WASHINGTON (AP) — The government is urging owners of 5 million recalled Ford vehicles to bring them to dealerships to repair a cruise control switch system that has been tied to engine fires.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday issued a second consumer advisory to owners of certain unrepaired Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, vans and passenger cars who have not responded to previous recalls.

NHTSA said about 12 million vehicles have been part of the recall and nearly 5 million still have not been fixed. A similar warning was issued in February but officials said the rate of the vehicles being repaired has declined.

The recalls have affected Ford's popular F-Series pickup trucks and led to hundreds of complaints and dozens of lawsuits over engine fires.

Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood said the Dearborn, Mich., company supported the effort to communicate with owners. He said owners have received several recall notices but "the return rate has been lower than expected or hoped (for)."

Dealers have installed a fused wiring harness into the speed control electrical system as part of the recall, and the government said replacement parts are available. Owners can take their vehicle to a dealer to have the cruise control deactivated until the parts arrive.

NHTSA issued a lengthy list of older vehicles covered by the consumer advisory, including 1993-2004 Ford F150 trucks, 1994-2002 F250 through F550 Super Duty trucks with gasoline engines, and 1998-2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer SUVs, which were among the best-selling vehicles in the nation during those years.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Ford F-150
• Ford F-250/350/450/550
• Ford Explorer
• Mercury Mountaineer

Defective hose could affect braking power on F-150 and Lincoln Mark TL pickup trucks.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- May 14, 2008 -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling more than 655,000 Ford F-150 and Lincoln Mark LT pickup trucks to fix a hose that could affect the vehicles' braking power.

The automaker is issuing the recall of 2005-2006 versions of the trucks with 5.4 liter 3-valve engines. This is according to a posting Wednesday on the Web site of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Ford spokesman ....says more than 600,000 of the trucks are in the United States and about 50,000 are in Canada. About 1,500 are in other countries around the world.

Ford says there have been 11 minor accidents and no injuries tied to the issue.

Dealers will replace the hose at no charge to consumers. Owners are expected to be notified in late June, and the recall is expected to begin in July.

MORE RECALL INFORMATION:    Ford F-150      Lincoln Mark LT

Consumer Affairs -- April 29, 2008 --  The Ford Motor Company is recalling 64,754 of its heavy duty 2008 F-250 and F-350 trucks because of a potential fire hazard.

Federal safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report that the trucks do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard imposed to maintain “fuel system integrity” and prevent fuel spills.

NHTSA warned on its Web site that single-rear-wheel versions of the trucks with 4-wheel drive and the 156-inch wheel base, equipped with a two-piece drive shaft contain a fuel tank system that can rupture or leak in a crash.

“During a 30 mph frontal impact into a rigid barrier, the fuel tank can move forward and contact a frame cross member, potentially causing damage to the fuel delivery module which can result in fuel spillage,” according to the NHTSA Web site.

The federal safety agency warned that “fuel spillage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.”

Ford dealers will install a bracket in the trucks to remedy the safety problem when the recall gets under way in late May. The recall number is 080C04. Truck owners may contact Ford at 1-800392-3673 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

 A recall notice on the NHTSA's Website said small females riding in the front-passenger seat, without a seat belt on, could be at an increased risk of neck injury if the seat were to be in the full forward position during air bag deployment.

NEWS:   Ford Recalls 57,000 More Trucks, SUVS for Fire Hazard

ConsumerAffairs.Com -- February 11, 2008 -- Ford Motor Co. is recalling another 57,199 trucks and SUVs warning that the vehicles might catch fire because of a design flaw.

The latest Ford fire recall covers 2006 and 2007 trucks and SUV equipped with the 5.4 liter engine. They are the 2006-2007 E-150, E-250, E-350 trucks and the 2007 Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator.

The fire hazard in the Ford vehicles is caused by the fuel rail cross-over hose, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

NHTSA reports that the hose may crack, which could cause a fuel odor or a fuel leak. “Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire,” NHTSA warns.

More Recall Info: 

 Ford Expedition  -   Lincoln Navigator  -  E-150, E-250, E-350

Ford is recalling 3.6 million MY 1993 Bronco, MY 1992-1998 Crown Victoria, MY 1997-2003 E-150, E-250, E-350, Econoline, MY 2003 E-450, MY 1992-1993 E-150, E250, E350, E450, Econoline, MY 1999-2001 Explorer, MY 2001-2002 Explorer Sport, MY 2001-2002 Explorer Sport Trac, MY 2003-2004 F-150 Lightning, MY 1993 F150, F250, F350, F450, MY 1995-2002 F53, MY 1998-2002 Ranger, MY 1993-1995 Taurus SHO, MY 1993-1998 Lincoln Mark VIII, MY 1992-1998 Town Car, MY 1994 Mercury Capri, MY 1992-1998 Grand Marquis and MY 1999-2001 Mountaineer pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor home chassis. The speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn. This could result in an underhood fire. Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair as soon as repair parts are available (expected October 2007), Owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on August 13, 2007, and mailing completed by September 19, 2007. This recall was the subject of an Engineering Analysis, EA05-005, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 07V-336

- Parts shortages delay repairs of fire-prone Fords

ConsumerAffairs.Com -- January 18, 2008 -- More than 1.8 million Ford Motor Co. cars and trucks remain at risk of erupting into flames 5 months after the automaker recalled an additional 3.6 million vehicles because of a fire hazard in the cruise control system.

Ford initially promised parts would be available for the massive recall to repair the vehicles by October 2007. The automaker then said the parts will not be available until later in 2007.

DETROIT (Reuters) - December 6, 2007 - Ford Motor Co. said on Thursday it had recalled about 1.2 million vans, sport utility vehicles and heavy-duty pickup trucks because of a flaw in an engine sensor that could cause sudden stalling.

In a notice posted with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, the No. 2 U.S. automaker said vehicles equipped with a 7.3-liter diesel engine could stall without warning, causing a crash.

The recall covers vehicles built between 1997 and 2003 including Ford's E-Series full-size van, the Excursion SUV and the F-450 Super Duty pickup truck.

Ford said its dealers would inspect the potentially flawed camshaft sensor in the affected vehicles and replace the part with a new version without charge

The recall will begin on August 13. Vehicle owners will have the cruise control switch, also called the speed control switch, deactivated as an interim repair. When new parts are available, which is expected to be October, dealers will begin installing new parts