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February U.S. Safety Recalls by Land Rover (1), Volkswagen (1), Chrysler (1), Ford Motor Company (5), Porsche (1), Mitsubishi (1), Nissan (1), Honda (2), and Toyota (1)
AutoOnInfo.net March 2008
February U.S. Safety Recalls by Land Rover (1), Volkswagen (1), Chrysler (1), Ford Motor Company (5), Porsche (1), Mitsubishi (1), Nissan (1), Honda (2), and Toyota (1)
By James B. Bleeker
The following February 2008 U.S. safety recalls were published by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
By the Land Rover division (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .03) of Ford Motor Company:
(1) 12,353 2008 Land Rover LR2 sport-utility vehicles equipped with a sunroof for sunroof guide-rail plastic over-mold material that may detach from the guide rail and cause the sunroof to bind, twist and possibly detach.
By Volkswagen AG (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .21):
(2) 720 2008 Audi TT coupes for safety-belt pillar clips that may detach on impact.
By the Chrysler Group, now Chrysler LLC (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .38):
(3) 1,338 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander sport-utility vehicles for a control module that may cause the engine to stall or not to start and may render windshield wipers inoperative.
By Ford Motor Company (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .50):
(4) 225,000 1992-2003 Ford Econoline vans, 1993-1995 Ford Taurus SHOs, 1992-1998 Ford Crown Victoria large sedans, 1993 Ford Bronco sport-utility vehicles, 1993 Ford F-Series pickup trucks, 1995-1997 Ford F-Series Super Duty Stripped Chassis pickup trucks, 1992-1998 Mercury Grand Marquis large sedans, and 1992-1995 Lincoln Town Cars for a faulty fix to its incendiary problem. A summary of Ford's incendiary problem is given in the following table.
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 Motor Company announces 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 safety 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. April 2007 Ford Motor Company announces a safety recall of an additional 155,584 2002-2003 E-550 vans, 2003 F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 pickups, 2003 Excursion sport-utility vehicles, and 2003 Lincoln Blackwood pickups for its cruise-control deactivation switch that may corrode, overheat, and cause a fire. See "U.S. Safety Recalls by Land Rover (1), Volkswagen (1), General Motors (2), Saab (1), Chrysler (5), Ford (5, Including Another Fire Hazardous Deactivation Switch Recall), Mazda (1), Nissan (1), Subaru (1), Honda (2), and Toyota (1)," Auto on Info, April 2007. August 2007 Ford Motor Company announces a safety 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. See "Ford Recalls 3.6 Million More Vehicles over Incendiary Concern: Little by Little," Auto on Info, August 2007. February 2008 Ford Motor Company announces re-recall of 225,000 1992-2003 Ford Econoline vans, 1993-1995 Ford Taurus SHOs, 1992-1998 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis large cars, 1992-1995 Lincoln Town Cars, 1993 Ford Bronco sport-utility vehicles, and 1993 and 1995-1997 F-Series pickup trucks to replace defective wiring harnesses that Ford has offered as a fix to its incendiary problem. See "Ford's Interminable Incendiary Saga: Ford Motor Company Re-Recalls 225,000 Vehicles for Faulty Fire Fix," Auto on Info, February 2008. March 2008 Ford's Texan lawsuits are consolidated. See "Ford's Interminable Incendiary Saga: Some of Ford's Fire Cases Are Merged," Auto on Info, March 2008. Note: While about 16 million vehicles were reported to have a cruise-control deactivation switch similar or identical to that within the recalled vehicles, only about 9 million of the 16 million have been recalled, so this saga may have a long life to come. (5) 57,199 2006-2007 Ford E-150, E-250, and E-350 vans and 2007 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicles equipped with a 5.4-liter engine for a hose that may crack and leak fuel and may cause another fire or incendiary problem.
(6) 123,632 2007-2008 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicles for a handle housing part that may fracture and prevent a secure latch.
(7) 434,593 2005-2008 Ford Mustang vehicles for a passenger air bag deployment that poses a risk of neck injury in violation of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208.
(8) 87,515 2008 Ford F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 pickup trucks for seat-pivot-bracket and seat-frame welds that are insufficient to satisfy Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 207.
By Porsche AG (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .58):
(9) 5,573 2008 Porsche Cayenne 6-cylinder sport-utility vehicles for a fuel line that may make contact with an engine compartment cover, chafe, and leak fuel.
By Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .70):
(10) 5,400 2007-2008 Mitsubishi Outlander sport-utility vehicles without an electric power seat for an unused power seat harness connector that may corrode, overheat, and cause a fire. This is a regional recall for vehicles sold in or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
By Nissan Motor Company (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .70):
(11) 16,365 2008 Infiniti EX35 and 2009 Nissan Murano sport-utility vehicles for software that may prevent the passenger air bag from inflating.
By Honda Motor Company (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .84):
(12) 273,000 2004-2008 Acura TL sedans for a power steering hose that is insufficiently heat resistant and consequently, may crack, leak fluid, and cause an under-the-hood fire.
(13) 129,600 2004-2005 Acura TL sedans for a windshield-wiper-motor breather port that permits the entry of water and may cause the wiper motor to corrode and the wiper-motor circuit breaker to fail.
By Toyota Motor Corporation (with a 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank average of .89):
(14) 1,555 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup trucks equipped with a port-installed alloy-wheel upgrade for wheel nuts that may crack or break.
The following chart gives the cumulative U.S. safety recalls from January 2003 through December 2007.
Source for February safety recalls: "Safety Defect/Noncompliance Notices Received During February 2008"
Source for 1999-2003 Reliability Percentrank averages: Table I-MVRP
Related Web Pages NHTSA (U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) Monthly Recall Reports for the Past 6 Months (This U.S. government web page sometimes has active links and sometimes not. When I complain by email, the Administration seems to be able to make them operative, for a little while. Whether this situation results from bureaucratic incompetence or collusion with Detroit is difficult to say.) NHTSA Recall Search by Year, Make, Model, and Component NHTSA Defect Search by Year, Make, Model, and Component NHTSA Complaint Search by Year, Make, Model, and Component NHTSA Instructions and Options on Filing a Safety Complaint
Addendum: Although AutoOnInfo.net covers only cars, SUVs, minivans, sport-utility vehicles, and pickup trucks, NHTSA's Monthly Recall Reports web page covers motorcycles, large trucks, trailers, travel trailers, school buses, city buses, and motor homes, as well as an assortment of vehicle add-ons, accessories, and components. Consequently, concerned parents may wish to regularly visit NHTSA's monthly recall reports to find out what school buses have been recalled and then enquire at their local bus companies to find out whether the repairs have been made or when they will be made.
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