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Ford Recalls 155,000 More Trucks to Fix Fire Hazard

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

March 6, 2007      Spanish version

Flaming Fords • Ford Truck Suspected in North Texas House Fire • Ford Cruise Control Fire Strikes Florida Car Dealership • Ford Hopes to Wind Down Recall of Fire-Prone Vehicles • Ford Expedition Suspected in Fatal Ohio Home Fire • Ford Fires Continue Despite Long-Delayed Federal Warning • Feds Warn Some Ford Trucks and Cars Can Erupt in Flames • Ford Fire Lawsuits Spread • Ford Recalls 57,000 More Trucks, SUVS for Fire Hazard • Ford Fires Strike in Minnesota, California • Ford Plans Another Recall to Fix Fire Hazard • Ford Fire Hazard Recall Creeps Along • Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute Continue Ford Fire Tradition • Ford Fires Kill Pets and Spread Despair as Year Ends • Ford Lacks Parts for Fire Recall Repair • New F150 Erupts in Flames as Ford Truck Fires Rage On • Red Hot Texas Car-B-Que • Kerry Vows Action to Get Flaming Fords Off the Road • Flaming Ford Scandal Disgraces Ford, Feds • Ford Tries Again to Fix Fire Problem with Massive Recall • One Ford the Recall Missed • Ford Stops Sales of Big Super Duty, Recalls 2008 Trucks • Ford Recalls 155,000 More Trucks to Fix Fire Hazard • Feds Probe Fires in Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute • Feds Wind Up Ford Engine Fire Probe with Massive Recall • Ford Truck Fires Mount as Recall Rolls Slowly • Ford Trucks Burn As Recall Fiddles • Ford Truck Fire Fix Delayed by Parts Shortage • Ford Recalls 4 Million Trucks to Fix Fire Risk • Nader Demands NHTSA Warn Ford Truck Owners • Wrongful Death Suit Charges House Fire Started in F-150 • Feds Look Deeper for Ford Fire Causes • Recall Leaves Many Questions Unanswered • Houston Lawyers Sue Ford • Ford Recalls Some Fire-Prone Models • Feds Probe Ford F-150 Engine Fires • Ford Recall Was Biggest Ever --- • Bronco • Crown Victoria • Dump truck • Expedition • Explorer • F-150 • Other F-Series Trucks • Focus • Mustang • Ranger Pickup • Taurus • Windstar

Ford Motor Co. is recalling 155,000 pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles including 2003 F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 and F-550 Super Duty truck, the Ford Excursion SUV and the Lincoln Blackwood pickup.

A faulty cruise control switch suspected of causing fires in older model Ford trucks is the reason for the latest recall.

The F-150 pickup is the top-selling vehicle in the U.S. F-Series trucks have faced soft sales in recent months however. Sales for the F-150 pickup were down nearly 12 percent in 2006 to nearly 800,000 vehicles.

Ford recalled 5.8 million vehicles in 2006 after a lengthy investigation by the national Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) because of engine fires linked to the cruise control systems in trucks, SUVs and vans.

The investigation concluded that brake fluid could leak through the cruise control's deactivation switch into electrical components and cause to corrosion which might lead to overheating and fire.

Ford officials now say an internal check discovered the same switch systems in some early 2003 trucks and SUVs.

NHTSA has received 1,472 complaints connected to the problems, including 65 reports of fires but the agency reports there are no confirmed deaths or injuries.

To fix the problem, dealers will install a fused wiring harness to the cruise control deactivation switch to prevent the risk of fire if the switch leaked.

Ford truck owners will receive notices in the mail next week and dealers will make the repairs at no cost to the owner. Customers can contact Ford at 1-866-426-7332.

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