Ford is conducting a voluntary safety recall involving speed control
deactivation switch systems in 3.6 million vehicles. Ford claims this
is a quick repair, and will be performed on vehicles built between 1992
and 2003.
Ford
dealers will provide this service to all affected vehicles at no charge
to the customers. The company says it has a sufficient supply of parts
to service the affected trucks. The supply of parts to service the
affected cars is expected to be available in early October. Owners of
all affected vehicles will be notified by mail.
A related artlcle at CNN
suggests there may be a link between this part and some suspicious
vehicle fires. Apparently In 2005, CNN began airing a series of
investigative reports on unexplained and sudden fires in Ford cars and
trucks. Their article states that they "found that a tiny electrical
switch in the cruise control system could lead to the vehicle catching
fire, even hours after the car was turned off." However, a Ford
spokesman told CNN that Ford vehicles being recalled do not have "a
higher-than-normal fire incidence."
Click here to see a complete list of which vehicles are involved in this recall, what model years, and where they were built.
According to the Ford Recall Advisory, "While these vehicles are not
subject to the systems interaction issues affecting vehicles in the
prior recall populations, Ford is taking this action to address
continued customer concerns about the potential for fires in their
vehicles. We cannot be confident in the long-term durability of the
speed control deactivation switches."
At
no charge to customers, Ford or Lincoln/Mercury Dealers will inspect
the speed control deactivation switch and install a fused wiring
harness between the current speed control wiring and the deactivation
switch or, if necessary, replace the deactivation switch. The harness
acts to protect the switch in the rare event of increased electrical
current flow through the switch.
Owners of trucks that are
affected by this recall will be instructed to take their vehicles to a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership for repairs. Owners of cars that are
affected by this recall will be directed to bring their vehicles into
their dealership to have the speed control disconnected, as an interim
repair, until parts are available to perform the final repair in early
October, which is the same as the repair for trucks.
By Brandy Schaffels
Contributing Editor
