The Ford Motor Company began in 1903 and was founded by Henry Ford. It has grown to be the fifth largest automotive company in the world. Being in business over a hundred years was no easy feat. The company has endured many difficult times and still became one of the most profitable companies in the world. After 115 years the company is still owned by the Ford family which is not common for many businesses today. It is an accomplishment for any company to do so.

Sometimes rumours are started that aren't true and other times they are. False rumours are usually started to damage a person's or business's reputation. Regardless if they are false it will still put doubt into people's heads. There are times when rumours start that are true because information is leaked in some manner. With being in business for so long one thing that couldn't be avoided have been rumours. Ford has faced many different kinds of rumours, some bad and some good. Some have been based on lies, and some based on truth. Even when rumours are based on the truth it doesn't necessarily mean that it's good news. Through the bad and the good Ford has withstood it all.

17 The Ford Pinto Was Safe: False

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The Ford Pinto was produced between 1970 and 1980. It was the first subcompact car that Ford made. Over 3 million Pintos were made during that time. In 1974 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began investigating complaints by consumers about the car catching on fire.

It wasn't until 1978 that the Ford Pinto was recalled.

Ford had misled the public into believing that this car was safe when it not. There had been over 924 deaths and hundreds of injuries as a result of the faulty engine design. According to The New York Times, Ford denied responsibility even though they knew. Ford was sued numerous times and paid out millions of dollars in damages.

16 Ford Didn't Know About Defective Firestone Tires: False

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This was another rumour about Ford Motors that they claim didn't know about Firestone Tires. The Firestone tires were used on the Ford Explorer and a few other Ford vehicles that were produced. Ford knew they were being investigated and sued over their Explorers for numerous cases involving rollover accidents that lead to hundreds of deaths and injuries. The Firestone tires used on the cars did not help the situation. According to The New York Times, Ford Motors was aware that the tires were faulty and that they were exploding but the executives stayed quiet about it. Ford eventually recalled 13 million tires in 2001. Forbes also reported that both companies are blaming each for the accidents and deaths that occurred.

15 Henry Ford Invented The First Car: False

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Many people have a misconception that Henry Ford invented the very first car. That just isn't true. The very first car was invented in Germany by Karl Benz in 1885. According to Daimler, by 1886 Benz applied for a patent and history was made. What Henry Ford did was introduce the first mass production car.

According to Ford, in 1908 Ford introduced the assembly line to mass produce cars.

The first production car was the Model- T. The Model- T had a 4-cylinder engine with 20hp and could hit 45 mph. With mass production of cars, Ford was able to lower the price of the Model-T enabling more people to purchase one. The Model- T was produced between 1908 and 1927, selling over 15 million cars.

14 Pickup Trucks Were Ford's Idea: False

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When you think of pickup trucks it's not very hard to associate Henry Ford with the idea. Ford did not invent what was known as the first truck. Credit has to be given to Gottlieb Daimler. Daimler, who was a German engineer and inventor created what was known as the no. 42 in 1896. Over time the truck was developed and improved. By 1917 the Ford Model TT was introduced. At first, the Model TT was a Model- T sold in two parts so the owner could add a chassis if they wanted to. According to Concept Carz, it wasn't until 1924 when Henry Ford Ford decided to put them together already assembled and to mass produce them. It revolutionized the pickup truck.

13 Ford Invented Windshield Wipers: False

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This is something that the Ford Motor has been sued over and so has other car manufacturers. According to Automotive News, Robert William Kearns invented the intermittent windshield wiper in 1964. He tried to introduce it to the car companies but they actually rejected the idea.

Then in 1969, car manufacturers started using them without permission.

Kearns filed a lawsuit against Ford stating that they infringed on his invention. Kerans was seeking $50.00 per wiper used on every Ford vehicle made plus damages. In 1990 the jury awarded Kearns damages in the amount of $8.5 and $11 million.

12 Ford Funds Protests: False

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Another rumour that was started was that the Ford Motor Company donated $100 million to protest groups. Ford Motor Company was confused with the Ford Foundation. It is easy to understand how. In 1936 both Henry Ford and his son Edsel Ford founded the Ford Foundation and it is understandable where the confusion starts. According to the Ford Foundation, after Henry Ford passed in 1947, the foundation had 90 percent of the shares which equaled $474 million in the Ford Motor Company. The Foundation between 1955 and 1974 sold all their holdings to Ford Motors. Then by 1976 Henry Ford II, Edsel son stepped down from the foundation. He had been the last Ford family member left. The Ford Foundation hasn't had anything to with Ford Motors in 42 years.

11 Ford Bailout: False

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The U.S. government bailout was between January 2009 to December 2013 and involved three American automakers GM, Chrysler, and Ford. Ford's involvement was a little different. Ford Chief Executive Officer Alan R. Mulally did lobby for an $80 billion bailout program for the car industry and did ask for a $9 billion line of credit for Ford. This is where assumptions come in. According to FactCheck, Ford did not need the money at all.

It was the only car maker out of the three who did not take money from the Automotive Industry Financing Program, while GM and Chrysler did.

Both GM and Chrysler were facing the end, but what Ford did instead was take a government loan, not a bailout.

10 Jim Hackett Leaving: False

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There have been recent rumours that Ford's President and CEO Jim Hackett IS leaving the company, but this is another untruth. On May 22, 2017, he became president of the company and since he accepted the position he has been making changes to Ford Motors. According to Fortune, what he decided to do was to stop the production of cars except for the two models. The cars will be phased out leaving only the Mustang and Focus Active. Ford will continue to manufacture their Trucks, SUV's, and Commercial Vehicles. No one knows if this will be a mistake on Ford’s part, only time will tell over the next few years.

