F-series Super Duty trucks, E-series vans and Excursion SUVs from model years 1997 through 2003 equipped with 7.3-liter diesel engines are being recalled by Ford because of a computer software problem that causes their engines to stall. Several minor accidents have been caused by the defect, but no injuries.

If you have one of these trucks, expect a letter from Ford. or you can give them a call at 866-436-7332 or contact a local Ford dealer.

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Ford Edsel, long considered the premier example of over-hyped commercial failure. New Coke has nothing on the Edsel!

The Washington Post has a fantastic article about Ford's belly flop:
Fifty years ago today, Don Mazzella skipped out of school to see the hot new car that everybody was talking about, the hot new car that almost nobody had actually seen.

Ford Motor Co. had proclaimed it "E-Day," and Mazzella and two buddies sneaked out of East Side High School in Newark, N.J., and hiked 13 blocks to Foley Ford so they could cast their gaze upon the much-ballyhooed new car that had been kept secret from the American public until its release that day.

It was called the Edsel.

"The line was around the block," recalls Mazzella, now 66 and an executive in a New Jersey consulting firm. "People were coming from all over to see this car. You couldn't see it from the street. The only way you could see it was to walk into the showroom and look behind a curtain."

Mazzella and his truant friends waited their turn, thrilled to be there. "Back then for teenagers, cars were the be-all and end-all," he explains. They'd read countless articles about the Edsel and seen countless ads that touted it as the car of the future. But they hadn't seen the car. Ford kept it secret, building excitement by coyly withholding it from sight, like a strip-tease dancer.

Finally, Mazzella and his friends reached the showroom. Finally, they were permitted to peek behind the curtain. They saw a cream-colored car with a strange oval grille that looked like a big chrome O.

"We looked at it and said, ' What?' " Mazzella recalls. "It was just a blah car. I remember my friend Joe Grandi, who later became a Newark cop -- he had a gruff voice, and he said, ' This is what we waited all this time for?' We all felt betrayed." The Edsel lost about $2 billion in adjusted dollars, and now the name has become synonymous with over-hyped products that fail to deliver. Happy Birthday, Edsel!

Ford has issued a recall of 3.6 million vehicles because of a defective "speed control deactivation switch system." Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealers will perform the repair free of charge to all affected vehicles.

According to Ford, they're addressing "customer concerns about the potential for fires in their vehicles." Well, fires in vehicles are bad, we'll give them that. Apparently a few Crown Victorias went up in smoke. There were no injuries.

Here's a list of the recalled autos:
1998-2002 Ford Ranger, 1992-1997 Lincoln Town Car, 1992-1997 Ford Crown Victoria, 1992-1997 Mercury Grand Marquis, 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, 1993-1995 Taurus SHO, 1999-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer.

Also covered are the 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport, 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac, 1992-1993 E150-350 vans, 1997-2002 E150-350 vans, 1993 Ford F-Series pickups, 1993 Ford Bronco, 1994 Mercury Capri, 2003-2004 Ford F-150 Lightning, and 1995-2002 Ford F53 motor homes.

An additional 177,000 vehicles in Canada, Mexico and Europe are covered by the recall.
For more information, check out Ford's Coca-Cola has come out on top of the "Best Brands" Harris Poll for the first time ever. Sony, the leader for the past 7 years slipped to number 2.

Only 4 brands have lasted 10 years on the poll: Ford (which was No. 1 in 1997), Sony (which was No. 3), Coca-Cola (which was No. 7) and Pepsi Cola (which was No. 10).

How Does It Work?

Poll takers give "spontaneous answers" when asked the following question: "We would like you to think about brands or names of products and services you know. Considering everything, which three brands do you consider the best?"

Consumers are not given a list of brands to choose from.

The Results:

Microsoft jumped into the top 10 this year at #8, beating Apple at #9. Apple was #10 last year, Microsoft wasn't on the list. Dell slipped a few spots from #2 to land at #4.

Ford was the only American car manufacturer on the list, behind Toyota, but beating Honda. Honda slipped from #6 to #10. Toyota jumped up to grab the #3 spot from last year's #4.

The top 10 brands for 2007 are:

1) Coca-Cola

2) Sony

3) Toyota

4) Dell

5) Ford

6) Kraft Foods

7) Pepsi

8) Microsoft

9) Apple

10) Honda

Recent graduates shopping for a new car may be eligible for incentives offered by several automakers. The incentives are rarely advertised, unknown even to most dealers.

•Toyota offers a $400 rebate to recent graduates, and requires proof of graduation;
•Nissan offers a $500 rebate to recent graduates;
•Ford offers a $500 rebate to recent graduates, or students in the last half-year of school.

Incentives from other automakers take several forms, including lower rates and deferred payments. Each offer varies, so be sure not only to ask the dealer, but to get details directly from the automaker. Though incentives help, greater savings can be earned by doing your homework before setting foot in a dealership. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER

Some Automakers Offer Incentives to New College Grads [KABC]
(Photo: Justin Russell)

Update: Our resident car expert clarifies: "They do actually advertise these incentive deals -- but they don't advertise them in the mainstream. What they do is either buy lists from alumni organizations and do mailings to them, or they advertise in school newspapers, etc. Dealers in big col