Recalled Ford owners urged to get cruise control fixed
If you drive a Ford product built before 2005, do us all a favor and give your dealership a call. Ask them if your car or truck is one of the 10 million vehicles out there recalled for repair of a cruise control switch. Trust us, this is not something you want to ignore, as there have been fires, lawsuits, and deaths attributed to this issue.
Word from Washington is that federal safety officials are concerned as less than half of the recalled vehicles have been returned to dealerships for repair (come on people, we told you about this in August, 2006!). This has triggered a rare "consumer advisory" from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who are urging motorists to take action. Ford is also re-notifying owners. The NHTSA is also quick to point out that there is no need to schedule an appointment for the repair as some dealers are even providing quick drive-through services for the fix.
The long list of recalled vehicles has been included after the jump.
[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]
The full list of affected vehicles from the NHTSA:
- 1993-2004 Ford F-150
- 1993-1999 F-250 (gasoline engine)
- 1993-1996 Ford Bronco
- 1994-1996 Ford Econoline
- 1997-2002 Ford Expedition
- 1998-2002 Lincoln Navigator
- 1998-2002 Ford Ranger
- 1992-1998 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Car
- 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII
- 1993-1995 Ford Taurus SHO with automatic transmission
- 1994 Mercury Capri
- 1998-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer
- 2001-2002 Ford Explorer Sport and Explorer Sport Trac
- 1992-1993 and 1997-2003 Ford E-150-350 gasoline or natural gas vehicles
- 2002 Ford E-550 gasoline engine vehicles
- 1996-2003 Ford E-450 gasoline or natural gas vehicles
- 1994-2002 Ford F-250 through F-550 Super Duty trucks (gasoline engine)
- 2000-2002 Ford Excursion (gasoline engine)
- 2003 Ford F-250-F-550 Super Duty, Ford Excursion
- 1995-2002 Ford F-53 motor home chassis
- 2002-2003 Lincoln Blackwood
Get a WordPress.com Blog
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Phil L. 9:35PM (2/29/2008)
...and if your vehicle isn't in this list, you're not out of the woods yet.
Many other Ford vehicles used this same cruise control switch. But if the application happened to place it in a matter that it didn't tend to result in a fire, they didn't recall it.
Yet the switch will still fail. Example: My '00 Windstar uses the same switch. The brake pressure switch is attached to the "front" end of the master cylinder. The Windstar's FWD placement means leaking brake fluid won't contact the exhaust manifold (which is where the fire hazard comes from). But my switch failed (lack of cruise control and an oil click on the wiring harness under the master cylinder are the all-too-common signs). An easy fix - but I had to pay for the part myself.
Reply
conner 9:44PM (2/29/2008)
ha ha just went to the ford dealer to ask about this not fifteen minutes ago and they said the only thing they can do is disable the cruise control because they wont get the necessary parts in until may for my sisters 2003 ranger. Haven't even got anything in the mail. Meanwhile Volkswagen mailed me periodic reminders for my cars (2001 GTI) recall and couldnt have been easier or more friendly to schedule an appointment for the fix which isn't life threatening as this apparently is. Ahh that "crappy" Volkswagen service.
Jeff 11:03AM (3/01/2008)
FALSE. The fire hazzard comes from electrical current passing through brake fluid. Ford is doing NOTHING to fix the eventual leak. All they are doing is putting a fuse in the cruise control harness. Nice fix, huh?
After this and many other issues like defective ball joints that were never recalled, I hope my F150 and its new owner are enjoying each other's company.
JayP 11:24PM (2/29/2008)
With any of these vehicles, who's going back to the dealer for service. Either the owner is DYI, going to a quickieloob or neglecting the vehicle.
I may check on my '01 Ranger but until then, he's sleeping outside!
Reply
JW 1:20AM (3/01/2008)
We have an E350 Club Wagon as a company vehicle and I got the same response from the service department as Conner. In November they said the part was back ordered until early '08 and all they would do is disable the cruise control. Two weeks ago they said not until late Spring.
I guess they're making each of the 10 million piece one at a time.
Reply
Chris 2:15AM (3/01/2008)
Don't blame the dealers, Ford isn't handling this very well. I work at Ford dealer and we just got a small shipment of harnesses which are going really fast. Since our next shipment is no where in sight and Ford can't tell us anything we are taking reservations for the parts. Pretty sad considering the seriousness of this recall.
Reply
Brendan 1:52AM (3/01/2008)
Heh, the cruise control buttons on my '01 Taurus decide they don't want to work sometimes, but that doesn't mean my feet stop operating. Then again, most of the stuff in that car only works well when it wants to - probably like the union that built it.
I'm never taking it back to the dealer though. They raped my wallet last time I brought it there even though they only did a "diagnostic." They managed to find things wrong with the car that weren't actually wrong, and despite a lot of arguing and the car still being under warranty, I was still out an inordinate amount of money. An indie shop down the street cost less to not only diagnose the REAL problem, but to fix it and two other things as well.
Stevens' Ford can go [insert expletives detailing the forceful insertion of objects into unwilling orifices here].
Reply
Zeus.:God 3:01AM (3/01/2008)
My, my... Ford seems to be having quite a few recalls lately...
Reply
Bob-omb 3:02AM (3/01/2008)
If these Ford owners are anything like the people in my family that own Fords, they think recalls are for sissies.
People are stupid, plain and simple.
Reply
That One Person 5:02AM (3/01/2008)
Why blame Ford? They aren't the ones who built this part in the first place and I doubt they are building the replacement part. They can only go as fast as whatever company is building the replacement switch.
No offense to anyone on here but don't get pissed at Ford because:
1) The dealer sucks.
2) The part isn't available. There could be many reasons why that part isn't available. If Ford says to disconnect the switch as a temporary precaution, just do it. The cruise doesn't work in my car and I can survive without it.
Conner, I don't know about you but my father has always recieved reminders on recalls and the local dealer has been more than helpful in scheduling appointments for his vehicles (if the need is there).
Reply
The Friendly Grizzly 7:43AM (3/01/2008)
Ford IS to blame. They contracted a company to build a part to meet a certain spec. Either the spec was not met and Ford's QC people didn't catch it, or the spec was below what it should have been. The same applies to Tundra camshafts: outsourcing is not an excuse.
Jim Arrington 12:39PM (3/03/2008)
Dumb response. Ford engineers the system. The system is the fault, not the part. Get your facts straight before posting.
Norm Kowalski 5:19AM (3/01/2008)
I wonder how many of those old Fords are even still running....
Reply
Hej 7:13AM (3/01/2008)
I had a neighbor a couple of summers ago with that had his F150 ignite in the middle of the night. Pretty sure it was the same problem. The fire dept told him "something" inside the cabin seemed to have caused it. It was pretty spectacular when the fire spread to the engine bay and thus the engine & fuel lines. Also pretty impressive how it melted the vinyl siding off the house.
On a semi-related note, not only should this be a lesson to get your recalled vehicle fixed, but also a lesson to switch from Sprint. I had Sprint at the time, and tried 5~7 times to dial 911 from my house. Every time the call either wouldn't connect, or when it finally did I got dropped before I could give the address. Fun times :)
Reply
That One Person 1:48PM (3/02/2008)
Yeah, you are right. For some reason, I didn't even think about it that way.
Thedevil 8:00AM (3/01/2008)
The sad part to all this is , this issue have killed people and pets ,after burning people out of their houses what does Ford tells people to do? Ford, however, continues to deny any responsibility for fires caused by its trucks. It tells burned-out customers to talk to their insurance agents. so sad!
Reply
DELICIA DAWN LEWIS 11:36PM (3/02/2008)
My son and his girlfriend were burned alive on 12-09-06 experts and Ford examined the car. The part was sent to more experts and found to have internally failed. The recall came out august 3rd 07.
I cry everyday over my loss.
Andy99gt 9:52AM (3/01/2008)
Okay, let's stop and look at things in perspective here.
1. NOBODY, independent or NHTSA, has been able to confirm that this part is causing fires. That being said, organizations need to be careful what they say, because if any of the attorneys at Ford got wind of some of the publications claiming the are, these places would be libel for slander.
2. Even though no link between the cruise control switch and fires have been confirmed, Ford is STILL forfitting millions for the safety of the customer.
3. This recall is NOT new!!! It has been around since August 2006. I do not feel any pity for anyone who is complaining about this. You have had over a year and a half to simply make an appointment! Stop procrastinating and get your vehicle fixed. It's FREE for goodness sake!
4. Some dealerships aren't even making you get out of your vehicle! You just pull up and have it disconnected. How much lazier can one be for passing that service up?
All in all, Ford has been more than responsible for an unproven problem. Quit whining about the corporations that are actually being proactive!
What a grand country we live in here in America, we get waited on hand and foot and still complain. What a shame...
Reply
Daniel Cote 10:56AM (3/01/2008)
"3. This recall is NOT new!!! It has been around since August 2006. I do not feel any pity for anyone who is complaining about this. You have had over a year and a half to simply make an appointment! Stop procrastinating and get your vehicle fixed. It's FREE for goodness sake!
4. Some dealerships aren't even making you get out of your vehicle! You just pull up and have it disconnected. How much lazier can one be for passing that service up?"
It may not be new but I didn't get notified until Sept. '07.
Ford dealers are not "fixing" the CC, they're disabling it. So if it's really been since '06, that means lots of ford owners have potentially been driving without CC for a year and a half or so.
DELICIA DAWN LEWIS 11:36PM (3/02/2008)
Just wanted you to know the recall was issued after most of the fires and deaths that is why Ford recalled the part. And yes, some parts have been found to have "internally failed"
I am thankful that Ford has stepped up and urging the public to come get the cruise control at least dis-connected it will save lives. It is just to late for my son who burned to alive on 12-09-06 driving a lin. mark viii.