Auto on Info: Car News and Commentary August 2007: Ford Recalls 3.6 Million More Vehicles over Incendiary Concern: Little by Little

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Ford Recalls 3.6 Million More Vehicles over Incendiary Concern: Little by Little

Fire concerns over Ford Motor Company's cruise control deactivation switch has prompted another U.S. safety recall. The latest recall includes:

The Associated Press articles at www.freep.com (Detroit Free Press) and online.wsj.com (The Wall Street Journal) report that more than a dozen different models from 1992-2007 were covered by the recall; however, its list of recalls did not include any models from 2005, 2006 or 2007.

Chronology of Events regarding Ford Motor Company's Cruise Control Deactivation Switch and Reported Fires
November 2004	NHTSA commences an investigation of Ford pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles after 36 reports of fire.
January 2005	In the U.S., Ford Motor Company issues a safety recall of 750,000 2000 Ford F-150 pickup trucks, Ford Expedition sport-utility vehicles, and Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicles for replacement of the cruise control deactivation switch. See "Ford's 2005 U.S. Safety Recalls Leap Past GM's: Ford Recalls About 750,000 Ford and Lincoln Pickups and SUVs in U.S." Auto on Info, January 2005.
March 2005	NHTSA expands its investigation to include 3.7 million 1995-1999 and 2001-2002 Ford F-150 pickup trucks, Ford Expedition sport-utility vehicles, and Lincoln Navigator sport utility vehicles based on 218 complaints of engine-area fires. See "NHTSA Begins Investigating 3.7 Million Ford Pickup Trucks and SUVs: Oh Dear! The Garage Is Ablaze." Auto on Info, March 2005.
May 2005	KPRC of Houston, Texas reports that a local fire marshal's office confirmed that a fire originated in the engine-area of a 2001 Ford F-150 pickup truck and that a safety expert recommends parking a Ford vehicle currently under investigation by NHTSA for an increased risk of fire well away from the home. Auto on Info notes the recommendation in a May article entitled "Park That Ford on the Street!"
June 2005	The Tampa Tribune reports two lawsuits alleging fires resulting from the cruise control deactivation switch and the Associated Press reports a lawsuit against Ford alleging that its deactivation switch caused the conflagration of a home and the wrongful death of an elderly Iowan woman. See "Park That Ford on the Street! II," Auto on Info, June 2005.
July 2005	NHTSA sets a deadline for some answers from Ford and NHTSA officials say that now more than 500 fires have been reported in Ford vehicles and state that 16 million Ford vehicles may have the same or similar cruise control deactivation switch, per Detroit News. See "As Fires Mount, NHTSA Puts the Heat on Ford: Park That Ford on the Street! III," Auto on Info, July 2005. KIRO 7 of Washington state reports two 1998 Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle fires and one Washington lawsuit involving an unspecified Ford fire. The article provides a good description of the speed of conflagration and a good photograph of the hulk remaining after incineration. See "Another Ford Fire: Park That Ford on the Street! IV," Auto on Info, July 2005.
September 2005	Ford issues a safety recall of 3.8 million 1994-2002 Ford F-150 pickup trucks, 1997-2002 Ford Expedition sport-utility vehicles, 1998-2002 Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicles, and 1994-1996 Ford Bronco sport utility vehicles (when the last was factory-equipped with cruise control) for the cruise-control-caused fire hazard. See "Fire Hazard Prompts Ford to Recall 4 Million Vehicles," Auto on Info, September 2005.
December 2005	Ford announces that the wiring harness - a circuit breaker of sorts - that it plans to insert to prevent engine fires in its sport utility vehicles and pickups will not be available until February 2006. See "Toyota, Honda, Ford, Mercedes, GM, and Volvo Recall a Batch; Ford's 'Solution' to Its Incendiary Problem Will Not Be Available until February," Auto on Info, December 2005.
August 2006	Ford Motor Company announces a recall of an additional 1.2 million 1994-2002 F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 F-Super Duty pickup trucks, 2000-2002 Ford Excursion sport-utility vehicles, 1994-1996 Econoline vans, 1996-2002 E-450 vans, and 1998 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer sport-utility vehicles for the cruise-control-caused fire hazard. See "Ford Announces Recall of 1.2 Million More Incendiaries, But No New Relief for Owners of GM's Runaways, Collapsing Tailgates, and Engine Knockers," Auto on Info, August 2006.
August 2007	Ford Motor Company announces a recall of an additional 3.6 million 1998-2002 Ford Ranger pickup trucks, 1992-1997 Lincoln Town Cars, 1992-1997 Ford Crown Victorias, 1992-1997 Mercury Grand Marquises, 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIIIs, 1993-1995 Ford Taurus SHOs, 1999-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer sport-utility vehicles, 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport sport-utility vehicles, 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport Trac crew cab pickup trucks, 1992-1993 E150-350 vans, 1997-2002 E150-350 vans, 1993 F-Series pickups, 1993 Ford Bronco sport-utility vehicles, 1994 Mercury Capris, 2003-2004 Ford F-150 Lightning pickup trucks, and 1995-2002 Ford F53 motor homes.

Ford has stated that the fire hazard arises when brake fluid leaks through the cruise control deactivation switch into the cruise control system's electrical components. The brake fluid sometimes, or always, causes corrosion of the electrical wiring. The corrosion increases resistance to electrical flow with the result that the temperature in the wiring of the cruise control system rises and, in particular, the temperature of the cruise control deactivation switch rises.

Ford's solution to the problem is to put in a wiring harness that serves as a circuit breaker to the cruise control system "or"¹ (and?) replace the switch if leakage is found. Parts for such solution to the problem are said to be available for trucks and parts for passenger cars will be available in October. In the meantime, Ford will deactivate the cruise control system.

¹ "Ford to recall 3.6 Million Vehicles over Fire Reports," Detroit Free Press, August 3, 2007, available at www.freep.com

Source for latest recall: "Ford to recall 3.6 Million Vehicles over Fire Reports," Detroit Free Press, August 3, 2007, available at www.freep.com

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