Honda Life Dunk 2001 Front Left Lower Arm [7951740] on 2040-parts.com

Autoweek in review: What you may have missed

On Monday we woke to a recall involving the Ford Fusion and the Escape SUV for a problem with its 1.6-liter engine that could cause a fire. More than 80,000 vehicles were affected, and more bad news was to come. Auction house RM touted its car list for its January Arizona event, including some Italian and American racing history.

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.

Nissan EV moves electric car closer to reality

It's called the Leaf in Japan, and whether or not Nissan's production electric car carries that name in the United States, the company insists that the car will be on the road before the end of 2010. Slightly larger than the familiar Versa subcompact, the zero-emissions Leaf was unveiled Aug. 2 at a dedication ceremony for Nissan's new global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan.