Ford issued a recall and a warning. I don't know which models/years are being recalled. The letter didn't state.
"Ford cannot be confident that a speed control deactivation switch installed on your vehicle will not leak brake fluid, posing the risk of fire. This condition may occur either when the vehicle is parked or when it is being operated.
This risk exists on vehicles equipped with or without speed control"
In a different paragraph, "Until you have the recall service performed, park your vehicle outdoors away from structures to prevent a potential fire from spreading".
And yet some people think it's smart to bail out companies who build this crap.
Stunning. ::)
tg, I don't think Ford accepted bailout money.
They just screwed the small dealerships, like Anderson.
Any statistics on how many foreign manufacturers have recalls and how often?
Quote from: buzz on November 05, 2009, 09:52:00 PM
Ford issued a recall and a warning. I don't know which models/years are being recalled. The letter didn't state.
"Ford cannot be confident that a speed control deactivation switch installed on your vehicle will not leak brake fluid, posing the risk of fire. This condition may occur either when the vehicle is parked or when it is being operated.
This risk exists on vehicles equipped with or without speed control"
In a different paragraph, "Until you have the recall service performed, park your vehicle outdoors away from structures to prevent a potential fire from spreading".
LOL, that cannot be real!Every recall I've ever had was detailed, listing the make, model, lot no., etc...
???
Pretty much true. I did a search because we own two Fords.
###
Ford recall hits 4.5 million vehicles
Automaker issues largest single recall ever due to a faulty cruise control switch that could lead to a fire.
By Hibah Yousuf, CNNMoney.com contributing writer
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Ford issued the largest single recall in its history Tuesday as drivers of an additional 4.5 million vehicles were alerted about a fire hazard from a faulty switch.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said this was the eighth recall, involving a total of 16 million Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500) vehicles, concerning the cruise control deactivation switch manufactured by Texas Instruments (TXN, Fortune 500).
The faulty switch can leak hydraulic fluid, overheat, smoke and then burn, and risks causing a fire even when the ignition is turned off, parked and unattended, the NHTSA said.The risk is elevated for 1.1 million Windstars that were subject to a government investigation, said Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood.
"We determined with the government that there is a low risk of fires for those vehicles," Sherwood said. "The other 3.4 million vehicles are the remaining vehicles that have the Texas Instrument switch, so we're recalling them to reassure customers and prevent future recalls."
Sherwood added that Ford has always gone beyond recalling only the cars that present a risk.
While the company does not discuss its current suppliers, Sherwood said that Ford vehicles did not use the Texas Instrument switch in post-2003 models.
NHTSA said Ford drivers should look for warnings of possible imminent fires, including malfunctioning cruise control systems and brake lights and antilock braking system and brake light warnings on the dashboard. The safety agency also said difficulty in getting the vehicle out of the park mode should be treated as a warning.
"I urge customers to pay attention to this warning and bring the affected models in to have them repaired as soon as possible," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in a statement.
Ford is notifying customers and instructing them to take vehicles to dealers for a complimentary installation of a fused wiring harness that will eliminate the risk of fires, the NHTSA said.
The safety recall is expected to begin around Oct. 26. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or NTHSA's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit http://www.safercar.gov.
Tuesday's recall includes the following Ford models: 1995-2003 Windstars, 2000-2003 Excursion diesels, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-Super Duty diesels, 1992-2003 Econolines, 1995-2002 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Rangers and 1994 F35 motorhomes.
http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/13/news/companies/Ford_recall/index.htm
Ford didn't take any bailout money. Only GM and Chrysler. Ford's quality has improved in recent years. GM is good-ish. Chrysler is still crap. Based on recent reliability reports. I drive a Honda so all of this is moot.
So it's really the fault Texas Instruments.
Wonder where those switches were manufactured?
We have an Explorer that is affected. We've been having a problem with the speed control for awhile-sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'll have to get it in to Westfield and they better give me a loaner to use while they replace what they need to because it's not like I can walk home like I used to from Anderson.
Quote from: MRS. NORTHSIDER on November 06, 2009, 09:40:15 AM
We have an Explorer that is affected. We've been having a problem with the speed control for awhile-sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I'll have to get it in to Westfield and they better give me a loaner to use while they replace what they need to because it's not like I can walk home like I used to from Anderson.
Make an appointment. If this is a recall they should have this down to getting your car in and out in the matter of a couple hours. Usually the case at least. This doesn't sound like much more than a sensor or computer replacement.
Quote from: buzz on November 06, 2009, 07:52:57 AM
tg, I don't think Ford accepted bailout money.
They just screwed the small dealerships, like Anderson.
They did receive low interest loans from the government to help develop battery car... that happened the same week that House of Rep. voted down the first bailout. It cost us like $7B in interest... they sneaked it through and hardly anyone said anything.
I called Rizza today. I go next week. I figured I'd be doing some shopping at Kohl's but the guy told me it should take less than an hour.
