Total of 16 Million Ford Vehicles Recalled Due to Defective Switch Fire Hazard
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October 14, 2009
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Ford Motor Company announced yesterday that 4.5 million additional vehicles are recalled due to fire hazard. There has been eight safety recalls involving approximately 16 million Ford vehicles equipped with a faulty cruise control deactivation switch manufactured by Texas Instruments. The first recall for the switch was in 1999 and has become the largest recall effort for a single issue. The switch can leak hydraulic fluid, overheat and then burn, potentially causing vehicle fires even with the ignition turned off and the vehicles parked and unattended.
“These hazardous cruise control switches pose a safety risk even while the cruise control is not in use and vehicles are turned off or unattended. I urge consumers to pay attention to this warning and bring the affected models in to have them repaired as soon as possible,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in the October 13th NHTSA Consumer Advisory.
This recall involves nearly 4.5 million vehicles, including:
· 1,102,389 Ford Windstars model year 1995-2003
· 36,624 Ford Excursion diesels model year 2000-2003
· 1,095,019 Ford F-Super Duty diesels model year 1993-1997 and 1999-2003
· 742,688 Ford Econolines model year 1992-2003
· 1,127,889 Ford Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers model year 1995-2002
· 355,181 Ford Rangers model year 1995-1997 and 2001-2003
· 7,308 Ford F53 motorhomes model year 1994
Consumers are warned by the NHTSA to be on the look out for certain warnings of possible imminent fires, including cruise control systems that stop working or can’t be activated, brake lights that stop working, brake lights and ABS warning lights illuminating on the dash board, or not being able to get the vehicle out of park. All owners of recalled Ford vehicles should immediately make appointments with their dealers and not park their vehicles in garages or near homes until required repairs are made.
Ford stopped using the Texas Instruments cruise control switches in 2003. 550 vehicle fires and 1,500 complaints have been linked to the switches. The NHTSA opened an investigation regarding the switches on 1.6 million Ford Windstar vans in May of 2008; by September 2008, they had initiated an engineering analysis due to 419 complaints of engine fires. Ford argued in 2008 that the switches in the Windstar vans did not need to be replaced because they were a different configuration than those in the previously recalled vehicles.
In March 2007, a jury awarded a South Carolina couple $3.5 million over a house fire allegedly started by a 2000 Ford Expedition. A year later in March of 2008, the Detroit News reported on a death linked by government investigators to the Ford switch. Investigators say Al Gavegan Jr., 76, was killed when his 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis caught fire in the attached garage of his San Antonio home. The police report listed a house fire's probable cause as "an electrical malfunction in the engine compartment of the vehicle." Ford Motor Company insists that its investigation was "inconclusive" as to whether the Gavegan house fire was caused by the vehicle.
Products liability is the branch of law that deals with the liability of parties involved in the manufacturing of a product for any damages caused by the product. There can be several parties involved in a product liability claim. The manufacturer of component parts may ship defective parts out to a manufacturer that uses them in finished products. An assembling manufacturer assembles all of the components into one finished product and can be liable for defective products.
Defective products can cause a great deal of property damage or physical injury. If you are injured or sustained property damage because of a defective product, then you need the services of an experienced attorney who has successfully handled product liability cases. Contact Napoli Bern Ripka LLP immediately at 1-888-529-4669 to discuss your case and find out the best course of action to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. We will discuss your situation and come up with a plan of action to help you get compensation for your injuries or property damage.