| Since 1999, the Ford Motor Company has recalled over 10.4 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars, SUVs and pickup trucks due to faulty cruise control switches, which can corrode overtime and catch fire. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration's (NHTSA) has reported receiving 1,472 complaints connected to the defect, including 65 fires. |
| The number of Ford fires reported to NHTSA is believed to be far less than the number that have occurred. The national law firm of Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, the sponsor of this website, has received over 325 complaints of fires in Ford vehicles linked to the speed control deactivation system. To learn more about the Ford Fire Recall, click here. |
* NHTSA Issues Second Recall Notice: On September 9, 2008, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration recalled millions of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury SUV's pickup trucks, vans and cars. This advisory was the second recall warning this year regarding what NHTSA calls a "defective cruise control switch that could lead to a fire at any time, even while the vehicle is turned off, parked and unattended." Of the 12 million vehicles recalled in the earlier February recall, nearly 5 million still have not been brought in for repair. The agency has received nearly 60 complaints of fires that occurred in the affected vehicles. It is also currently investigating a similar problem in Ford Windstar vans. The agency has received more than 130 complaints of alleged fires in those vehicles.
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* NHTSA
Press Release on Ford Cruise Control
Switch Dangers: On February
27, 2008, the National Highway Traffic
and Safety Administration issued
a press
release alerting owners and dealers
of fire hazards in unrepaired Ford
cruise control switches.
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* Ford Issued Additional Recall Of Vehicles: On August 3, 2007, Ford recalled an additional 3.6 million Ford trucks, cars and SUVs from due to the faulty cruise control switch issue. An additional 177,000 vehicles in Mexico, Canada and Europe were covered by this recall. |
* Millions of Recalled Ford Vehicles Remain On The Road: In August 2006, a Ford spokesperson stated that only about 40% of the vehicles, or almost 3.3 million Fords, covered under the earlier Ford Fire recalls have yet to be fixed. |
* Millions of Ford Vehicles With The Same Or Similar Defective Switch Have Not Been Recalled: Ford’s recall is under inclusive and many persons have reported fires in vehicles not included in the recall. Last year CNN reported that a Ford document it obtained showed that the same or similar switch was installed in a total of 16 million Ford vehicles. A list of these vehicles is printed in the box at the right side of this page. |
| The Ford Speed Control Deactivation Switch, also known as a "brake pressure switch," costs about $21. The switch shuts off the cruise control when the driver firmly steps on the brakes. The switch is located under the hood of the vehicle and is attached to the brake master cylinder on one end and wired to the cruise control on the other. This position places it above flammable reservoirs of brake fluid. |
| On most of its models, Ford designed the switch to be powered -- or "hot" -- at all times, even when the vehicle is off and the key is removed from the ignition. |
| Inside the switch, a thin film barrier separates brake fluid from the switch's electrical components. |
| Investigators say fires can break out under certain conditions, such as when the film cracks and brake fluid from the master cylinder seeps into the electrical side of the switch. This can cause a fire, even when the engine had been turned off and, in some cases, idle for days. |
| The following signs could indicate that you have a problem with your cruise-control switch: cruise control is not working properly; brake fluid is leaking around the switch; fuses are blown near the switch; or the fuse for the speed control cannot be opened. |
| If you experienced a vehicle fire, you should contact your insurance company and preserve the physical evidence needed to establish your claim. You should also report your vehicle fire to the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), so that NHTSA receives notice of the incident. |
| To report a fire incident with any vehicle, visit the website at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ or http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ or call 1-888-DASH-2-DOT. By U.S. mail, contact the NHTSA at: |
U.S. Department of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Office of Defects Investigation
NSA-10.01, 400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590 |
| Vehicle owners who wish to obtain more information about the recall should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. |
| Owners of the Ford
vehicles who lost their vehicle due
to fire and suffered additional significant
property damage (such as the destruction
of their house) or were injured in
the fire are welcome to contact
an attorney at Lieff Cabraser experienced
in handling fire recall claims against
Ford. There is no
charge or obligation for our review
of your case. |
| You may also contact
us by telephone toll free at 1-866-313-1973
and request to speak to Ford fire recall
attorney Mark Chalos. We will also
investigate vehicles made by other
manufacturers that caught fire and
led to an injury or significant property
damage. |
| If your claim does
not fit the above requirements, such
as the vehicle was destroyed but no
further damage occurred, we can not
represent. We advise you to contact
other lawyers and/or consider filing
claims on your own. Guides to suing
on your own (also known as In Pro
Per)
may be available at your local courthouse
and/or local law library and are also
for sale by Nolo Press at www.nolo.com. |
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| Based on information from NHTSA and Ford, and as reported in the media, the cruise control switches that have been linked to fires are the same or similar to those on many vehicles manufactured by Ford (or sold under the Lincoln or Mercury brand names). |
| RECALLED VEHICLES |
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| VEHICLES WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR SWITCHES |
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Cars
1993 Lincoln Mark VII
1993-1995 Ford Sable |
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SUVs
1992-1997 Mercury Mountaineer |
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Pickup Trucks
1998-2002 Ford Ranger |
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Vans
1992-1993, 1997-2002 Ford Econoline
1994-2002 Ford Windstar |
To learn more about the Ford Fire Recall, click here. |
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
To report a vehicle fire incident
Phone: (888) 327-4236
Web: www.nhtsa.gov
Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation
NHTSA
Office of Defects Investigation
NSA-10.01 400 7th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590 |
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Ford Motor Company:
Phone: (800) 392-3673
Web: for recall information, visit Ford's Recall Information Page |
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Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP:
Phone: (800) 541-7358
Web: for information regarding your legal rights and our law firm, visit our website, US Auto Injury Law.com |
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