Ford says Asia head to add China chief role

Oct 27 (Reuters) – Ford Motor (F.N) said its top Asia executive, Joe Hinrichs, will assume the additional role as chairman and CEO of its China operations, effective Nov 1, replacing Robert Graziano.

Graziano will succeed Marin Burela as president and chief executive of Ford Australia and New Zealand, Ford said in a statement on Wednesday.

Burela, who had led the development of Ford’s small car product portfolio, will assume the position of president of Ford’s China car joint venture, replacing industry veteran Jeffrey Shen, who will retire at the end of the year.

Ford makes Focus, Fiesta, Mondeo and other cars in China in partnership with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co (000625.SZ) and Mazda Motor (7261.T). It also holds a 30 percent stake in Jiangling Motors Corp (000550.SZ), a major Chinese light commercial vehicle maker.

In September 2009, Ford, a relative late-comer to China, broke ground on its third China car plant as it accelerated expansion in the world’s largest auto market.

In the first nine months, Ford and its Chinese partners sold 419,073 vehicles in the country, up 40 percent from the year-ago period, outperforming a 36 percent rise in the overall market.

Hinrichs joined Ford in 2000 as a plant manager outside Detroit. He won recognition for his work in negotiating a series of landmark cost-cutting deals with the automaker’s North American unions from 2007, just as the U.S. auto market tipped toward a sharp decline. He is also seen as one of a handful of potential successors to Alan Mulally as Ford’s CEO. [ID:nN24159793]

He assumed the role as president of Ford’s Asia Pacific and Africa region in December 2009. (Reporting by Fang Yan and Ken Wills)

1999 Ranger -Steering not retuning to center

I got a 99 ranger shortbed had upper and lower ball joints installed, then had front end alignment done now it won’t return to center. They want me to return to them so they can check it out more and say it is proubly the steering box? It all worked fine till I went and put ball joints in it. I think the camber or caster is still off ! Any body got any advise? Thanks!

Was the stering wheel straight ahead when the joints were installed? Some joints and it may or may not be the case with yours, are mounted so there is no actual ‘turning’ in the joint. It’s rubber bonded to each piece that flexes as the wheel is turned, if it’s installed when the wheel is off center, it’ll be biased one way….Mike

Every thing lines up ok wheel just needs help to return to center.
Everything is tight and working well but when you go to turn you have to help the steering wheel back to center.
Tracks fine going down the road. Took back to them today and will find out what they say this time. I will post what they say as soon as I know somthing esle.
Thanks for the reply !

Well got it back for the second time and they still say it is the steeringbox. I still have a hard time believing it cause it drives fine and returns almost all the way to center but lacks about 4 inches of turning the wheel to get it back to center in both directions. I think I am going to try a new place of service cause I have no way of checking theses things out for myself. Any suggestions ? Thanks in advance!

It could be the steering box. If the adjustment nut and shaft is too tight it will prevent the wheel from returning back to center. I am not sure about your particular model. It may not have an adjustment on the box. I do know that if there is too much + caster on the front wheels it could prevent them from returning to center. Trust the people doing the alignment. They are thinking along the right track.

Hey morrow hope u dont mind me askin but my son has a 99. Took to get allignment they said it needs ball joints and wanted 850 buks i was floored. Is that reallity?

If the ball joints that were put in weren’t greased that would cause them to bind up and not allow the steering to return to center. Same thing with tie rod ends.