Ford investigating fuel economy

Ford motor company is taking a closer look at the testing procedures it uses to certify its fuel economy and emissions standards.

A statement released yesterday says Ford has hired an outside firm to handle the investigation.

The firm will bring in independent experts and use an outside lab.

The 2019 Ranger is the first vehicle that will be checked.

Automakers generally do their own fuel economy testing based on strict criteria and mathematical formulas and then report the results to the government.

In this case, Ford employees raised concerns about potential inaccuracies in September.

The company says the inquiry does not involve the use of so-called "defeat devices" software that can be used to cheat emissions tests.