On August 3rd, 2006, Ford Motor Co. announced the recall of 1.2 million vehicles nationwide. These recalls are in addition to an extensive list started in January of 2005, when it was discovered that a Texas Instruments speed control deactivation switch in the vehicles was potentially dangerous, responsible for numerous episodes of engine fires. The incidents resulted in various lawsuits across the nation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had disclosed that Thursday that it had completed a thorough analysis concerning the cause of the vehicle fires over the course of two years. While there are currently vehicles equipped with the switch found responsible, NHTSA has not designated them dangerous. Ford has agreed to comply with any future requests concerning the safety of the automotive part, but doesn’t expect any future recalls at the present time. Kristen Kinsley, Ford spokeswoman, stated, “If we felt the switch was unsafe we’d be recalling all of them…. we’re confident we’ve captured all of them.”
Interestingly, non-Ford vehicles that use the same Texas Instruments switch have not been identified as dangerous. Ford automobiles that have been recalled thus far include:
- 1994 – 2002 models of the Ford F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks
- 2000 – 2002 Excursion models
- 1994 – 1996 Econoline vans
- 1996 – 2002 E-450 vans
- 1998 Explorers
- 1998 Mercury Mountaineers
The total number of Ford recalls so far is 6.7 million – 5.8 million of which are in the United States. The total recall would make the fourth largest recall in U.S. history. Last year, the Detroit News reported that Ford intends on reimbursing $50 per vehicle to fix the problem, putting the total cost of recalls at about $290 million.
Safety administrations have received 1,472 complaints on malfunctioning cruise controls, with 65 instances of vehicle fires, and while there are no reported deaths, several families have filed wrongful death lawsuits against Ford for fires allegedly started by Ford vehicles. There have been at least 13 lawsuits initiated by the faulty product fires, and since 1998 have resulted in government investigations. Ralph Nader has harshly criticized Ford’s actions, claiming that the automotive company of failing to confront the issue with the flammable cruise control system. Nader wrote in 2005, “How much longer will you allow this $20 part to imperil the public?”
The NHTSA report showed that the problem with the vehicles was that a fatigue failure in the brake seal allowed fluid to corrode the cruise control switch when it was pointed upwards. According to the report, “the brake systems generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the (switch) to fail and in certain installation orientations catch fire.”
If you or someone you know has been injured due to a defective product or has been injured in an automobile accident, please feel free to contact a personal injury attorney in your area. Clark, Perdue, Arnold and Scott Law Offices in Columbus, Ohio have experience in a wide variety of personal injury lawsuits.
