Recall Alert: 2012 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator

Ford is recalling 569 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs from the 2012 model year because the head restraints may have inadequate welds, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In the affected vehicles, which were built from Nov. 19 to Dec. 2, 2011, the welds on the second-row head restraint’s support brackets in the right-hand seat may not provide enough strength, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.

The recall is expected to begin around Feb. 20, and dealers will replace the head restraint if necessary at no charge. Owners can call Ford at 866-436-7332 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Lincoln Sticking with MK-Lettered Nameplates

Like them or not, the Lincoln brand's nameplate nomenclatures of "MKT," “MKZ," "MKX," and "MKS" are here to say, according to USA Today.

Last year, Ford CEO Alan Mulally intimated that the carmaker was considering a switch from the MK naming to something more traditional, like Continental.

For the hopeful, those dreams have officially been dashed. At the 2012 Detroit auto show, Lincoln introduced the MKZ Concept, indicating the Zephyr name probably wouldn't be revived.

Jim Farley, Ford's marketing chief, also hinted that the names would stick. "What I've learned in my career is it's product that matters, not the name," Farley told reporters at the show. In a separate interview, Mulally also told reporters he had come to terms with the current naming structure at Lincoln.

No word on if this spells the end of the only model still holding a proper name at Lincoln: the Navigator full-size SUV.

No change: Lincoln Is Stuck With Alphabet Soup Names (USA Today)

Lincoln MKZ Concept: Photo Gallery

Lincoln thinks a fresh new design direction is just what the brand needs to stay relevant in the luxury-car segment; many of the cues Lincoln is thinking of using are represented on on this thinly veiled concept version of the next-generation MKZ.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Looks like big changes will come to the MKZ's grille, which ditches vertical slats for horizontal ones that help emphasize the car's width.

2012 Detroit Auto Show: What To Expect

Nearly a month from today will mark the return of America’s — and maybe the world’s — most important auto show. Thirty-six all-new vehicles are set to debut at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, according to the Detroit Free Press.

After a two-year hiatus, Nissan and Infiniti will be at the show. At the same time, Suzuki, Land Rover and Jaguar will be leaving.

New vehicles at the show will include the 2013 Toyota Prius C, which will be the most fuel-efficient and most affordable Toyota hybrid available, according to the automaker.

As Automakers Face Hurdles, Responsiveness Becomes Key

Carmakers are reacting faster to the market these days, and their success hinges on speed more than ever.

As we head into the holiday season, consider two carmakers whose latest products have had not-so-merry receptions. Honda, stung by a new round of supply shortages from flooding in Thailand, faces harsh reviews over its redesigned Civic — a compact car we've noted drops the ball in cabin quality, though we still recommend it for other strengths. The redesigned Odyssey minivan, meanwhile, has stumbled on reliability in Consumer Reports' latest surveys.

Rival automaker Ford, a longtime reliability leader among Detroit automakers, faces its own issues in recent quality rankings, mostly over the controversial MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch center controls.

Both automakers are responding.

Did the New Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT Change Enough?

The Ford Flex has one of those love-it-or-hate-it vehicle designs. It's boxy, it's square, it's retro and apparently it's also totally L.A. (It turns out Los Angeles is one of the Flex's hottest markets). Case in point, when we hosted actor Joey Lawrence and his family at one of our recent Cars.com Shootouts, he kept comparing the cars we were testing to his own Flex.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The Flex isn't as popular in other markets, and neither is the Lincoln MKT. Both sell in meager amounts next to mainstream crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse and even Ford's own Explorer. Can some refreshes to these two vehicles skyrocket them onto families' radars?

2013 Lincoln MKS Video

For the 2013 model year, the Lincoln MKS gets a mild refresh that includes a more robust powertrain, styling updates and new interior controls. MyLincoln Touch is new to the MKS, and the multimedia system is supposed to be more responsive, Ford says. In our testing on the show floor, the performance still didn't seem as responsive as we'd hoped, according to Cars.com Industry Analyst Kelsey Mays.

2013 Lincoln MKT: Up Close

The slow-selling MKT tones down some of its more controversial elements for 2013, and it remains spacious in the first and second rows. But the latest version of MyLincoln Touch still needs work.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Shallower than the one that preceded it, the MKT's new grille is more palatable, but the car's ungainly profile remains. Some people like it, but if you hated it before, the rhinoplasty doesn't change that. Like on the MKS, most of the grille — plus the lower bumper inlet — is closed off. Fewer openings usually improve highway aerodynamics, but it means most of the MKT's grille is unnecessary. Bah.

2013 Lincoln MKS: Photo Gallery

The 2013 Lincoln MKS receives a host of improvements, including a more powerful powertrain, handling upgrades, interior updates and the MyLincoln Touch multimedia system.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

The MKS' exterior looks were updated, too, but the baleen whale grille might turn off some shoppers. Still, divisive is better than forgotten.

2013 Lincoln MKS: Up Close

The MKS' new grille does the automotive equivalent of wearing a pinstriped shirt: It thins the car out a bit. There's more visual depth up front, taking your focus off the car's bulbous rear flanks. The grille is still a little too intense for me, and most of it is unnecessary.

More 2011 L.A. Auto Show Coverage

Look close, and half of the upper and lower "inlets" give way to solid pieces behind. I get why Lincoln did it — more openings usually hurt aerodynamics, dinging your highway gas mileage — but form clearly led function, and most of the grille is faux show.