9 Ford Discontinuing Almost All Cars: True

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Yes, Ford Motors has decided to discontinue certain makes of cars within the next four years. The decision was made by Fords Ford's President and CEO Jim Hackett. The idea was to become more competitive and save the company money. According to the Chicago Tribune, Ford will eliminate 15 car models and will continue making only two models. This is a big change for the Ford Motor Company which could end up being a good or poor decision for them. If your a Ford fan or an enthusiast you won't be able to buy a Ford car except for the Focus Active and of course the Mustang.

8 Ford Paid Out For One Of The Biggest lawsuits In History: True

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On May 29, 1981, the Ford Motor Company paid out one of the biggest lawsuits in U.S history. Richard Grimshaw had been just 13 -years old when he was in a car accident in 1972 while being a passenger in a Ford Pinto. Grimshaw had been burned over 95 percent of his body when the Pinto he was in stalled and was hit from behind. Being rear-ended caused the Pinto to explode. Grimshaw survived and was left permanently disfigured and disabled. According to Harvard Law, the jury awarded Grimshaw $127.8 million in damages for the injuries he suffered.

Ford Motors had been aware of the defective engine and gas tank issue and ignored the problem.

They knew for years and were more concerned about making a profit than the public's safety. Ford has also been sued by numerous other people over the Pinto.

7 Ford Accused Of False Advertising: True

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Ford Motors was accused by the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising in 2011. Ford advertised that their American made cars were made in America when they were not. According to Ad Age, Ford had been making cars in Mexico and Canada, not the United States. They had taken the country-of-origin labels off their cars which is a violation of the American Automobile Labeling Act. In 1992, they passed the American Automobile Labeling Act which required that automakers to list what percent of the car was made in the U.S and what parts were made in other countries. Under the Labeling Act, automobile manufacturers also had to list the hours of labor used.

6 Ford Ranger Raptor Patent Filing: True

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Ford has filed a for a patent for their Ranger Raptor in January. It is believed that the patent filing is a sign that the Ranger Rapture is coming to the United States. This truck is equipped with a 2.0-liter turbodiesel engine, 210 hp, and a 10-speed automatic transmission. According to Car and Driver, the Raptor made its debut in Bangkok, Thailand and people really liked it. It is unknown at this time when the Ranger Raptor will hit the U.S market we will just have to wait and see. It will be interesting to be able to check it out.

5 Ford's F-Series Are The Best Trucks: True

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Yes, Ford does have the number one selling truck in America for 40 consecutive years. Ford introduced the F- series in 1948 and have been going strong ever since. In the 70 years that Ford has manufactured this truck, there have been more than thirteen generations that have been produced. According to Fox News, JATO Dynamics reported that Ford sold 519,000 F- series trucks in the first six months of 2017 alone.

Millions of the F-series trucks have been sold over the years worldwide.

Ford will never give up on this series, it has been a staple for them. No one would give up producing the number one truck.

4 Ford Owned Part Of Cummins Diesel: True

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At one point in time, yes, Ford owned part of Cummins Diesel. The Cummins Engine Company began in 1919 by Clessie Cummins. Over the years Cummins has been known for engines, filtration, power generation, and turbo technologies. Cummins has become a billion-dollar business. According to Diesel Hub, in 1990 Ford Motors did purchase 10.8 percent of the company but by 1997 they sold all their holdings. It seems Ford only did this for investment purposes and not to gain control of Cummins. For the last 11 years, Ford no longer owns a part of Cummins. It is unknown how much Ford actually made off the deal.

3 Harassment Lawsuits: True

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Harassment lawsuits have become commonplace in the business world and Ford Motors is no exception. According to Jalopnik, dozens of women reported harassment, coerced l activities by coworkers and supervisors, along with intimidation tactics in two Chicago plants. The women had endured this for multiple years before coming forward. Ford paid $10.1 million in damages and CEO Jim Hackett apologized for what took place. Ford Motors has claimed to have taken the appropriate measures against the people involved. Everyone deserves a safe work environment and Ford's Presidents wants his employees to feel safe. Between both Chicago factories, there are an estimated 5,000 employees.

2 Ford Making Cars In China: True

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Unfortunately, Ford will start making the Focus in China starting in 2019. It is speculated that this move will save Ford almost one billion dollars. It is hard to imagine another America company is moving production outside of the United States.

According to CNBC, Ford has made the claim that domestic workers won't lose their jobs and will invest more in their Kentucky plant with almost one billion dollars.

They plan to continue making Trucks and SUVs there. Ford had originally planned to move to their manufacturing to Mexico but eventually changed their minds. Ford decided that the move to China would be better for them financially. Not all the time does American made mean American made.

1 Ford's Temporary Layoffs: True

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Ford did temporarily lay off thousands of workers in their Michigan and Missouri plants. The reasons for the layoffs at the Michigan plant was because of a fire that happened which damaged the premises. Due to the fire, the Missouri plant would not be able to get parts needed. Both Ford plants manufacture the F-150. According to the Investors Place, 2000 jobs were lost and the layoffs that started on May 7, 2018,  will end October 22, 2018. Ford is planning to return all their workers even if it isn't at those particular plants. Some workers might have to transfer and possibly move to keep their jobs.

Sources: Forbes.com, NYTimes.com, CarAndDriver.com