, but also a commitment to Bremen -- a facility that already builds the C-Class, along with the E-Class, SL, SLK and GLK. The C-Class Estate makes extensive use of aluminum construction -- up to 50 percent of its body is made of the stuff.

Honda recalls 1.5 million Accord, CR-V and Element models for transmission fix

Honda is recalling 1.5 million cars and crossovers to reprogram the transmission control software to prevent damage if the automatic transmission is used to rock the vehicle out from being stuck in mud or snow. The recall covers the Accord and the CR-V and Element crossovers from the 2005 through 2010 model years. The vehicles being recalled have four-cylinder engines.