Is it any wonder?

As Expected, Ford Falls From 2nd Place in U.S. Sales - New York Times

Ford plants are closing all over the place--why is it such a shock that the disappointment in the company's moves would show up in sales?

You won't see it just in the areas effected either---family members and friends will feel the need to "protest" Ford's moves as well.

Ford's big mistake was not converting the plants used to make the big gas-guzzling-dropping-in-sales cars/trucks into plants that would make the new hybrid cars.

The local plant here was supposed to be viable and not shut down....it made its own electricity and was supposed to be one of the cheapest to run in the nation--yet Ford suddenly decided to drop it and sell the property.

Only now they are finding a horrible problem which will be coming back to haunt the company.

Local tests have found high levels of MERCURY in the soil which Ford had made for kids to play ball...the tests were performed as a routine check when the new developers were thinking of making two more ball fields to turn the area into a main hub for local & state little league games.

This has put the whole thing on hold--because there was also going to be a housing complex going in....it was one of the "new trend" housing that had mixed-incomes in it. But because of regulations for Section 8 housing these plans are on hold until further testing can take place.
At least that is my understanding.