The Cold Never Bothered Ford Anyway

Ford dealers from Utah to the East Coast know the importance of driving safely. There are several places in the U.S. that have very extreme cold-weather conditions during the winter season. With safety being one of Ford’s main priorities, it is important that its vehicles be safe and reliable in the extreme conditions that some drivers experience. 

Dealers and drivers from states such as Utah understand how important it is to drive a trustworthy car through the cold, snowy, icy and often-dangerous winter season. Luckily, the engineers at Ford find this equally important and are experts at making sure their vehicles perform well in these possible driving conditions. 

The McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida is the home to Ford’s cold-weather testing facilities. Vehicles’ performances are tested at below-zero temperatures. The engineers test different fuels for different vehicles to see which ones result in the best performance for extremely cold temperatures. 

The facility even simulates specific scenarios to test the reliability and performance of vehicles. Some resemble Utah winter days, while others simulate even more extreme conditions. Ford’s website cites testing designed to simulate weather conditions experienced in Alaskan oil fields, where the temperature can fluctuate “from 40 degrees to minus 40 degrees.” The testing examines the stability of interior cabin temperatures, as well as the overall performance of the vehicle.

Because of the size of the testing center, the testing is done in as little as three weeks. These three weeks of cold yet exceedingly productive testing is considered time well spent for dealers, engineers and of course, drivers. This testing ensures that Ford vehicles are reliable and safe no matter how cold it is outside.

Jordan Lee is a automative writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Henry Day Ford.