Mrs. N, why not try Rizza ! It's closer, you prbably won't get offered a loaner anywhere.
Hmmm...looks like it's not just American cars...
Toyota and Lexus:
Runaway Toyota cases ignored
Safety investigators dismissed numerous reports of sudden acceleration, then said data were lacking.
(http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-11/50362367.jpg) (http://www.latimes.com/media/photo/2009-11/50362367.jpg)
By Ralph Vartabedian and Ken Bensinger
November 8, 2009
More than 1,000 Toyota and Lexus owners have reported since 2001 that their vehicles suddenly accelerated on their own, in many cases slamming into trees, parked cars and brick walls, among other obstacles, a Times review of federal records has found.
The crashes resulted in at least 19 deaths and scores of injuries over the last decade, records show. Federal regulators say that is far more than any other automaker has experienced.
.
.
.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fi-toyota-recall8-2009nov08,0,6544559.story
If y'all dislike messing with the dealership to secure the "fix" (which is probably dubious, anyhow, given the aloofness of dealerships),
and, you can live without the damn speed control,
pull the fuse out of the fuse holder marked "speed control" in your owners manual, and your worries will cease.
I heard about 600 fires have been traced by Ford to the damn speed control on-off switch. They have built something like 1.4 million Explorers. To me, the risk is insignificant. I own 2 of them, and simply do not worry about it. (my fuses are still in place).
Berwynson
QuoteMrs. N, why not try Rizza !
We had that class. Rizza will tell you there is another $$$$ worth of stuff they need to do to your car (not covered under warranty). They scared the hell out of my wife, told her she needed an $800 brake job. She didn't.
Quote from: dukesdad on November 09, 2009, 08:39:03 AM
QuoteMrs. N, why not try Rizza !
Rizza will tell you there is another $$$$ worth of stuff they need to do to your car (not covered under warranty).
Boy, did you get that right ! According to them my car is on life support.
I was actually in and out within an hour.
Quote from: tgoddess on November 06, 2009, 05:32:07 AM
And yet some people think it's smart to bail out companies who build this crap.
Stunning. ::)
What is stunning is your lack of intelligence in the fact that you think the problem is with the auto manufacturer. The switch that is being recalled is made by texas instruments, you know the people that make calculators and computer processor chips. So where is your skewed sense of logic stemming from hmm? ???
I'll remember that if I ever get food poisoning at a restaurant. - "It's not the chef's fault that I got that bowl o' bad clams."
Yeah. Sorry, dude, but I DO see it as the responsibility of the manufacturer of the product that's being sold to me to make sure the parts they're using are safe. As a consumer, I'm entitled to be appalled about any irresponsible practices in which they might engage. If TI send them bad switches, why were the installed in the first place? Why didn't Ford go back to them immediately and demand that these be replaced BEFORE they event went into THEIR cars? Is Ford not responsible for doing their own QA testing? If not, then, IMO that's a serious flaw in how that company is run. (And it's not like they don't have a history with this stuff...can you say, "Pinto?")
You seem very hostile. Did someone piss in your Cheerios today?
Quote from: Therealcarguy on November 14, 2009, 10:00:14 PM
What is stunning is your lack of intelligence in the fact that you think the problem is with the auto manufacturer.
So where is your skewed sense of logic stemming from hmm? ???
Even from your POV, at the point which tgoddess stated that, it wasn't known (here) that it was a TI switch failing How would that be intelligence related? If the best educated person in Berwyn didn't know who had the biggest dick in Hollywood would that be a "lack of intelligence?"
Regardless, she's right - it is on the manufacturer. Think: Ford Explorer.
The "car guy" told me that no vehicle (vehickle) had a problem before it hit 50,000 miles or 6 years. How would anyone test for that ? I axe you.
Quote from: buzz on November 06, 2009, 07:52:57 AM
tg, I don't think Ford accepted bailout money.
They just screwed the small dealerships, like Anderson.
You must remember, Ford is a corporation. So their main thrust is to serve their shareholders, i.e., make a profit. If that means screwing dealerships, then they are performing their job properly. That is why we have HFCS instead of sugar in our soft drinks, artificial food coloring and chemical preservatives in our foods, etc. It's all about squeezing out that last penny for the bottom line.
Quote from: buzz on November 15, 2009, 08:07:12 PM
The "car guy" told me that no vehicle (vehickle) had a problem before it hit 50,000 miles or 6 years. How would anyone test for that ? I axe you.
Now, on the other hand, if we KNOW some particular vehicle (Explorer) is prone to switch deterioration, and in fact the percentage of failures is really remarkably low, like about four-hundredths of ONE PERCENT (0.0004) of vehicles built experienced the failure (so far), would it not be likely to figger that as one's vehicle gets older and older, without failure, it is less and less likely that it ever will?
Berwynson